To-Do List: Roof

The roofing contractor arrived on Saturday, 22 September 2018, to evaluate the job. He examined the rotted plywood and determined it would not affect the integrity of the roof because the bad spots would for the most part be trimmed off. He was actually quite impressed with my construction because I used quality, heavy-duty materials and designed it to suit a number of possible contingencies. As a bonus, he gave me loads to think about regarding roof ventilation (he advised against it because of the low pitch), eave and fascia treatment (he said I'm much better off doing that myself), gutters (he provided several options), siding (he liked my choice of board and batten), and other useful information. He also appreciated the fact that I'd done my homework, and was well aware that standing seam steel isn't cheap. Bottom line: my roof cost $25K—about $5K lower than what I'd estimated. No sticker shock at all.

The roofer then returned on Wednesday, 17 October to take measurements so he could order the materials (above). He began work on Tuesday, 30 October (below), although I'm afraid I slowed him down by not having the fascia finished—between indecision, rain and the flu, I only had about three-quarters of it done when he showed up. But he assured me that, in the grand scheme of things, it was all good. He spent the day attaching drip edges and trim pieces, while I raced ahead of him frantically applying fascia as fast as I could. Consequently, the last sections were pretty wonky, but the rustic aesthetic of the house disguises this.

The steel supplier delivered the fabricated panels on Friday, 16 November, the day after our surprise November Nor'easter.

Then things started coming together on Monday, 19 November.

He worked on the roof until 29 November. It's a labor-intensive process that requires considerable skill, and his work is truly exceptional. The roof is a work of art. There was no possible way I could have been any happier.

How Did I Find My Roofer?

One random day back in 2014, I was having a burger at a McDonalds on Route 9 in Howell. I wound up parked next to a truck belonging to All-Tite Steel Roofing and, since I was planning all along to have a steel roof on my future home, I jotted down the number painted on the truck. Fast-forward four years, and here we are. The owner, Daryl, is on the right; John, his brother-in-law, was his assistant.

Return | To-Do List

Copyright © 2017-2022 by David K. Smith. All Rights Reserved.
Home | Top of Page | Site Map