Roofing

New Master Suite in Norfolk

A few months ago, we talked a little about buying a “used house.” This was the case for a couple in Norfolk recently. The previous owner had been a do-it-yourselfer, and his skills left a bit to be desired. His addition off the master bedroom at the back of the house had some serious issues, the worst being a persistent roof leak. The ceiling was also lower here than in the other rooms, which made it cramped and dark.

Our first goal was to address the leak. Because the addition had a flat roof that had been tied in improperly, and because the tiled roof was showing its age, we knew a total replacement was in order. By dealing with the roof first, we were able to reframe the roof of the addition and create a cathedral ceiling in what would become the new master bathroom.

We installed CertainTeed Landmark Architectural shingles in Moire Black. These shingles carry a limited lifetime warranty, and are rated for wind speeds up to 110 mph. The gable ends of the new roof were finished with tan siding and trim that complemented the brick.

After a few conversations about what the homeowners envisioned for the interior, we got to work inside, creating a new master suite.

The bedroom received fresh paint and new Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring. Between the bedroom and the new master bath, we installed a barn door with obscured glass. This door style is great for rooms where there isn’t enough space for a traditional door to swing open. The obscured glass still allowed the light to shine through, while giving privacy to the adjoining bathroom.

The bathroom is a true showplace that represents the homeowner’s style. Starting at the top, the new cathedral ceiling makes the room feel much larger. Windows, along with specialty and accent lighting reflected in the double mirrors, keep the space bright. The homeowner found a vanity and two vessel sinks she loved. We added a Fantasy Brown granite countertop, and the same material was used for the bench and threshold in the shower.

We love the new shower! Several sizes and styles of tile were used to create a unique look. A niche was built for shampoo and soaps, and the space was finished with a custom glass enclosure.

A lighter shade of LVP was installed on the bathroom floor, in the new water closet, and in the walk-in clothes closet. Pale blue walls and bright white trim completed the makeover.

Our clients said, “The master suite is still as gorgeous as the day it was finished. It has become the topic of conversation with all visitors.”

 

We hope this space will continue to be a relaxing retreat for many years!

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Exterior Makeover in Newport News, VA

Remember how excited you were when you first bought your new house? Everything was all shiny and new. Best of all – it was yours! Ready and waiting to fill with family and memories.

Fast forward 10, 15, even 20 years. You love your neighborhood and (most of) your neighbors. You’ve put down roots in your community: church, your kids’ schools, volunteering in your community. Life is good, but the house… well, it’s not so shiny and new anymore. 

 

This was the case for Rik and Michele. They loved their home, but they felt it really needed a makeover, starting with the roof. There were no leaks, but the roof was nearing the end of its life. We replaced the old roof with CertainTeed Landmark Architectural shingles in Driftwood. These shingles carry a lifetime limited warranty and are rated for winds up to 110 mph.

 

Next, we turned our attention to the siding. The existing two-tone beige was okay, but the homeowners were ready for a bold new color and style. They selected Mastic Ovations Dutch lap siding in Wedgewood. The fronts of the living room “bump out” and dormers were accented with Mastic Cedar Shake siding in the same Wedgewood. White gutters and downspouts, trim wrap, and corners completed the look.

 

Doors, doors, doors! We replaced the front door with a new ThermaTru model featuring 4 windows at the top and a 5-panel site lite. Michele painted the door a beautiful yellow shade that looks great with the new siding and trim. We reframed the garage doors to eliminate the clipped corners and installed new white roll-up doors that complement the style of the new front door. Around back, we replaced the old sliding patio door with a new energy-efficient one. 

 

The real stunner is the entry! Michele told us she’d always wanted a stone entry and our team was able to make that dream a reality. Stacked ledgestone was hand-applied one at a time around the door and on the wall. We also used a rain chain here in place of the traditional gutter downspout.

We received this note from Rik and Michele a few weeks after the job was completed: 

“We are thrilled with (the makeover) and find ourselves sitting outside almost daily just to take it all in!” 

 

We’re so glad they love their home’s new look!

Exterior Makeover in Newport News, VA Read More »

Storm Damage Restoration Project

Location: Carrollton, VA

Client situation: A large tree fell on the home during a storm. There was substantial structural damage to the roof and chimney, and to the interior and exterior of the left side of the home.

Our solution: This one involved our entire team. Repairs started at the roof with new trusses, decking and shingles. The left outside wall was reframed, rewired, and reinsulated, top to bottom and front to back. The Hardie Plank siding, chimney for the gas fireplace, windows, doors, and deck railings were replaced. Interior areas affected were the two-story family room, living room, bedroom, and the finished attic. These received new floors, drywall and paint.

Jim says: The most difficult part of this job was being persistent with the insurance company, to ensure that the homeowner was properly indemnified. The homeowner hung in there with us and, in the end, the insurance company did the right thing.

 

Photo descriptions:
Photos 1-5: A large tree punched through the roof, the trusses and the ceiling of the finished attic space.
Photos 6-8: Exterior damage along the left side of the house. Windows and doors, Hardie Plank siding, deck railings and the chimney required significant repairs or replacement.
Photos 9-11: When the tree hit the left side of the home, several windows in the family room were shattered, and the wall was pushed inward. The floors and fireplace were also heavily damaged.
Photos 12-14: Interior and exterior repairs are complete, and the home is ready for the family’s return.

 

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Screened Porch Project

Location: Yorktown, VA

Client objective: Existing porch is small and dark, and no longer meets the client’s needs.

Our solution: Demo existing screened porch, and create a new 20’x20’ living space, featuring a cathedral ceiling and skylights.

Jim says: “Good people know good people! The Sommers were referred to us from one of our favorite former clients, Rob & Dale Kutz.” They were a joy to work with and quickly became a ‘crew favorite client’ that everyone in the Production Department wanted to work for.”

The client says: “We enjoy our screen room every day. Jim’s company bought the roofing expertise that was the key to success. Our Project Manager, Haegen Fuller, was exceptionally responsive and easy to work with. Jim stood by his work, and we’re quite happy with the finished project.”

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We Love Receiving Emails Like This From Roofing Clients in Yorktown, Virginia

It’s great to get emails like this:
“Hi Sharon,

Everything was fine with the work. I must say that it is apparent that Justin Foreman is a key component to your workforce. He is great to work with, as are you. You have been most responsive with communications.

I did submit the Angie’s List review. I must verify it at my home e-mail address before it is accepted. Have a great day.”

The actual Angie’s List review was even better!
“Justin Foreman was the coordinator for this job and we had the pleasurable experience of working with him on a previous job for our home. He is highly skilled, knowlegable, and professional. The work went extremely well: the workers were prompt and left the work area immaculate. We would hire this company again.”

Here are some more articles on roofing:

Selecting Shingles for Price & Quality in Hampton Roads

What will it be like when they replace my roof?

Should I get a ridgevent?

A new roof in the Kiln Creek neighborhood

How to find a roof leak

Should you replace your leaking slate roof?

Only the lucky people see the leaks

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We Love Receiving Emails Like This From Roofing Clients in Yorktown, Virginia Read More »

Custom Skylight Successfully Rebuilt and Replaced in Virginia Beach

We love skylights! Nothing brings natural light into the home like skylights! But when we met this Virginia Beach homeowner and their contemporary home built in 1971, we were pleasantly surprised to see the large octagonal skylight that was the centerpiece of home’s foyer.
A former employee of mine who now works for a large roofing company that specializes in flat membrane roofing, referred the homeowner to us as the only company he trusted to rebuild such a unique unit.
The skylight had performed well over the years and had been worked on by other companies but the workmanship, fit and finish had not been of the highest standards.

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As you can see above, some of the past craftsmanship was a bit “lacking”.

To replace the skylight, we made a template for each of the panels and custom fabricated them all before removing any of the old skylight. The new panels were brought to the site and the the old skylight was removed and rebuilt with the new panels!
The client was well pleased and became another of our Raving Fans on Angie’s List:
“Jim Hicks inspected our project area & designed a turn key solution. Upon our approval of the budget, he presented us with a clear, fair contract. After signing the contract, his team did the work on – budget & ahead of schedule
Member Comments:
Terrific! The Jim Hicks team was prepared, organized, professional, clean & polite.”

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Custom Skylight Successfully Rebuilt and Replaced in Virginia Beach Read More »

Raving Roof Fan in Newport News Made Our Day!

Replacing a roof is hard work. But when we get emails like this it makes it all worth it!

Your whole crew was great!  They were very nice and even stopped working long enough for us to let the dogs use the bathroom.  They also closed all the gates to the yard when they were done, which is nice when one of my dogs is a hound and will run at the first chance she gets.  :). Thanks again and I have already given my neighbor the main number, as we were talking tonight and he was impressed with your work.

 

Here are some more articles on roofing:

Selecting Shingles for Price & Quality in Hampton Roads

What will it be like when they replace my roof?

Should I get a ridgevent?

A new roof in the Kiln Creek neighborhood

How to find a roof leak

Should you replace your leaking slate roof?

Only the lucky people see the leaks

Raving Roof Fan in Newport News Made Our Day! Read More »

Slate Roof Leaks in Hilton Village, Newport News, Virginia

This 1948 built home in Hilton, Newport News, has an original slate roof. As you can see from the pictures, a competitor of ours, using the “guess and goo” technique has tried to stop leaks on the roof with copious amounts of roof tar. This homeowner paid the other contractor for several attempts to fix the leaks which included tarring the slate and replacing some slate. Why are we different? We don’t guess, we test. We performed diagnostic water tests and located both leak sources in under 20 minutes.  WHY DIDNT ANYONE THINK OF THIS THE 1st TIME…or 2nd time…or 3rd time…?

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Things I Learn On the Job: Hampton Architecture and Big Virginia Trees

I was recently referred by JoNika Yarborough of Old Point National Bank to look at the roof of the parsonage of the Bethany United Methodist Church in Hampton Virginia and give an estimate to replace it.
The gentleman that met me there was very proud of the age of the building as well as the size of the tree behind it.
He told me the house was built in the 1800’s.
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That sounded a bit too old to me. Its not uncommon for church stories to get “skewed” a bit when passed along from member to member, not unlike the “Telephone Game” we used to all play in grade school.  Although its no definitive authority,  I checked the age on Zillow.com. It was listed as built in 1928, which seems more reasonable to me.
Then there was a tree. A big tree. The church representative told me that five of the members tried to hold hands and reach around the base of the trunk and couldn’t clasp hands. He also told me it was the third largest tree in Virginia.
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It was a big tree that’s for sure. I was impressed. However when I checked on Virginia Tech’s site Virginia Big Tree Database it didn’t make the list. Oh well, its still a really big tree.

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