July 31, 2015

Topping Off Big Creek|Roofing Our Old House

Martie Big Creek Farmhouse Remodel Big Creek, green architectural shingles, Old country home, roofing our old house 3 Comments

Roofing our old house is what’s been in the forefront of our minds since we moved here, because the current roof is just a conglomeration of layers upon layers of shingles on the original 115-year-old base. Scary.

The past two weeks have been very noisy around here.  Nearly every morning, I’ve been awakened at 5:30 am by the sound of barking dogs, loud trucks, and a noisy generator cranking up for the day right outside my bedroom window.  You may think I’m complaining, but think again!  I haven’t been this excited in a long, long time!  We are topping off Big Creek with a brand new roof!

Roofing Our Old House

I clued you in last Monday to the fact that my roof had absolutely no decking on it.  The three layers of shingles were nailed directly onto 100-year-old sawmill lumber, which had been the foundation of Big Creek’s original cedar-shingle roof.  My electric bill was nearly $800 for the month of February…I’m starting to understand why.  Remember how I showed you the light shining through the Poplar board paneling upstairs?  Ok, heat rises, so…..

You just can’t imagine how excited we are to enjoy our first warm winter at Big Creek!

The green architectural shingles look fantastic on this old country home, and the new vents on the roof make the house look so modern!

Here are the old ones.

Monday morning, the chimney came down.  This will leave many traditionalists shaking their heads in disgust, I know.  I teared up a little as the first few bricks came down, but I know it’s best for us.

I lived through one chimney fire in this house already, one frozen Christmas night when I was a child, and I don’t want to push my luck.  The chimney had no damper in it, and it just wasn’t safe to use the fireplace.  We intend to install some propane heat of some sort into the fireplace, once we have the floor ripped up and can run the lines (yes, that’s coming soon).

The Fun Part

I’ve enjoyed watching the roofers work on the few days I’ve been around to see it.  They are a happy, friendly crew, and they’ve put in several 12-hour days.  Music plays around the sounds of banging, scraping and nailing all day.  Early last week, it was a country station, and I heard “Girl Crush” at least four times.  On Saturday, its was rock and roll.  Monday morning I heard one of the roofers quip, “We can turn the radio on but I ain’t listening to none of that devil-worshiping crap like y’all had on Saturday!”  I laughed out loud in my kitchen…I rather enjoyed Pearl Jam and Theory of a Deadman!

They’ve moved quickly roofing our old house, but I’ve seen them work diligently and thoroughly all along.  I admire them, and appreciate them, and I tell them how great it’s looking everyday.  I can’t imagine doing what they do, especially in the 90+ degree temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately.  One or two of the guys has taken advantage of Big Creek’s icy waters in the afternoons, sailing off the zipline like kids.

Just yesterday, the job was completed.  This old country home has a brand new roof!  Isn’t it gorgeous?

And, finally, the amazing transformation in one pic.

Roofing our old house has been an adventure! Now to complete the former sunroom, finish up the last bit of vinyl siding, pay the bill and regroup.  Next comes floors, bathrooms, and much-longed-for carpet for the girls’ room.  I hope you’ll stay tuned…the end results should be pretty stunning!

X,O,X,O,   Martie