To say that an old place begun back in 1840 needs a little work is an understatement. To do the work and not protect your investment of time and money would be foolish!
And so it is, that we called in the professionals when it came to repairing replacing the leaking roof. Orchestrating the work that needs to be done here is like choreographing a circus balancing act. As I told you previously, we knew certain jobs needed to be accomplished.
Jobs in order of known importance were:
- Fix the foundation ~ Done
- Install a new roof ~ Done
- Install new plumbing ~ Partial only to the master bath.
- Install new wiring and bring it up to code ~ Waiting, as we need new studs and open walls to complete
The above work is being done by us as it now happens. The rest of the work that needs to be done, the reconstruction, was found by discovery as we went along. We will have to do the construction parts ourselves as well. We are learning how to do so much!
We fixed the foundation knowing that it would shift the bones of the entire house and thereby cause leaks in the roof. We scheduled the roofer to begin work immediately after the foundation repairs, and then it rained. It rained hard off and on for many weeks! We had 8 inches above normal rainfall this summer! You simply cannot replace a leaking roof in the rain. Needless to say, we were less than happy to see wet walls in the newest part of the house, that being the master bedroom.
Bygones…
Yesterday, we went out to do the final inspection on the new roof and we were very pleased! We hired WPI out of Florence, AL. Their attention to detail and hard work are a rarity in this day and age.
The job was not a simple one as you will see…
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- BEFORE: Notice ridge sag on left!
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- This is a very old roof! Photo: TS
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- Not only was the roof well beyond its warranty (did they have warranties back then?) It had up to three layers of tin in some places! Perhaps this is what kept the roofers from falling through? Photo: TS
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- Sagging ridge pole revealed. Much of the old wood up there had to be replaced or supplimented. Photo: TS
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- One of six old snake skins revealed! We found one in an inside wall too! Photo: TS
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- Note the rolled over tin that was nailed down to the fascia edge. Nothing is square in this place! ‘-) Photo: TS
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- Front nearing completion. Photo: TS
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- Work came to an abrupt halt when the men removed a panel and a cloud of hornets erupted from the side wall! (They were dispatched, thank you!)
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- Done! Ridge is straight and the roof is tight all around to keep out the snakes, wasps, hornets, Oh, and of course the rain! 😀
In the last photograph you can see the master bedroom peeking out on the left. When we had the house inspected before buying it was noted that the roof had been lifted and folded back on that side. Some screws were placed and some stepping-stones added to try to keep this side on, but the overhang was too long. It had acted like a fin allowing the wind to get under the raw metal edge, and then lifted the panels up in a storm. It had to be permanently fixed.
The work crew shortened the overhang by several inches, added a fascia, and properly battened it all down. We think it looks really good!
Thanks WPI!
Please click the image to be taken to their site.
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PHOTO CREDIT: A special thanks goes to Tommy (TS) at WPI for supplying the bulk of the construction photographs to me. I couldn’t be there every day due the distance and these photos for my journal are awesome!
DISCLAIMER: If my post today sounds like an add to you, well please know that we were not paid nor did we receive any compensation. That said, as consumers we do appreciate when we come across a business that takes pride in their work, and knows how to treat their customers right. Word of mouth is still the best way to get new business, and we believe they deserve the accolades!
Life on the Farmlet 
Great new roof and a lovely looking home
Thank you, Neil Irving!
that looks great~
Thanks, Connie!
Looking absolutely fabulous! What a great job and good to see you promoting the firm – nothing better than customer feedback.
Thank you, Annie, now we want the inside to look this good! Then we can work some more on the outside (paint, fencing, orchard, gardens, etc.) 🙂
Seems to me you are working your way to getting the inside just as dandy. The rest will follow but you need your living space just right.
Ha! So true since there is only 1,000 sq. ft of it! We will need a great shoe horn just to squeeze in when we move! 😉 (We are reducing our household items bit by bit now!)
Good to hear you are downsizing your belongings. We moved to a place with a huge barn where we could store things we hadn’t unpacked. 10 years later we gutted the barn contents in a very brutal way – managed to host our wedding party in style!
😀
You will be nice and dry now for winter! I remember when we had our roof done on our house (1830s) and looking up and seeing the sky through the rafters – scary doesn’t sum it up!!
Claire, no kidding! Although I did enjoy a brief moment of sunlight in the bathroom that has no window. 😀
We are adding a window! Might as well, the walls are all open now anyway! 😉
Always give praise where praise is due and it sure seems to be due for this job. A watertight roof is surely a first priority in any renovation.
Yes on both counts, Viv! We are so pleased that this is done, and done well!
I hope that that is the last snakeskin that you find in your roof. It looks very smart.
Better snake skins than live snakes. None of us saw a live one anywhere in the structure. Hm. Maybe they were there when the rats/squirrels were in residence in the past? 😯 Thank you, Tom, we are really pleased with the result. It really does change the whole look of the place.
Beautiful roof and it takes me back to my childhood and falling asleep with raindrops on a tin roof. Wonderful sound!
Thank you, Barbara! It is the most wonderful sound, isn’t it? I can’t wait until we are done up there so we can move in!
I’ve had a busy summer and have missed quite a bit in the blogging world. But with that said, looks like things are coming along quite nicely at your place! 🙂 Snakes and wasps…yikes. My two least favorite things to find in or even near the house!
I know how you feel, April. It has been the same for me as well. This is a major project, and we are so glad to have it finished! Onward!
Here’s a big hand for your persistence.
Thank you, Steve. We need a bit of cheering on. Anyone in their right mind would have probably hired a wrecking crew. In for a penny, in for a pound as they say. 😉
That’s one good-looking roof. Tin’s my favorite, and has been since the first night I experienced a rainstorm under a tin roof. I will say that falling acorns and frisky squirrels can be nice, too.
It’s so nice that they provided photos for you. I’m sure they make good use of the pics in advertising, too, or as a way to show potential customers the work they’ve done for others and the options that are available. One of my customers took a boatload (!) of photos after I finished my last job for them. It’s a little poignant, since it wasn’t three months later that their $350K boat sank in the slip and had to be totaled. Sigh.
I don’t make many guarantees in life, but I can guarantee that your house won’t sink. I imagine you have enough improvements now that your enjoyment of the place is increasing daily.
We aren’t even close to being done, but somehow getting that roof on sure makes us feel as though we have turned a corner in this adventure, Linda.
How awful to do all that lovely restoration only to have it sink to the bottom of the sea! Sad for you and the owner. 😦
Wow, it looks terrific!! And I always believe in giving credit when due, and I love braggin on folks who have done a great job, so I’m glad to see your plug for WPI. Hpw exciting to have a new roof!
I too have had snakes inside the house …sigh. It’s been a few years since the last one though so hopefully I’ll find no more.
It is a bit unnerving, LB. The only live one I ever had was in California when I left my gardening shoes on the front porch. I picked them up and brought them in. Later, the cat was batting at them and jumping three feet into the air! I wen to investigate and found a three foot gopher snake curled up inside! That was when I learned that snakes really do HISSSSSSssssss! 😯
OH YES, and that roof really is wonderful! Thanks!
I have no doubt you and Bob can figure out and do just about anything. Glad to see you’re checking things off the to-do list!
Thank you Patti! Some we can, some we can’t, and some we are not willing to try.
Like these: Working with 220, the roof, crawling under the house in small spaces to do the plumbing, etc…
LOL!
Wow Lynda! What a change. Thank you so much for keeping us updated with great photos! It’s almost as exciting as being there!
Lori, trust me when I tell you this…
Nothing is as exciting as being here. Nor as tiring, but I know this part will taper off sooner or later. 😉
Yes, it is quite a change!