Starting at the Top

**Photo intensive post**
Our first major project here was a new roof on the house & detached garage.  We had several companies and contractors bid the project and were shocked at how expensive roofing is - of course this house is much larger than the house in Merrimack and we have the additional space of the garage AND we were doing thick rubber roofing on the sun porch & back dormer due to the low pitch on both surfaces.
This project was unusual in that we didn't go the traditional route of choosing the least expensive bid, but instead actually opted for one of the pricier companies.  This proved to be an EXCELLENT choice!  One of those prime examples of 'you get what you pay for'.
We went with Viking Roofing and throughout the entire process were very thankful that we had chosen them.

From the beginning we were impressed with Jeff Taylor - one of the owners - as he talked extensively with Steve about what they would do and how it would be done, as well as many different options for accent work and the types of materials that could be used.  He was extremely knowledgeable and not pushy at all.  You could tell that he spoke from years of experience and he inspired a great deal of confidence making us feel comfortable that he really knew his stuff and left us feeling like more educated consumers without that 'talking down to us' sense we'd had from some other companies. 
The crew that worked on our project was made up of 5 guys and led by Joe R.  They were all extremely courteous and polite.  Joe took care to explain the work progress to me and they were a really great bunch of guys.  This was the first time I'd ever had a crew of construction workers on a project where not one person used foul or off-color language or spoke harshly amongst themselves.  I was tremendously impressed and truly appreciative of their behavior - especially as we have teen children here at home that hear everything!
The crew cleaned up every evening, swept the driveway & deck and were very thorough in using the magnet bars to be certain there were no stray nails in the yard anywhere.  Given that my kids go barefoot as much as possible and we also have a big dog outside a lot - this detail was very important.  They also used tarps and covers to protect the house & shrubs, moved anything (like my birdbath and bird feeders) that was in the way and replaced it after the fact.  They were very careful with our property and I was thankful for the extra attention.

These are some of the many photos we took during our project (mostly taken by Steve as he takes such marvelous pictures!).

 

The entire project took about 5 days to complete and we are absolutely thrilled with the way the roof looks and are more than willing to recommend Viking Roofing to anyone who has a need.  They won't be the cheapest - but that is something to really consider... you do get what you pay for and when it comes to your home - it is worth spending a bit more to have the job done right.
These last photos are an update added after we had the exterior of the house/garage painted.  The new colors really make the roof stand-out!