A new roof is a big project.

It took three full days of hard work under a hot summer sun. But now the new roof is finished. It looks great. Thanks to Chris and the crew from Hubbard Roofing and Exteriors for a good job.

Initially, I was apprehensive about replacing cedar shake with asphalt shingles. Previously, I had always though cedar shakes were the way to go. But times change. Today, cedar shakes aren’t what they used to be.  Apparently, old growth cedar is no longer available at a decent price. Whether due to materials, installation or climate, the old rule of thumb that a cedar shake roof lasts 30-40 years is false. There are lots of similarly aged cedar roofs in my neighborhood that need replacement.

And after twenty five years, mine definitely were at the end of useful life. Fortunately, I learned that once the old shingles were removed, the underlying structure was still sound and undamaged.

New Roof Meets Early Expectations

The quality of the new roof will have to be judged over the long term. But my early expectations have been more than met. The whole purchase and installation process was just right. Even with modern online tools, visualizing what things will look like after the new roof is installed is just a guess until you see the finished product. Mine looks great.

I was a bit leery about selecting “dual black” architectural shingles. This might mean extra heat build up in the summer. But, aesthetically, these looked best. And adding five more roof vents will help. Besides, Calgary summer does not last very long. And the black may help reduce snow on the roof during winter.

If you check out Hubbard on Home Stars (Calgary) you will find they get a 98% favorable rating from their customers. And based on my experience to date, I agree.