When it comes to your home, a documented history of care and maintenance is just as valuable as a clean Carfax is for a vehicle. At The Roofing Company, Inc., our detailed "Property Facts" tracking delivers long-term peace of mind and protects your investment.
For this case study, we are featuring a beautiful single-family home built in 1920, located in Newport News. The homeowner has been a loyal customer of The Roofing Company, Inc. since 2010. Our proactive maintenance program and diligent tracking have kept this historic Vermont Gray-Green slate roof in prime condition.
Here is a look at the "Property Facts" history of this Newport News home, showcasing the power of ongoing roof documentation:
- 2010 – Front Dormer Restoration: We began our relationship with this historic home by restoring the front dormer. We removed existing cedar siding and slate, installed custom step flashing, replaced up to 20 slate pieces, and installed beautiful new real wood cedar perfection siding.
- 2012 – Debris Management & Maintenance: A follow-up visit revealed debris buildup in the back right valley of the slate roof. We cleared the debris to prevent damage and replaced incorrectly colored slates.
- 2018 – Correcting Outside Errors: Because we document the home's history, we can easily spot when substandard work has been done by others. During this visit, we identified "don't do this" strap repairs performed by other contractors and correctly re-installed up to 20 slates using proper nail and bib or slate hook methods to preserve the roof's integrity.
- 2019 – Catching the Unexpected: Our ongoing documentation catches unique hazards—including replacing a slate that had a bullet hole through it! What goes up, must come down. We also swapped out more incorrectly installed slates and strap repairs previously performed by others.
- 2021 – Continued Preservation: We performed another routine round of preservation, replacing and repairing up to 20 pieces of broken, loose, or incorrectly installed slate using proper techniques.
- 2023 – Extensive Slate & Shingle Restoration:
- Slate Repair: Thanks to years of diligent tracking and care, we expertly planned a larger, four-day restoration project. This included carefully removing and saving approximately 220 pieces of slate below the valleys and over the front closets to ensure the underlying structure remained sound. The reason for the repair was due to insufficient head lap allowing moisture to migrate in over the top of the slates.
- Shingle Repair: We also performed a crucial eave repair on the shingle addition only built nine years earlier, removing damaged OSB decking due to poor installation and lack of correct flashing detail, installed 4-ply CDX plywood, custom-made heavy-duty white drip edges, and new Architectural shingles.
- Slate Repair: Thanks to years of diligent tracking and care, we expertly planned a larger, four-day restoration project. This included carefully removing and saving approximately 220 pieces of slate below the valleys and over the front closets to ensure the underlying structure remained sound. The reason for the repair was due to insufficient head lap allowing moisture to migrate in over the top of the slates.
The Value of Property Facts, Customer Appreciation, and Training
Because we were at this Newport News home so often to complete necessary historic restorations and maintenance, we did not need to conduct a standalone Customer Appreciation Inspection (CAI). However, for the vast majority of homeowners who don't require such frequent maintenance, having a CAI on a regular basis is a massive benefit to make sure the roof is secure from leaks and damage.
The Roofing Company, Inc.'s customer service experience doesn't end when a project is complete. Approximately one year after your project, our dedicated staff conducts a free Customer Appreciation Inspection to ensure your home continues to provide long-term protection. Just like a furnace or a car, a home will not continue to perform without regular inspections and maintenance.
This meticulous level of documentation and inspection goes hand-in-hand with our core training values. By relying on highly trained installers who care about the preservation of long-lasting building materials, we ensure that substandard "strap" repairs are corrected and historic roofs are treated with the specialized techniques they require.
Whether it is a single backed-out nail or a 220-slate valley restoration, combining our trained experts with ongoing Property Facts documentation and our Customer Appreciation Inspections ensures your roof remains in prime condition for decades to come.
For a closer look at the craftsmanship behind this home, explore the full photo gallery and project overview on our Past Projects page: Preserving a Historic 1920 Newport News Roof for 16 Years.
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