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Apex Construction replaced the roof on this historic Wattsville, VA Church. Multiple layers of the old church roof were removed, new plywood installed, and then a brand new asphalt roof was nailed down. This was a neat project for us because of the historic nature of this building. Allow Apex Construction to bid your next roofing project, call us anytime for a free consultation!
Below is a brief history of the Wattsville United Methodist Church.
Historic Wattsville United Methodist Church began by accident, when two Methodist preachers came to the door of David Watts seeking shelter after their boat was destroyed in Chincoteague Bay. This occured in 1795, making this one of the oldest Methodist Churches on the Eastern Shore. From this accidental meeting, Watts' house became a meeting place, and eventually a society formed. They built two meeting houses before this one, which was dedicated on Aug. 10, 1919.
The church was first organized into the Methodist Episcopal Church, but in the 1840's, the congregation withdrew and entered the Methodist Protestant Conference, the first church to do so on the shore. They would remain a Methodist Protestant Church until the 1930's when they became simply the Methodist Church, and evntually in the 60's the United Methodist Church.
The building, located in Wattsville, Accomack County Virginia is a typical eastern shore country church, a white frame building replete with stained glass windows and bell-towers. The church has been officially named Wattsville since the dedication of this building in 1919, but was at one time known as Friendship Church. That name is preserved by Friendship United Methodist Church, located on the other side of the town, which was created in the 1860's by the African American members of this church.
Asphalt shingles are by far the most popular roofing material today. They are relatively cheap, they last for a long time (sometimes with 30 year warranties or more), and roofers don’t mind working with them. Asphalt shingles have become more attractive over the years. No longer are you limited to the standard black or gray asphalt shingle. Now, you can find asphalt shingles that look like wood, slate, and even like…asphalt.
There are two ways to roof a house with asphalt shingles. The first way is by completely removing all the existing shingles. The second way is to lay a second layer of asphalt shingles on top of the existing layer. There are arguments for and against both methods. The main argument against laying additional layers of asphalt shingles is that the roofing materials can get too heavy for the underlying roof framing. And this can be a real problem, especially for older houses. In fact, it is often said that a triple layer of asphalt shingles is equal to a single layer of slate roofing materials. And if you know slate, you know this is pretty heavy. The main argument against stripping off the existing layer and then laying down a new layer is that you’re adding more work to the process. Not a real problem if roofing professionals are tackling the job—they can strip most roofs in a morning—but if you’re doing the job yourself, it can be rough.
One other problem with shingling over existing shingles is that you are essentially repeating some of the surface irregularities that may already be there. If you’re contemplating putting on a new roof, there’s probably a good chance that you may have bubbles, bumps, and waves that you need to get rid of. Putting new shingles over that doesn’t do much for the aesthetic aspect. One way to minimize this problem is to go over the old roof and correct as many problems as you can. It doesn’t take much more than a hammer, some roofing nails, and a handful of shingles to correct the problem of bumps, gaps, and protruding nails.
Stripping shingles from a roof can be a very anxiety-provoking activity. You need to make sure that you’re doing this at a time of year when there is no chance of rain or snow. Even the slightest sprinkle can destroy your attic insulation, walls, and flooring. To name a few. This is another reason why you want the professionals to do your roof. A large band of experienced roofers can strip and put up a new asphalt roof on an average-sized house in two or three days. Apex Construction can install a new asphalt roof for you, just give us a call for a free consultation.
This Commercial building in Lewes Delaware was having issues with a leaking roof. We tried to do some minor repairs in order to save them money but we quickly realized that they would need a new roof. We ended up replacing 78 Sqaure of roof Shingles and they are now ready for a winter with no roof leaks. We also replaced a number of damaged ceiling tiles on the interior as well as some damaged insulation.
If you are experiencing roof leaks, call us today for a FREE ESTIMATE. Dont wait till winter to address your leaky roof. We may be able to fix the leak inexpensively and if we cant we will give you the BEST PRICE on a new roof. Most of our new Roofs carry lifetime warranty on the shingles so you can rest assured you will not have to worry about your roof again.
Apex Construction is a licensed roofing contractor in Maryland and Delaware. We serve all the beach communities from Ocean City MD to Lewes DE. We can also help you if you need new siding, Siding repairs, Decks or Deck repairs, painting, demo, general carpentry, full remodels, etc. Apex Construction is your Contractor for the Beach !
Apex Construction was hired to install a new 30 year asphalt roof using Gaf architectural shingles on this West Ocean City, MD residential property. The chimney was demolished and removed prior to installation of the new roof. We are certified installers of Gaf/Timberline commercial and residential roofing systems in the Ocean City, Delaware, and Eastern Shore regions. Apex Construction is the roofing expert of choice in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Contact us today to start your new roofing project!
For most of us the roof is an afterthought — at least until it starts to leak. Then we realize how critical that surface of our house's exterior really is. Yet, as well as keeping the house dry, the roof contributes greatly to the look of the house, so when building a new house, adding on, or re-roofing, it may pay to consider the options. Right now there are more options in the marketplace than ever, so choosing one is tough. The choices range from asphalt shingles to wood shakes and clay tiles, from steel panels to rubber lookalike slate. The most important trend to note, however, is that as with home-construction materials in general, there is an increasing move towards engineered roofing materials. This change is being driven by a few different factors. One is simply the high cost of wood. The second is that in many cases, codes now mandate the use of fireproof construction materials. And third, people understandably want to build with materials that not only look good but also are very long-lived.
The roofing material we all see the most of these days — the one that covers the roofs of a great majority of houses across America — is the standard three-tab asphalt shingle. One of the least-expensive roofing options, asphalt shingles are available in a dozen or so different colors both solid and blended. The shingle products being made today are usually guaranteed for 20, or in some cases 30 years, making them an excellent value. Value is the principal advantage of this roofing material, which explains it's commonality. The disadvantage, however, if there could be said to be one, is the fact that it is so common. The next upgrade from a standard three-tab is a thicker variation called an architectural shingle. These shingles are built up to be about twice as thick as a normal shingle with the layers staggered to give them a heavier, more substantial or "architectural" look. In some colors they resemble slate, and in other colors wood shakes. We used architectural shingles on the Lexington ranch house. With only a modest upgrade in cost and up to a 30-year guarantee, architectural shingles also represent an excellent value with an added touch of style; Shingles or Shakes...
For looks, it is hard to beat a wood shingle roof. Over time it weathers out to a gray or soft silver that seems to root the house to the landscape. Several species are used: Western Red Cedar, Alaskan Yellow Cedar and Eastern White Cedar. Shingles are relatively smooth and cut to a uniform thickness, although they vary in width. Wood shakes are thicker and rougher, being split rather than sawn from the logs. Wood roofs are meant to breathe and should be laid over a substrate that allows air to circulate behind them: skip sheathing — wood strips or battens nailed directly to the roof rafters — is the traditional method of installing a wood shingle roof. About 10 years ago we began using a plastic matrix product that is something like a scrubby pad, which allows air to circulate behind the shingles. This product can be laid on top of a building-paper-coated plywood roof deck, making it ideal for a retrofit. Another method of getting air circulation behind the shingles is to lay them on pressure-treated lattice. For all their great looks, shingles and shakes are expensive to install and do require some periodic maintenance, typically in the form of washing to remove any mildew or moss, and then re-oiling with a clear wood finishing product. On a current Shingle-style project in Ocean City, Maryland, we're using a wood shingle that is new to us: pressure-treated Southern Yellow Pine, which grays out in a few years to resemble cedar and is said to require no maintenance at all. A properly installed and maintained wood roof should last at least 30 to 50 years. In fact, we have seen roofs on which the shingles were still good after 25 years or so, but the galvanized nails were finally rusting, so be sure to use a high-quality stainless-steel nail!...And Fakes
Originally, our Craftsman-style bungalow in Dewey Beach, Delaware, would have been clad in a combination of wood shingles and shakes, because the building needed that shaggy rough-hewn appearance to look authentic. However, because of fire danger, local codes now require all roofing materials to be fireproof. Accordingly, we used a heavy architectural asphalt shingle on the roof, and a cementations shingle manufactured to look like a wood shake for the side walls -- although they are suitable for use on the roof as well. Use of these "fake" shakes is rapidly increasing, both because they satisfy the strict fire codes in the West and because they are long lived and require no maintenance.
In the Mid-Atlantic Region slate was a traditional roofing material for high-end houses and municipal buildings. It is beautiful, lasts for generations, sheds ice and snow, and is very expensive. Because of its cost and weight, which requires a beefier roof structure to support, slate is not often used these days. Yet on Salisbury Maryland project, rebuilding a burnt-out family home, we wanted the slate look. Again we turned to an "engineered" product, this time a slate lookalike fabricated from recycled rubber and plastic. At only about one-third the weight and cost of slate, these shingles can be installed using standard tools and techniques. From the street, the discerning eye might be able to tell the difference between engineered and the real McCoy, but most of us would be very house-proud with one of these roofs on our homes. Plus, these shingles are guaranteed to last for as long as 50 years.
Metal roofs, in the form of corrugated, galvanized sheets, have been a standard feature of barns, sheds and other agricultural and utility buildings for years. This type of roof is cheap, rugged, long-lasting and easy to install — perfect for a utility application. On the other end of the spectrum is a copper roof, elegant enough to grace the country's finest mansions and public buildings. Graceful bay and bow windows are often roofed with sheet copper soldered at the seams. Larger expanses of roof are covered using the "standing-seam" method, in which one sheet joins with its parallel mate via an interlocking, water-tight seam. Metal is a great choice for a house in Ocean City, as well as in the surround agricultural Worcester and Sussex counties. Fortunately, in terms of products available, there is much to choose from between the galvanized low-end and the copper high-end. On our Milton Delware project, we used a formed-in-place, standing-seam steel roof on the workshop addition to the barn. While not as dear as copper, this roof was expensive — and beautiful. There are a variety of powder-coated steel roof "systems" on the market, some very cost-effective variations on the galvanized sheet-steel theme. Others are factory-built standing-seam roofs, custom made to your house or barn and installed by a roofing contractor. The advantage of these systems is that they require no special fabricating equipment and can be installed by any qualified contractor. In addition to standing-seam roofs, several types of metal shingles are also available. One, an interlocking tin shingle we used on the roof at a Fenwick Island project I have never seen anywhere other than in the Florida Keys. Another variation commercially available nationwide is an interlocking copper shingle. Regardless of the style you choose, in general, a properly installed metal roof should last you at least 50 years.
Ceramic tile roofs are found throughout the Mediterranean and Levant — and of course in the Mediterranean-Revival-influenced architecture of Florida and California. Barrel tiles, the most common type of ceramic tile, resemble half cylinders about 16 inches long. In the old days they were individually made by hand, their tapered shape achieved by forming the clay over the top of the thigh. We actually used some of these handmade tiles on our renovation of a hurricane-damaged Mediterranean-Revival house in West Ocean City. And more recently, we used high-quality reproduction barrel tiles on our South Point project. Tile roofs are quite heavy, so the roof framing must be stout enough to support the load. Waterproofing is achieved via a waterproof membrane laid directly on the roof sheathing. Then the clay tiles are laid one by one in a pad of mortar. Tiles turned upside down form a trough, which is then covered by tiles laid right side up. The whole process is quite labor intensive, which makes an authentic tile roof quite expensive -- about $1,000 per 10x10-foot square, or about three times the cost of a standard three-tab shingle job. In addition to barrel tiles there are a number of variations of clay roof tiles. Some are shaped like thick shingles, some like slates. A high-quality tile will be hard-fired and will not absorb moisture that could fracture the tile when frozen. Thus such tiles are suitable for northern climates. All high-quality tile roofs are expensive, both in terms of the material and the installation, and so clay tile roofs are fairly rare. Yet in the long run the most expensive might be the most cost effective, since you can expect to get 60 to 80 years or even more out of a well installed tile roof.
There’s no better way to protect your home than by keeping a good roof over your head. At Apex Construction, we’ve been professionally installing and repairing roofs on the Delmarva peninsula for many years. A correctly installed roofing system will keep out wind and water that might damage your eaves, walls, and more. Save your home now from costly repairs later - Call us today to schedule a free roof inspection. Each roofing system provides different challenges from the material construction of shingles, pitch of roof, gutter system, and number of valleys to name a few. You can rest assured that Apex Construtction can get the job done!