From start to finish, Oscar and his crew did an exceptional job re-roofing our home with heavy cement shakes on a steep and complex roof! His first visit demonstrated that he has attention to detail, good listener, and proud of his work and team. He expertly and attentively explained options and attentively dealt with issues as they arose.
Before we selected ODR Roofing, my wife and I had spent many months exploring roofing options -- composite, plastic, metal, or concrete -- along with gutter covers to keep out plant debris. (The roof was previously wood shingled, but wood is hazardous in our "high fire risk" urban-wildland area.) During our in-depth roofing investigation, Oscar patiently answered questions and graciously provided information during on-site visits, including making shake and gutter mockups. After our investigation, we settled on Boral's Madera 900 Mountainwood concrete shake and Amerimax solid gutter cover (that Oscar recommended).
Given that Boral Madera concrete shakes are quite heavy (950 lbs/square), and our roof steeply pitched, multifaceted, and expansive (52 squares), we were surprised and disappointed that several other roofing firms were not even willing to take on the job. (It seems that many re-roofers prefer to stick with lighter but shorter-lasting and less appealing composite shingles). For those roofers that did bid on our job, Oscar's quote was the lowest.
Oscar referred us to a structural engineer who determined that our roof could handle the increased weight without modifications. His crew installed the concrete shakes on 1"x2"x4' redwood battens, which mitigated the risk of slipping off the steep roof and also keeps the attic cooler on hot days. Oscar also installed a custom wooden shim under the lowest row of shakes to optimally align them with the gutter. At my request, Oscar also installed fire-resistant O'Hagin roof vents and replaced the standard mesh eave vents with fire-and-ember-stopping Vulcan vents.
During the roofing process, Oscar visited frequently and kept us informed of issues as they came up, such as dry root on the plywood side paneling and corroded seals around the sky lights (he replaced the skylights). He texted and emailed on his crew's schedule. They were willing to go the extra mile to do the job right. When we asked that the gutter covers be painted to match the gutters, and to paint nail heads to match corner tiles, they happily did so. At our request, Oscar also enthusiastically did other side projects, unrelated to the roof, such as repairing water-damaged post skirts. He and his crew cleaned up the debris daily (to the degree practicable). The entire re-roof job took about a month, weekends included, conforming to his original estimate.
All-in-all, Oscar and his crew strived for the best quality, listened well to our questions and requests, provided straightforward answers, worked efficiently and studiously, were pleasurable to interact with, and scheduled around our comings and goings if needed.
Oscar and his crew have a sense of pride in their work. He has an entertaining and healthy sense of humor and a good rapport with his crew. We're quite happy with our new roof and the dedication and care he and his crew exhibited. I also feel that he will gladly deal with any issues that might arise down the line. read more