Before I get back to sharing my last few days in British Columbia, I feel compelled to share the events of the last week.  Sometimes, adventure lies just around the bend without even looking for it.  Home ownership can be an adventure all on its own.  With the home, there is usually the “project list”.  Some planned, some not planned.

Hubby and I decided this year was the year of the new roof.  When we bought our house, the home inspector walked the roof, and crawled in the attic, and felt the roof was sound and we would likely have another 10 years before replacement.  It has been six years since we bought the house.  We have completed the more urgent projects, and felt it best to replace the roof well before it started to actually BE a problem.

We had an appraisal done.  We talked about shingles versus metal roofing.  We looked at costs, time involved, and skill required.  Skill required?  Yep.  Hubby is a talented man.  He has mad skills.  He also has friends with mad skills.  Part of the decision-making process included “DIY”.

After much discussion and weighing options, Hubby decided to talk to his friend Hav.  Hav is a private contractor and works not too far from our home.  He had a discussion with Hubby about the roof, and offered to help all he could.  Given he too is working on a big home project of his own, he determined that he and Hubby could “trade” hours… roofing for electrical work.  We pondered the decision for a few days, and then decided the “DIY” project with Hav in the driver’s seat was the way to go!

We worked to get some friends and family together who would be willing to help, and picked a weekend to start, weather permitting.  Hubby and Hav ordered the materials and a dumpster to be set on site during the project.  The weather looked favorable for the first weekend selected and we put the wheels in motion!

Day one was dumpster delivery and the start of roof removal.  Hubby and Hav started the process and scheduled delivery of the shingles.  When ordering the materials, they both decided that a roof-top delivery would be better than having them delivered and set on the ground.  The rooftop delivery would mean the bundles would not have to be carried one by one up the ladder.  Given a bundle of shingles can weigh about 70 pounds each, and the project would require MANY bundles, the decision was not a  difficult one to make!

The project was going well.  No structural issues were found under the old shingles.  Win!  The shingles were scheduled for delivery on Friday afternoon at 3:00 PM.  Hubby and Hav both left their other jobs to be here for the delivery.  The 3:00 hour arrived… no shingles.  Then 4:00…no shingles.  Phone calls to the pro desk at the store of purchase confirmed the shingles WERE being delivered!  Five o’clock, six o’clock, seven o’clock.  No shingles.

Saturday morning was the designated “start”, and there were many more hands lined up.  Folks started to come at 8:00 AM, with no shingles.  The work of removing the old roof continued on the house, garage, and workout building.  Ice guard was put down on the bare roof, and then tar paper.  Our work crew, a fantastic blend of our family and friends, worked on and on.. with no shingle delivery.  More phone calls led to… NOTHING.  By the end of Saturday, all of the old roof was removed and the areas were fully prepped for the new shingles.  

Without the shingles, Sunday was a built-in rest day.  We went to church and selfishly prayed for no rain.  On Monday morning, phone calls were made, and delivery was back “on” for Monday afternoon.  Suffice it to say, the shingles DID arrive (3 hours late), by a sheepish delivery driver (who had been the person on the truck Friday), stating he attempted to deliver them to Hav’s house.  Odd.  This guy does nothing but deliver roofing supplies to rooftops that are awaiting shingles.  Hav’s house has a roof.  Hav’s house had no dumpster on site with old shingles in it.  There was nobody at Hav’s house to help unload the shingles.  I guess Hav’s house also did not have mobile phone service as the driver made ZERO phone calls to find out what the issue might be.  End of rant.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday the roof work commenced and went without a hitch.  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were the hottest days of the summer.  Despite his work in the commercial electric business, Hubby was very happy to go back to his regular work on Friday as it was a cake walk compared to the previous three days’ work!

Despite my desire to help, I was asked to stay off of the roof during the project.  I did kick in my compulsive nature on ground clean up.  I spent time with Jaxon, as he was a bit anxious given the noise on the roof, commotion of people coming and going, and the loud noise of the compressor powering the nail guns.  I also assured there was plenty to eat and drink for all who participated, to include fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, despite the heat.  

I am thankful to once again have a roof over my head.  I am thankful for my family and friends who are willing to do “dirty work”, and come together to get a big job done.  I am thankful that despite the heat, there were no raindrops on the roof before the shingles were in place.  I am thankful for people who care about providing quality customer service, and recognize how a lack of service has a ripple effect, good and bad.

I am thankful for the people who do “dirty work” every day.  Without them, we would not have food, or clothing, or shelter.  With a roof over my head and rain in the forecast today, I am smiling.  As far as the project list, the roof is checked off…

Next!