Update #15 We Have Roof Shingles!

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The long wait for shingles has finally ended and we have shingles! There’s really no way to explain how happy we are other than comparing having shingles to crazy situations like putting a bandaid on an oozing cut.

CertrainTeed Carriage House Roof in color Brownstone

Picking out our roof was a huge undertaking. Out of the 4 homes we have owned, this is the first time we have had to deal with roofing – and (major) exterior issues for that matter.

Our house is an 1886 Victorian, but over the years the front has been modified and it has more of what I would call, a Farmhouse feel to it. Deciding which “shingle” product to put on our house greatly changes the “Victorian or Farmhouse” appearance.

For example, putting standing seam (think residential grade metal roofing, often used on barns) would have given it a very Farmhouse look. Going with a cedar shake or slate shake would have made it look more Victorian. In addition, changing the color of the shingles would then result in the house color looking out of place. Lots of things most people may not even care about…but we did!

My husband and I spent countless hours doing research regarding what type of products would have been used on an 1886 Victorian as well as what products mimicked those today.

Our selection changed many times over the course due to out-of-pocket expenses which ranged from $9,000-$60,000. Ultimately, in the end we decided to go with a product that still yielded a great deal of out-of-pocket cost, but we are so happy with what we went with!

Let me introduce you to our new roof…CertainTeed Carriage House Shingles in Brownstone!

From the sweep of a Victorian frame to the symmetry of a Colonial gable, the preservation of timeless architecture accented by steeply pitched roofs is a hallmark of the Carriage House luxury shingle. Carriage House has been painstakingly designed to evoke a unique, hand-crafted look. Equal measures of craftsmanship and architectural creativity are at play in this shingle. With cut-away corners and wide, dark shadow lines, Carriage House creates a one-of-a-kind look of scalloped-edge natural slate—offering the perfect roofline for your home. And the level of protection provided by Carriage House’s super-heavyweight construction makes for a perfect pitch. Source: CertainTeed

We have a long way to go to make the house look like a love home again…it’s amazing what a fire can do, and how quickly a house can deteriorate. But…I love this house and I can’t wait to make it our home.

p.s. We decorated almost every window on the house with colorful hearts ♥️ ? ❤️ as our way of spreading love and happiness with #hearthunters during this “safer at home” time. This simple little gesture, adds so much color and happiness inside and outside of the house.

The wood soffits, trim/banding, bead board, scallops and more all have to still be put back up on the house – so that will really help the roof look the way it’s supposed to look and not just “hanging over the edge”.

The yard is super torn up from the roof being rebuilt so all of that has to be fixed in the upcoming months.

I’ll admit, at first sight we were like “omg!! what did we do?!?!?!” We had never seen this product in person, so we really went our on a limb selecting it. The scallops are larger than we thought and the color is a bit different than what it showed online. BUT…after the initial shock wore off, we couldn’t be happier with the way it looks! It’s the perfect Victorian roof without the maintenance of a real cedar shake!

Now the fun has begun with testing paint colors. It’s always amazing seeing how different one tiny little number in a paint formula can change the appearance of color…for instance, the larger paint swatches on the house!!! One looks blue, one looks green!

I’m just so happy to have a roof on and that the leaking in the house [should be] no longer! It’s one more step towards moving home! Now that the roof is on, the mechanicals, electrical and plumbing can begin! WOOT WOOT!!