3-Tab or Architectural Asphalt Shingles?
Posted on | August 16, 2010 | 62 Comments
For those of you who don’t own a home this post is going to be really boring. But renovating a house is about more then decorating. I want to share the nitty gritty stuff too because it’s all a part of the process.
Something I never thought about before was the difference between 3-tab and architectural asphalt shingles. I actually never even heard the terms till last week. I was off in la la land thinking about color. 3-tab is a single asphalt sheet which looks flat; on the left above. Architectural shingles are two sheets laminated on top each other to giving the shingles more depth; on the right above. Architectural shingles are thicker and tend to last longer. Cost wise 3-tab are cheaper but they take longer to lay because roofers have to line up each of the sheets. Architectural are more expensive but go up faster. I’m leaning toward architectural shingles. I like the texture and depth it gives the roof.
I have a Historical Society meeting on Tuesday to get my shingles approved. Of course asphalt shingles are not historic but they are the most common roofing material in my town. I could have gone with cedar shingles but they are expensive and high maintenance.
The second discussion is color which because we live in the northeast in a historic district really doesn’t leave much too discuss. I could go with black, gray, or brown. Of course if you use lighter colored shingles it’s more energy efficient because the sun reflects and doesn’t cause excess warming inside the house. I’m looking at lighter gray options.
Next, we need to talk about new gutters. In the historic district we can use wood or copper gutters (gutters go across the top). Our downspouts (down the side of the house) can be painted galvanized steel or copper. I love the look of copper but every time I ask the price I hear, “expensive”. How expensive? “Expensive”. This conversation has become my favorite new thing to roll my eyes at. Just tell me how much! But I also need to be conscience of the fact that my house is on busy corner in a less desirable area of old town. We would be the only house on our street with copper gutters. Beautiful but Greg thinks it’s a bit pretentious.
We are still in the estimates stage of the roofing project. Getting references is difficult. After you get a name you have to call numerous times just to get someone to call you back. You set up a house visit, they don’t show up or they come late, or they reschedule. By Friday of last week I was pretty annoyed. What do people do that actually go to work? We are lucky enough to work from home most days but I would be pissed if I had to take the day off and then had a no show.
After hearing estimates of 12K I was even more concerned that contractors were so flippant. Really? Do you know how long it took me to save 12k and you want me to make a decision right this second? I also understand that they are running a business and their time is valuable as well. So I don’t know what the problem really is. It kinda feels like were are on a dating show; trying to find our perfect match. I want to work with people I trust. But how do you weed through muck to find the good guys? I know your out there! E-mail me I would love to work with you. Stay tuned…
p.s. don’t forgot to read the comments. So many readers gave amazing advice and tips about shingles and gutters.
3-tab and painted downspouts
Related Posts:
House Colors: Gray, White, Green or Black
Brick Chimney Rebuild
First Historical Society Meeting
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A journal about new england life, decorating inspiration, and renovating a 262-year-old house in Marblehead, Massachusetts. read more...
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August 16th, 2010 @ 1:14 pm
I would highly recommend the architectural shingles with copper downspouts. We live in the south and my aunt did this to a bungalow she has restored and it is so beautiful. I love the way the copper ages. It is an investment, but I think you’ll be happier with both in the long run. Love your blog!!!
August 16th, 2010 @ 2:15 pm
I’m not sure if I’ve commented before, but I really love your blog. I think what you are doing is so amazing.
Thank you for this post – I never noticed roofs before, but now I will! (Or perhaps I did, but didn’t understand why I thought one house looked nicer than another!) The architectural shingles are so beautiful. The texture they add really makes the house, I think!
August 16th, 2010 @ 2:25 pm
you could write another post on down-spouts alone…
Aluminum ~$15 for 10′feet
http://www.guttersupply.com/m-aluminum-down-spouts-round.gstml
Galvanized Steel ~$20 for 10′feet
http://www.guttersupply.com/m-galvanized-steel-downspout-round-corrugated.gstml
Normal Copper ~$70 for 10′feet
http://www.guttersupply.com/m-copper-downspouts-plain-round.gstml
“Euro Copper” ~$100 for 10′feet
http://www.guttersupply.com/m-Euro-Copper-Downspouts.gstml
Lead Coated Copper ~$450 for 10′feet
http://www.guttersupply.com/m-lead-coated-downspout-round.gstml
Some of the prices on this guttersupply site don’t make sense – some of the larger pipe costs less than a smaller pipe? Supply + Demand I guess?
August 16th, 2010 @ 2:26 pm
I only know about the different types of shingles because a lot of new subdivisions don’t allow 3-tab shingles. You have to go with architectural shingles when you build.
August 16th, 2010 @ 3:08 pm
I’ve always thought the 3-tab looked a little cheap – I wouldn’t not buy a house though because it had 3-tab. Our previous two houses already had 3-tab when we bought them. I would have preferred the architectural shingles. Who tears off a roof though with nothing wrong with it?-no one. We have a slate roof now, which I love and hopefully with regular maintenance it will last forever. We’ve said if the slate ever needs replaced we’d consider metal since having our roof redone in slate would be about 100k. If the metal was out for cost as well – we’d go with architectural shingles then.
I love your blog. Your house is going to be amazing! I love your gardening posts too so keep them coming!
August 16th, 2010 @ 3:10 pm
Katy, have you called O’Keefe Brothers out of Ipswich (978.815.3032)? They did a terrific job for us about 3 years ago and were reasonably priced. I’ve recommended them before and friends haven’t been let down.
August 16th, 2010 @ 3:13 pm
Thanks so much Veronica for the tip. We are calling right now!
August 16th, 2010 @ 4:08 pm
We have a 1910 house and chose architectural shingles. Not only do they look better and last longer but (as you mentioned), you don’t have to worry so much about alignment, which can be a huge time saver in old houses that may not be perfectly square.
August 16th, 2010 @ 4:58 pm
I definitely prefer the architectural shingles! I think you could go with the less expensive gutters and still have a good look.
August 16th, 2010 @ 5:02 pm
Hands down, architectural. The houses in our neighborhood are approximately the same age so we are all having to replace our roofs around the same time. Most of us have gone with the architectural. They make the flat tabbed ones look so plain, boring and cheap. I can’t really attest to the copper downspots as they are cost prohivitive for us. Copper theft is also a big problem here as well but if you are in a well lit area with plenty of other houses around you should be ok. I enjoy your blog!
August 16th, 2010 @ 5:19 pm
Nancy!
Crazy you should bring up copper downspout theft. Greg said the same thing and I laughed. We are living in tough times and I can imagine they are pretty easily pulled down in the middle of the night. So interesting and something to consider!
August 16th, 2010 @ 6:07 pm
Hi Katy
I have copper guttering here and it has been brilliant (and is ecological if that helps). And because the profile is wider we could get away with having fewer down pipes and less soakaways than we would have needed with conventional diameter guttering so it worked out less expensive (cheaper to fit as well). I have an old oak tub at the end of one down pipe and it collects rainwater from the whole of one side of the roof for the garden.
It weathered quickly and I doubt very much anyone would steal it (it is pretty well fixed and quite cumbersome) unless they were determined or desperate (easier to break in or steal your car from the drive I would imagine – and they would need to take a lot of guttering to get much money as scrap). At Border Oak we fit a LOT of copper gutters and I haven’t heard of anyone having it stolen from the house – yet! And if it helps I think the more detailed roof covering looks best – it is such a big visual area/impact and one you wouldn’t want to change. best wishes
merry
August 16th, 2010 @ 6:23 pm
architectural shingles: yes.
or metal roof?
I like the color of the last roof you posted here: pale brown. In 1999 I put on a new dark gray 3 tab roof and it looks very tired today, 11 years later. The color has faded. If you buy a medium tone shingle, you may still count on it fading. Although not white (reflective), it may not be dark enough to become a heat sink.
August 16th, 2010 @ 9:42 pm
Oh, you’ve just incited a crisis of confidence. I don’t know what kind of roof shingles I have. And I was unaware that I live in a “less desirable part of old town.” Yikes! Time to pour more wine! :)
PS – I’d go with copper. Let the neighbors talk!
August 16th, 2010 @ 10:03 pm
have you thought about standing seam steel?
it’s looks great on historical homes ?
August 17th, 2010 @ 2:51 am
My vote is for architectural shingles. Our house is a Greek Revival built in 1858 with the arch shingles and they look great. Our previous home was brand new when we bought it and had cedar shake shingles – 13 years later, we are replacing the whole roof (we haven’t sold it yet – that’s a whole other story!) The price for arch shingles is about $6.5K; for cedar, about $15K and they would have to be replaced again in 10-15 years – yikes! The Homeowners Association has changed that particular requirement due to homeowner protest – thankfully! It took quite a while to find an old house here in Virginia – I grew up in Massachusetts where old homes are every where – and we are so very happy here!
Good luck and stay on top of those guys!
August 17th, 2010 @ 6:47 am
Copper theft is very common and a real concern. People break into empty houses to take out the pipes; by installing downspouts right out there, you’d be saving them the trouble of breaking in.
August 17th, 2010 @ 7:24 am
I think the architectural shingles in light grey would look great, and 12k seems like the going price (kudos on managing to get that kind of money together, I’m trying to save up about the same amount for a rolled rubber flat roof and it’s slooooow saving).
Copper downspouts look great, and probably last longer than wood — if I read your post correctly, you’re limited to those two choices by your historic district. What a drag. I got all-one-piece aluminum gutter/downspout for the back of my house (four storeys) for $325 installed a few years ago. I shudder to think how much copper would have cost. And I paid a premium to have black. You could save a lot of money and have perfectly functioning aluminum gutters if they’d allow it.
August 17th, 2010 @ 7:37 am
Thanks for all your input. I love the look of metal roofs but we don’t have any in my town. I spotted them all over Vermont and NH.
In regards to gutters. Once I get back an estimate of their real cost I think I’ll write another post. Balancing high and low details without blowing your budget is a factor and something I think I need to discuss/think about further.
August 17th, 2010 @ 9:19 am
We just finished re-roofing our 1790 house with cedar shingles. It was a pricey project, but ultimately we’re really happy with the results. We looked into copper gutters, but it was going to cost so much (I want to say it was $20K) that we decided to wait and maybe do that as a “someday” project. In the meantime, we went with generic gutters, which are just fine. One major project at a time! I do recommend going with a roofing company you’re really comfortable with. The company we used was fantastic – they showed up on time (or early) every day, the crew was really nice, they worked incredibly hard all day, and they cleaned up after themselves. And the price was just a shade higher than companies that didn’t come as highly recommended; it was absolutely worth paying a slim premium for a great company.
August 17th, 2010 @ 9:27 am
We just went through a similar dilemma! Hope this helps – http://www.fineartistmade.com/blog/blog-detail.php?The-Roof-9
August 17th, 2010 @ 10:20 am
marblehead is one of the most beautiful towns on the north shore – do you really think there is a “less desirable” area? honestly do you think adding a shrub or two makes your house less of an unwelcome sight? you seem concerned about what people think of you based on your gutter choice yet neither you nor greg seem to care about not responding to a friendly smile or hello from someone passing by.
August 17th, 2010 @ 10:24 am
I laughed out loud about your “dating” comment. In Newburyport I always made that comment because they act so stupid about showing up or calling back. I often felt like yelling, “We are not dating! I am trying to get work done here! It is a business for me too!” We actually have a horror story about hiring roofers but I have a totally different attitude now when I hire people – It is a contract and I’m the boss. It weeds out a lot of people. My attitude before was more like – oh please help us, please, please, please….. Good luck! I even thought of becoming a general contractor organizer! I would be able to book so many people based on calling people back! Thanks for your wonderful info. I always enjoy it!
August 17th, 2010 @ 10:24 am
Yes Jean!!! You are exactly right.
August 17th, 2010 @ 10:33 am
Jean and Tracy are on the money. After reading this blog for a few months now you give off the impression that you are a friendly neighbor and someone who really works hard on your house. While I understand that restoring your house is a HUGE project….maybe you should think that your “less desirable neighborhood” is being brought down by the eye sore that IS your house. Yeah the hydrangeas are nice and that urn is nice but come on. “Flippant” contractors…maybe they have just gotten a taste of your attitude and don’t like to be treated like “the help”. Oh and people that work deal with things just like you privileged people that work from home…perhaps with just a little more patience. Or maybe the contractors did call you back…but you were just out rug hunting.
August 17th, 2010 @ 10:55 am
We recently got a new roof and I made a lot of mistakes with my decision, so maybe you can learn from them! I wish I’d been able to get architectural shingles, but the roofer claimed we didn’t have enough pitch to the roof to use them.
If you can, def. take the time to buy a box of the color of your choice, and lay them on the roof to make sure you like it. I am kicking myself for picking color from a tiny sample.
Also, my roofers PAINTED the vents and other rooftop protrusions to match this ugly color! If you like your metal fixtures, definitely tell them not to paint over them.
The best piece of advice came from a roofer my husband sat next to on a flight: If the company comes over for an estimate, and their representative shows up in business clothes driving a car (not a pickup) steer clear. They are going to upsell the bejeesus out of you on things you don’t need. We got a $13K estimate from one of these guys (for a low-to-mid-end package) … the perfectly fine roofer that we actually went with was $5K (except for the fixture painting, but whatever, it’s just a roof!)
August 17th, 2010 @ 11:44 am
I vote for light brown, with coper on your blue house. Or maybe light grey. The coper is soooo pretty.
August 17th, 2010 @ 11:51 am
Wow, what a lot of snarkiness in the comments… Can’t imagine having my busybody neighbors reading my blog just to bitch.
As for shingles, your house would be beautiful with the architectural shingles in a medium gray. Perfect compliment to the style of the home and new england sky. Hang in there Katy, you’re doing a great job on your place.
August 17th, 2010 @ 11:52 am
Hi Ladies,
I appreciate all your comments. But wow I feel as though my comment is being taking the wrong way. I love where I live but I am making note of the home’s true value. I am on a very busy corner, with no yard, or garage. If I lived a street back from my busy street or even had a backyard on the same street the value would significantly change.
Would you buy my house for X amount when you could get a house in a better location for the same price?
I am commenting on the subject of over renovating a house. It’s a balancing act of high and low. Meaning I can’t invest $$$$ when I will never see that return if I ever went to sell? It would be foolish. I know my house will be beautiful and work cohesively with my neighbors homes.
I realize my house looks like a dump right now. But attacking me just makes me want close up shop on the blog and not share my experience.
August 17th, 2010 @ 12:10 pm
And thank you to all of you for sharing your roof picks, experiences, and tips. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to comment and share.
August 17th, 2010 @ 12:29 pm
Oh my! I hope that Jean, Tracy and especially Peg are not your immediate neighbors because I would be wanting to move right about now with that hostility…It’s so ironic that they have the nerve to call your house an eyesore when you just redid the chimney and are moving on to the roof and plan to paint. I totally agree with you about flippant contractors. They are notorious for that behavior. Good Luck with the roof!
August 17th, 2010 @ 1:19 pm
Wow Katy. I thought by this point in our collective lives we had all moved beyond the ‘mean girl’ middle school approach to problem solving. I guess not.
Keep renovating, keep blogging, keep your head held high.
xo
August 17th, 2010 @ 1:30 pm
What awful, immature comments from those three. I am thoroughly enjoying reading about your renovating experience, as I too live in an old home.
Keep it up…you’re doing great!
August 17th, 2010 @ 1:31 pm
We originally wanted a metal roof for our 1860s home but were getting installation quotes for almost double what we paid for the house. Uh, no thanks!
We went with architectural shingles and have no regrets. The price was not really that much higher than the 3-tab (in our neck of the woods), and they provided so much more depth and richness to the overall look of the house. (Or at least they will… let me provide some encouragement by mentioning that our house looks at least 150x WORSE than yours regarding curb appeal right now. We happen to have super supportive and encouraging neighbors though.)
If it were my house, I’d opt for painted gutters/downspouts. Downspouts aren’t something I particularly want to feature on my house, and copper would definitely make them stand out. Just my opinion.
I hope the negativity won’t stop you from sharing your experiences and being honest. Renovations take time, and your neighbors are lucky that someone like you is dedicated to going through the arduous process of making your home something beautiful — something that will eventually add more value to the neighborhood and to their homes as well.
August 17th, 2010 @ 1:37 pm
Wow, Katie. I was reading through the posts with a lot of really great comments on roof & gutter choices. I was quite shocked by your neighbor’s comments. Knowing what nice people you and Greg are, I was upset by the personal insults from people who don’t even know you. I know that you both work hard to save up money for each project and I don’t understand what is wrong with wanting to hire skilled craftsmen who take enough pride in their craft to show up for appointments and return phone calls. Most people know that is a common complaint of contractors and I see nothing wrong with customers expecting respectable business practices.
Working from home is becoming more and more common and I wasn’t aware it made you “privileged”. Perhaps if your neighbors got to know you, they would know you & Greg have worked for what you have and have never had anything handed to you.
I know you both knew you were beginning a HUGE undertaking when you bought the house and you were determined to work on it piece by piece as you were able to save the money. The house was not pleasing to look at before you bought it and I don’t think many others were willing to make the investment of both time and money to give it the TLC it needs.
I would think the neighbors who deem your house to be an “eyesore” would be a bit more supportive in your efforts to fix it up.
Marblehead is indeed a beautiful town, but I think this gang of “mean girl” neighbors might be making your neighborhood a bit “less desirable”. I would also think that they might stop reading the blog if it upsets them so much rather than attacking you for sharing your experience. Please don’t begin to edit yourself because of a few high school comments.
August 17th, 2010 @ 1:52 pm
Oh Tracy, Jean, & Peg…..I don’t get why you read her blog. To criticize her? What strange comments. Are you her NEIGHBORS? I’m in shock you are sticking up for contractors…. That’s a new one. You clearly have a personal problem with her but that isn’t what this blog is about. She is renovating a very old home and has the right to do so. I think you should start your own blog about katy elliot and how awful she is rather than ruin her blog with these rude comments. Thank God you aren’t my neighbors. I would practically have to bake you cookies and smile ear to ear every time you passed by just to be accepted I suppose.
August 17th, 2010 @ 2:03 pm
Ok, ok ladies thanks for all your support.
But let’s get back to the roof! 3-tab or architectural?
K
August 17th, 2010 @ 2:05 pm
Katy, you have always been honest about your renovation, about how conscious you are of your neighbours and how the reno impacts them. You’ve always struck me as a considerate neighbour and I’ve always known that you wished your budget permitted you to move faster so that the house would be done.
The fact is, it takes time and money to do something right. People who see a young couple pouring their hearts into a renovation and respond with bitchy and jealous contempt are the ones who should examine their own capacity for neighbourliness.
There are so many worse neighbours they could have than you and Greg, who are trying to create a beautiful home on a realistic budget and learning and sharing their learning as they go.
August 17th, 2010 @ 2:05 pm
Katy, it’s been such a pleasure to read your blog and to share in your experiences with renovating such a beautiful home.
I think that the longevity and the quickness of the architectural shingles, along with of course the visual richness they provide, would make them my own choice.
As far as the downspouts, I think that the painted ones look just fine. Especially with the interesting architectural shingles, the downspouts wouldn’t really be what I noticed as a passerby. As far as potentially selling the house in the future, would the copper downspouts add enough value to your home to justify the extra cost now?
Keep at it, your home will be gorgeous when you’re done :)
August 17th, 2010 @ 2:25 pm
Katy,
Another good post. Our flat-roof 1850s Victorian was re-roofed 5yr ago and we used copper trim and down-spouts. The shine faded, and the natural patina has made them much more subtle. Go with copper as you’ll never have to re-paint them.
And since petty, small-minded neighbors are in large supply, don’t be put-off, but keep up the good work.
August 17th, 2010 @ 3:19 pm
Katy,the copper gutters,downspouts,and ridge caps are so gorgeous.The patina as the copper ages can change the total look of your color scheme.We did copper but have now had to replace portions of the downspouts because of “metal thieves”.I know Marblehead is not St Louis but it is problem in many parts of the country.Many of our neighbors have had the same issue.
As far as your neighbors go,there is no way to satisfy everyone.We were the pioneers in our neighborhood.I could tell stories that would shock you.We hung in there and now our area is stabilized.Our old beauties(only 125 years)are being preserved at an astonishing rate.I take great pride in that.Hang in there.You are doing an amazing job.A beautifully preserved piece of Americana is a home for you and an inspiration for others.
August 17th, 2010 @ 4:21 pm
An architect friend of mine says to be sure one’s roof can support heavier shingles as architectural shingles weigh more than 3-tab. Since many of the homes in your area have the architectural ones, chances are they would work, but it’s probably worth discussing with potential contractors.
August 17th, 2010 @ 4:45 pm
hi katy. another gutter option i chose this year (down in wash dc) when ours fell off after a huge snowstorm is half-round galvanized gutters. less pretentious than copper, not a commodity people want to steal (a common practice here), highly inexpensive and very sturdy. the only issue is rusting but my historic roof guy here suggests letting rain etch the surface for a year & then paint the inside of them w/ a rubberizing paint. kicker, they are gorgeous. can send pics.
good luck.
amy
August 17th, 2010 @ 5:20 pm
Please oh please don’t stop blogging. Your home is beautiful and I can’t wait to continue reading about the process of renovating. I have no idea about gutters but copper sounds just lovely to me if we’re trying to stay on topic here :)
August 17th, 2010 @ 6:17 pm
Oh, dear! I did not mean for my comment to be interpreted as snarky; quite the opposite, which is why I added the confidence note and the smiley face. Humor often fails to translate via the web! Apologies. Katy, your blog is terrific. DO NOT change a thing. We love you, your house and our neighborhood! :)
August 17th, 2010 @ 6:22 pm
Thanks Jenny for leaving another comment to clarify.
This post has been twisted all around today. Ahh the web!
August 17th, 2010 @ 6:24 pm
i don’t buy the argument that tab shingles take longer to install. Once they strike the center line, they just nail away from the center out to the edges, following the shingle tab end as a guide, and go up course by course. simple.
Other hand, the faux architectural shingles are trying to be something they aren’t. Visually, I don’t believe the added depth is as important as the shingle color. As far as heat goes, you can add a underlayment of reflective material.
August 17th, 2010 @ 6:26 pm
Thanks Alan.
The knowledge I am sharing is via my experience of getting estimates for the roof.
Thanks for the reflective material tip too!
August 17th, 2010 @ 6:30 pm
Thank you so much for the info on the shingles. We’re looking at having to redo the roof on the place we just closed on, and no one wants to talk to me about what my options are, they only want to speak to the man of the house. Like women don’t have votes on roofing material! Thanks to you, and to your knowledgeable readers, I am well informed. Wish you could give us contractor help too :). Keep up the great work and like all things in life, never let the petty mindedness of others bother you. Thanks again Katy.
August 17th, 2010 @ 8:43 pm
I just wanted to say that I wouldn’t take the comments personally. We’re in our 30s, don’t have kids and I don’t work – except on our house! Our dog is very babied to say the least. We’ve gotten a few neighbor comments over the years and I just chalk it up to jealously. We’ve always been cautious to fix our house up to fit in the with the neighborhoods we’ve lived in – and are quiet and respectful neighbors. We’ve received comments from all 3 homes we’ve owned that “we’re awfully young to be doing blank.” Just tune it all out. I think your hydrangeas and yard look beautiful. I even think your house looks great in the photos. Don’t let people get you down. Keep blogging. Some of the things you’re doing are very interesting and I love reading your blog for ideas for my own home. Most neighbors we’ve had have been wonderful, there are always a few bad apples anywhere.
August 18th, 2010 @ 10:44 am
Katy – I can highly recommend M & M Roofers in Salem. (978) 745-8245. They are very professional and very good.
August 18th, 2010 @ 12:05 pm
Thanks Patsy for the recommendation! We’ll give them a call too!
August 18th, 2010 @ 12:52 pm
architectural shingles are nice. glad you are going with that. and as an aside, i’m loving the dark paint job on the house on the left top picture. i wonder what color it is?
August 18th, 2010 @ 12:54 pm
Thanks Liane.
I love that house. Great color! It’s a dark plum like purple.
August 18th, 2010 @ 12:57 pm
3-tab is cheaper, because it’s cheaper. Spend the money where it counts, like the roof over your head! {Also, the architectural shingles are prettier.}
We could always all band together and send your disgruntled neighbors some pastries or flowers…
August 19th, 2010 @ 7:19 pm
re: reflective material. THAT entire enterprise seems so important to look into! glad you received the comment on it! keep going!
August 19th, 2010 @ 10:06 pm
Katy, I went looking for an architect’s advice on a quote I had 3 years ago. Make sure you have your roofer do the following. This was the advice we took:
“A new roof of IKO Chateau 35 year architectural style shingles with 100% WR Grace ice and water shield sub-membrane applied over new 1/2inch CD-Exterior plywood “
August 20th, 2010 @ 1:26 pm
I’m in the process of doing an exterior renovation and I wanted to do copper gutters and downspouts too but the profile of the copper gutters was too large, particularly for my front porch. I think I’m going for wood–which I was told is just about as expensive as copper–but with a copper downspout will still give you that look. Most people won’t look up at your gutters but the downspouts are more visible.
August 25th, 2010 @ 7:21 pm
The copper versus wood gutter question is fascinating. I’ve never seen wood gutters in CA. But I’m guessing wood might be as pricey as copper (and more expensive to maintain?).
We recently improved the exterior of our 1927 Spanish style home (removed 70s Taco Bell stucco, aluminum windows, and other crap). The last steps were gutters and awnings. I was hell bent on copper. I figured the fact that we’d never have to paint copper would make it more competitive price-wise. Boy, was I wrong.
If this was the only project you needed to tackle, I’d say go for the copper. But you guys have so much work to do on your home. Many projects are competing for your limited dollars. Copper gutters are beautiful. But they won’t make or break the appearance of your house. I think this is an area where you can make a sacrifice (uh hum, if one must), and still be happy.
(In the end, we went with galvanized steel in a shape and color appropriate to the house. I’m happy, and had about $10k to spend on some other much needed projects.)
August 30th, 2010 @ 7:57 pm
Lovely work so far!
My opinion is that the copper gutters seem excessive- the regular ones look nice and are unobtrusive. I don’t know that investing in lovely gutters makes much sense. I mean, gutters?? : ) Spend the money on the roof, on landscaping, anything- I’m sure you have many other spending opportunities!
September 2nd, 2010 @ 6:17 pm
I live in New Orleans in an historical district. I have seen many people install copper gutters and downspouts but it doesn’t seem to take long before the down spouts need replaced, especially if you are in an area with foot traffic. The copper downspouts just seem to get dented quickly. Also here at least copper thieves are prevalent and you really need to secure anything copper to your house. Many residents do use cast iron down spouts that make up the last three or four feet of a down spout. Sometimes these cast iron ones are plain sometimes decorative, but they are longer lasting in an area with foot traffic. Of course cast iron typically wasn’t showing up on homes till the 1850′s time range. just my thoughts
September 30th, 2010 @ 8:47 pm
I live in Connecticut and Colorado and have found that most service people are not interested in being in business. You have to beg people to call you back. When they call you back, you have to beg them to schedule a service appointment. In Colorado recently I had the wife and co-owner of the electrician’s company tell me that she had another job at a school and couldn’t be responsible for co-ordinating the service calls, etc. After waiting at home for two days for the electrician, I told her that I would find a new company. She was blaming me for her company’s problem. I had been a customer for four years and had spent over $10,000 with them. I found another company from the Yellow Pages. They called me right back, the electrician came within a half a day, spent 20 minutes and that was that. The appliance company owner said that the warranty and service part of the business was “really hard.” I am picking out the models of my next appliances now, (they are all giving out after 15 years) so that I can order them from Denver, or someplace else. Not from this guy. It seems that the business owners like to blame the customers for the hardships of their business. I don’t care. I have worked really hard to afford what I have. I don’t care that nice restaurants can’t hire good help, etc.
Your neighbors should be glad that you are restoring an historic home. If you weren’t doing this, they might have renters with five cars and lots of people. Give lots of candy at Halloween. That will win them over. Also whoopie pies. I need a pumpkin whoopie pie recipe. The best whoopie pie in Maine between Norway and Bethel at Hungry Hollow Orchards. Ann Forget the copper. I have a copper roof on my porch, it got really dull.