Service area · Racine County
Racine roofing, siding and painting for older homes
Nearly nine in ten homes in the City of Racine were built before 1980. C&L Property Improvements, a family-owned company based in Muskego, serves the city with roofing, siding, painting, window and remodeling work, and at about 33 miles it is the longest drive of any place with its own page on this site.
- Population
- 77,816 (2020 Census)
- Built before 1980
- 87.4% of housing units
- Built before 1940
- 33.6% of housing units
- Median year built
- 1953 (±2 years)
- Roofing permit fee (2026)
- $100 per building
- Drive from Muskego
- About 33 miles, ~52 min
Lead-era housing on the lake
Racine's housing is as old as Milwaukee's: the median home dates to 1953, and a third of units (33.6%) were built before 1940. The share built before 1980, 87.4%, is the highest of any place on this site. The oldest blocks run to the lake. The Wisconsin Historical Society describes the Southside Historic District as a “42-block residential district bordering Lake Michigan” with stately houses built between 1840 and 1900, and the City lists a Northside Historic District of cream brick workers' cottages.
For a contractor, that means lead is the starting assumption. Wisconsin's lead-safe renovation rule (DHS 163) names roofing and residing among the activities it covers on pre-1978 homes, along with painting, remodeling and every window replacement. Removing old siding from a 1920s house, or scraping a porch ceiling, is regulated work once it passes the 20 sq ft exterior threshold. Inside, a third of the stock is old enough for lath-and-plaster walls, which are usually worth repairing rather than tearing out.
The lake shapes the exterior work too. In a February 2021 lake-effect event, the National Weather Service recorded 10 to 16 in. of snow in lakeshore Racine, Kenosha and Milwaukee counties against 1 to 4 in. inland. The State Climatology Office's profile of neighboring Milwaukee County describes the same lake bringing spring fog and fall winds, and fog and dew are what paint schedules have to work around: Sherwin-Williams requires surfaces at least 5°F above the dew point.
What homeowners in Racine most often need
Roof replacement with a City permit
Racine's code lists roofing among work that needs a permit, at $100 per building in 2026. The application refuses an overlay “if the existing roof has TWO or more applications,” and it asks for the contractor's state Dwelling Contractor and Dwelling Contractor Qualifier numbers, which you can use to check who you are hiring. See roofing.
RoofingPaint on old wood, near the water
Porches, trim and wood siding on pre-war houses take the most prep. Pick days with care: Sherwin-Williams warns that dew settling on uncured paint causes leaching, mildew and adhesion problems. On pre-1978 houses the scraping is regulated lead work, with containment and restricted methods. See exterior painting.
Exterior PaintingRe-siding older houses
Siding needs a City permit. On an older house, the decision is often whether to repair and paint the original wood or remove it; removal is lead-regulated work, and whatever goes on must go over a water-resistive barrier with proper flashing. The paint or replace siding guide weighs the choice. See siding.
SidingWindow replacement
We found no Racine rule written specifically for window replacement, only the code's general requirement that nothing be “built, enlarged, altered or demolished” without a permit. Ask Building Inspection before ordering. Every window replacement on a pre-1978 home is lead-regulated. See windows and doors.
Windows & DoorsWhat Racine requires
Section 18-81(b) of the City code lists the permits it requires, including “(8) Roofing. (9) Siding.” The residential roof permit is $100 per building for 2026, and the City will not allow a new layer over a roof that already has two. Windows and interior remodeling fall under the general rule in 18-81(a) that work built, enlarged, altered or demolished needs a permit; confirm the specifics for your project.
Applications are PDF forms; we found no online portal. A dumpster on the street needs a Street Storage permit, $100 per 12 days with four cones. For a property in a local historic district or a designated landmark, exterior changes “are required to have those changes reviewed and approved” by the Planning, Heritage, and Design Commission, even when the building permit is routine. Other municipalities in Racine County set their own rules.
City of Racine Building Inspection (opens in a new tab)
Sources
- 1.Racine Code of Ordinances § 18-81 (opens in a new tab)
- 2.City of Racine, Residential roof permit application (opens in a new tab)
- 3.City of Racine, Building Inspection (opens in a new tab)
- 4.City of Racine, Historic preservation resources (opens in a new tab)
- 5.Wisconsin Historical Society, Southside Historic District (opens in a new tab)
- 6.National Park Service, Thomas P. Hardy House (NRHP) (opens in a new tab)
- 7.Wis. Admin. Code DHS 163.03, definitions (opens in a new tab)
- 8.NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan, Feb. 15–16, 2021 lake-effect snow (opens in a new tab)
- 9.Wisconsin State Climatology Office, Milwaukee County climate profile (opens in a new tab)
- 10.Sherwin-Williams, Exterior product application FAQs (opens in a new tab)
- 11.Wisconsin Coastal Resilience (opens in a new tab)
- 12.2020 Census, P.L. 94-171 (opens in a new tab)
- 13.ACS 2020–2024 5-year, tables B25034/B25035/B25003 (opens in a new tab)
- 14.OSRM route from Muskego City Hall (opens in a new tab)
Historic districts and a Wright house
Racine's lakeshore has some of the region's most documented houses. Alongside the Southside district and the Northside cream brick cottages, the National Park Service lists Frank Lloyd Wright's Thomas P. Hardy House of 1905 at 1319 S. Main St. The city is also one of the Lake Michigan shoreline communities covered by the Wisconsin Coastal Resilience project. If you are unsure whether your house is locally designated, ask the City's planning division before choosing exterior materials.
Questions from Racine
Does Racine require a permit to re-roof?
Yes. Roofing is on the City's permit list, the fee is $100 per building for 2026, and the application requires the contractor's state credential numbers. A third layer is not allowed.
My house is in a historic district. What changes?
If it is a local historic district or designated landmark, exterior changes need review and approval by the Planning, Heritage, and Design Commission. Ask the planning division whether your address is locally designated.
Where does the dumpster go?
On your property if there is room. On the street it needs a City Street Storage permit, $100 per 12 days, marked with four cones.
How far is Racine from Muskego?
About 33 miles by road to the city's center point, roughly 52 minutes, the longest drive of any place with its own page here. Estimates are still free and done at the house.
Free estimates · Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–6 p.m. · Sat 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
A free estimate in Racine.
What needs doing, roughly how old the house is, and when you would like it done. C&L will set up a time to look at it in person.