Sunday, January 9, 2011

let it rain! our new roof: ready for action

our new roof! 

Two years ago when we bought our house, we knew it needed a lot of work. It had been in the same family for 129 years, and there were (still are!) decades of delayed maintenance and repair.

One big job was a foundation - the house was sitting right on the dirt!

The other big need was a new roof. We tackled that in the fall. We aren't sure when the last roof was put on, but pieces of it were constantly falling into my garden and we knew it wouldn't last another rainy season.

old roof, flaking off

It took us awhile to decide on a roofing material. We knew we wanted something green/eco-friendly, but since our house is historic and we are in a historic preservation overlay zone, the roofing material also had to fit with the character of our house. AND - it also had to be within our budget (less than $20,000.00).

So the search was on! Ryan is the master of green materials, and he found the perfect roof for us - Metro shingle. They have several styles and many colors. We went with aspen, which is one of their energy-star rated colors.

So why Metro and why metal?
1. The price was right. Our materials cost was around $5500.00.
2. Metal roofs last a LONG time.
3. The metal roof is made out of steel, which is recyclable once the roof needs to be replaced
4. Some of their colors are energy-star rated
5. The metal roof is stone-coated, so they look attractive and neighbors won't freak out that you have a metal roof.
6. Our understanding is the Metro products are manufactured right here in California, so there is less energy-use in transporting the materials here.
7. Easy installation.

roof demo

i was so happy the day they demo'd the roof.


loved being able to see through the top.

we were super happy with the company that installed the roof, J.A.D. roofing in North Hollywood. Jose (the owner) was really easy to work with, and even though he hadn't installed Metro shingle before, he jumped right in and did it. His crew was courteous and hard-working.


we couldn't be happier with the installation and the way it looks. when the torrential rains came in december, the roof held tight. hooray!

next big project: exterior paint job!

6 comments:

  1. Sounds good, i really enjoyed my reading, thanks for your work, this is really what that can be beneficial for all of us, i am glad to check this out.

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  2. It looks wonderful! I love what you're doing and am so proud that you are staying true to making every detail eco friendly...some people skimp when it comes to the big projects.
    Doesn't it feel good when the old rotting roof comes off...I remember that my house felt so clean suddenly. :)
    have a great day and glad you're back!

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  3. liquid roof - thanks! so glad you stopped by.

    sarah - thank you. it's funny you say your house felt clean - i almost wrote that in my post. the day they tore off the roof I couldn't stop watching it felt so good that it was all coming off.

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  4. Getting ready for action, huh. The roof looks like it's going to win against the rain if it does fall soon. Could you share a full pic of the old roof? Well, just so that the people here could compare how much improvement there has been.

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  5. I agree with what you enumerated here. Those are the reasons why I love metal roofs too. It indeed lasts for a long time due to its durability. Anyway, recoating doesn’t just improve its aesthetics, but it also helps protect the metal roof from rusting.

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  6. Impressive! After so many years, it’s nice to know that the old house was being brought back to a good condition. Those newly installed roof is mesmerizing and just perfect for the greenery of the environment. If maintained properly, I’m sure its durability and appeal will be retained, giving the house additional years of life.

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