In my opinion, one of the most interesting parts of a home is the outside. Of course, you have the actual physical house, but if you are fortunate to have a home with a yard, well, that can be rather magical.
There are so many different ways you can design your yard. Maybe you use rocks, maybe you have a nice green lawn, or maybe you fill your yard with beautiful flowers. As was the case with our client in today’s blog post. She perfectly curated a yard full of flowers at her home in Darien, Connecticut, nestled on the coast in Fairfield County.
Now, what does that have to do with a new house roof? Well, when she called us here at Gunner Roofing for a roof replacement, she was a little nervous. Exterior work during a home renovation, especially with heavy equipment, has the potential to damage landscaping if the proper care isn’t taken. After spending so long perfecting her garden, she really didn’t want anything to happen to it during a roof replacement.
We assured her that she had nothing to worry about when she enlisted our services. We are always conscientious about our workspace. We always want to leave it better than when we arrived. In order to make sure the plants were properly protected, we covered all of them and made sure to keep our equipment away from the area. No way around it, substantial equipment is a necessary component for a construction site … but that doesn’t mean care can’t be taken. And we routinely do, from bringing new materials in to disposing of old shingles and other refuse.
Something else that’s worth mentioning was that while the roof replacement was being done, the client was out of town, and she had a friend staying at her house. Our project manager gave in-depth updates to the friend to relay to the owner, per her request.
One of the most important things you can do when hiring a roofing company for their services is to ensure that they are well aware of and following all the laws and building requirements. This can also vary from state to state, and updates come up periodically.
GAF Asphalt Shingle Replacement
Darien, CT
There is nothing worse than not following code. This can cause building projects to stall or halt completely. We here at Gunner Roofing make sure our team is constantly checking to make sure that we are always up to date on the newest requirements.
In any case, when you hire a construction company of any type, make sure to inquire about local code requirements so the issue has been raised and no shortcuts taken during your home renovation project.
Since this roof replacement was in Connecticut, one of the code requirements was that all seams of wood on the roof deck must be taped. For those unaware of this, here is the actual code requirement per the Connecticut state government website:
- New CT requirement to tape all joints in roof deck
- ASTM D 1970 compliant product in minimum four-inch width
- Applies to new roofs and strip/re-roof projects
- Exceptions: Roofs completely covered with self-adhered membrane or roof sheathing with nominal width less than three feet.
As an aside, roof sheathing is just another name for the roof deck, which is the layer of wood (usually plywood) that is laid over a house roof frame for its first layer of protection and to which underlayment and shingles or other roofing material will be attached. When doing a house roof replacement, the sheathing should be inspected before continuing in case the wood has been compromised by moisture or age. If rot is present, it will need to be replaced to restore the integrity of this integral roof foundation.
For all of our re-roof projects, we require strict documentation as a measure of quality and production control. Every job is important, and being able to document from start to finish – from equipment to wood to other materials – helps us ensure that everything is done the way it should be, up to code. Therefore, we made sure to take pictures of everything, including the seam tape for the wood sheathing of the house roof, and document it in the housing file. If the owners ever need it, we have it. This is just one part of all the services Gunner Roofing offers.
As for the roof replacement specifics, the client went with GAF asphalt roof shingles in the color Pewter Gray, an excellent choice. I would say it’s definitely one of our most requested colors. The top five most popular GAF asphalt roof shingle colors are Charcoal, Pewter Gray, Barkwood, Shakewood, and Weathered Wood. What do all these colors have in common? They are neutrals. This allows them to match a wide variety of home colors and styles.
GAF Asphalt Shingle Replacement
Darien, CT
GAF asphalt roof shingles are the best-selling asphalt shingles in the country. And for good reason. GAF asphalt roof shingles are cost- and energy-efficient, are consistently durable, a breeze to install, and carry a robust warranty. The GAF high-definition asphalt shingles are the standard (specifically the Timberline offering), but the company offers plenty of other options depending on budget and needs, including an outstanding luxury line if that’s in your home renovation project plan and budget.
By the way, as part of the new roof replacement, we also installed some fresh copper flashing on the chimney for reinforced protection in that spot. It’s always a good idea to inspect the flashing on your roof periodically because it’s one of the areas prone to leak if it wears out or is damaged. And this is especially important when you replace shingles.
In only two days, we were able to completely remove the old roof and replace it with the new Pewter Gray one. Not the easiest feat, considering that it was a decent-sized roof.
GAF Asphalt Shingle Replacement
Darien, CT
Here at Gunner Roofing, we pride ourselves on getting jobs done efficiently. No one wants their home renovation project to take months. This is made possible by incredible leadership, including the project manager, that matches each team perfectly for the job they take on. We consistently hit project deadlines because of this approach.
Overall, the client was absolutely elated with her new roof. It really breathed new life into her house. Most importantly, her garden remained untouched (and her new roof, with taped wood roof deck seams, up to code!). She couldn’t help but marvel at the wonderful job our team did on not only the Pewter Gray roof replacement but in the care they took not to have one flower out of place.
We were so happy to help this client and, as always, look forward to helping even more – whether it’s repeat clients or new ones! If you need to replace shingles on your house roof, or require new siding, gutters, or windows, please give us a call. We can offer a free estimate and elite customer service for any home renovation project.
City: Darien
State: CT
ZIP: 06820
Category: Roofing
Materials used (manufacturer): GAF
Materials used (type): Asphalt
Materials used (color): Pewter Gray
Project Cost: $25,000
Time to Complete: Two days