Paul E Dutelle & Co Inc

A Newton roofer that traces its own line back to 1823 is a rare thing. Paul E. Dutelle & Co., on Pearl Street, works in slate, tile and copper and takes on historical restoration; its site says Mr. Dutelle bought the business in 1893 from John Farquhar Sons Inc. and incorporated it in 1928, and the company describes itself as family owned and operated for more than a century, led today by president Charles T. Curran. Its Massachusetts home improvement contractor registration is active on the state registry. BuildZoom lists a Massachusetts sheet metal business licence for the company along with 36 permitted projects, and scores it 99. The Better Business Bureau grades it A+, and on Google it holds 5 stars across three ratings, including a five-star review posted in 2020. One thing to raise before signing: federal workplace-safety records on osha.gov carry an initial penalty of $3,880 against the company. Ask what that inspection involved and how the crew handles fall protection and staging on a steep roof. For slate, tile or copper work on an older house around Newton, this is a specialist shop rather than a general roofing crew. Confirm the registration and insurance, ask for addresses of nearby slate or copper jobs you can go look at, and get the scope in writing before anyone goes up.