House

Been watching it. I like it.

There is a House Marathon on USA Network.>>>

Thanks Clover. In a way, working with the tile company on this project is a throwback to the days when I first got into the business. It's a small, family-run tile business just like they all used to be before the multinationals took over. They make a decent product, but I rarely even tell customers about them because they also do their own installations so cheap that I can't even come close to their price.

I'm impressed with your work :) and envious of the materials you get to use on a daily basis. :(

People call me for a quote and say they want "the good shingles" I need to learn to keep my mouth shut, normally end up telling them that those are really just basic effin shingles and kiss that opportunity goodbye.

I'm still working on this project. This picture shows where I'm almost done with the areas where I move old tile to make the roof consistent from the pool-side view.

The roof in the background shows the contrast between the old tile and the new. My job is to have that contrast only noticeable from a rooftop view and not visible from the ground.

Almost every time I spend two or three days on a big house, I notice another trade coming by and doing something. Other than lawn service, I probably have another trade come to my house every couple of years, and it always feels like an ordeal to me to get it coordinated. I wouldn't like to own property that always required something to be done.

I've worked on a lot of projects like that, Woody, and I have to admit that I enjoy it. But the whole time I'm in the middle of these things I ask myself if I had the money, what would I spend it on and I invariably think, "It wouldn't be this." But that's just me, and I never let on. Maybe I just never grew up. There's a part of me that still wants to clip those playing cards back onto the spokes of a bicycle and go pedaling around the neighborhood in real loud style. Get down on my hands and knees and play marbles for "keepsies." Go through my baseball cards again and again. Turn beet-red imagining what it would be like if the little blonde girl walked up and kissed me. Put a nickel in my little metal elephant coin bank and shake it to hear that satisfying rattle. I just never learned to think that big. If you gave it to me I wouldn't want to pay the taxes every year or even try to keep the thing heated. But we can roof them and we can think that big for their sakes. It makes for some very nice work. I know what you mean about pitch. We charge more for clambering around on steep but we also charge more if we have to drag our bodies around on a belt sander all day. 5/12 is just about perfect in my opinion. Six is good. Every pitch puts stress on something different.

Actually EGG, the low pitch of this house has me hurting in places that never have before. Salonpas patches on a butt cheek was a first for me. I kind of was getting used to having the roof closer to in my face.

The house actually isn't that old, built in 2008. I think they were trying for a FLW Prairie revival style. But when the house spreads out all over the prairie, it loses the Wright look. One unique feature is a 75' wide skylight. Luckily, it's on the ridge and hasn't (so far) been a leak problem.

This is the Zillow listing of it, pre-addition.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/17664-S-Carlson-Rd-Oregon-City-OR-97045/2140630240_zpid/

Eric, I never cease to be amazed at the pictures you paint with words.

That house reminds me of my education: not too steep of a pitch, nothing too grandiose, all parts connected in some way to the whole, the old parts inexhorably falling apart even while ground is being broken for the new, and there is pretty much constant pounding on my head. No more pounpoun. Peepo eat peepo eat.

just realized you may not be able to pm me here on the forum...

if interested contact me at

b r a d e s p (at) y-ah who dot calm

Actually, Mike, our manufacturing activity has fallen off rather dramatically because I have had some serious issues with the quality of supplied painted coil. Unfortunately, some of this made it out into the field before we realized we had problems. So I have several installations where I will need to supply new product. The customers seem to be willing (at least for the time being) to let me come up with a solution, but I don't want to go to the effort of redoing the roofs just to have more problems down the road. So I'm being rather picky about what I want prospective suppliers to do. When I went to Florida this spring, I was hoping that Tom's polyurea spray could be a possible solution, but after some discussion, I feel that that particular method may not be suitable for our weather conditions and situation.

So, we've been installing mostly other manufacturers' products. Building the training center was an important investment in that it gave me the ability to ensure that all my workers were properly trained before they went on clients' roof, and it also allowed me to observe the ability/aptitude of the workers.

The web sites show us offering a variety of products, partly because one solution doesn't always fit every situation, and I have been surprised at the level of commitment some prospects show towards specific designs. Building a showroom was a stroke of genius (not mine - one of the staff people thought of that), as we see a few walk-ins every week, and we often have prospects come to the showroom to get a better idea of what the products look like, what the technical details are, and how the various products compare to each other. Obviously, it helps to have an attractive place of business as it differentiates us from most local roofing companies which do NOT have a place for prospects to come to.

The open house has now come and gone, and while the number of people who came was rather limited, we did get one sale (couple signed a contract for an aluminum shingle roof three hours after they left our showroom), a good prospect (couple picking the colors and asking me to talk to their general renovator), and some potential future business. We've invested maybe thirty hours overall (prep time and being available), and the business generated pays for that several times over. So, can't complain.>>>

As far as flashing the solar panels goes, why not just fasten then with clamps to the standing seam metal ribs. All you have to do then is flash the leads through the roof like a pipe boot.>>>

Well it 's getting closer . I found my man and we will be forming the panels on site. custom flashing made to site conditions , closure, hips and ridges all made on site. I was watching this guy work wow a Mike NZ of the metal roof world . I'll try and post some pics. How do I do it on this forum . Can I get my CIAK as an avatar HELPPPPPPPP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!>>>

Randy If you are not forming the panels on site you really need to be aware of every measurement. If you pre order the panels and the end up being the wrong size your screwed or you have payed to much . Make sure you measure correctly and order the right size and number of panels

>>>

They are about 3' x 6'. Mounted on a 4/12 roof. The panels are at about a 45 degree angle. So one side is about 3' off deck and other side is about 1' off deck. Then it has what looks like just thin metal wrapped around. Does that make any sense? My metal buddy will be back from Houston(I hope) in a month or so. Thanks.

Flashing these are the only hard part on this job, and you're right...it seems tricky!>>>

that would be the tricky part ;) what size are they?>>>