A Roof Is Your Home’s Crowning Glory – and Now You Have More Options than Ever

At Callen Construction, after listening to what the client is seeking in a renovation project, we often suggest a product or an interior or exterior design for our clients, carefully considering what works best for their particular situation.  We want to give homeowners the best options to enhance their largest investment.  That’s why I was so impressed with the strategy of one of our suppliers, GAF Roofing.
   
In attending a GAF conference this spring, I learned more about GAF’s decision to have a lifetime warranty on their three designer shingle options – Timberline Architectural, Ultra-Premium Designer, and Value Collection Designer Shingles.  This decision was based on management’s focus on shingle performance and technical innovation – a four-year process that included all phases of the shingle composition – glass mat, process control, granules protecting the shingle, and type of asphalt used.  The years of research and development enabled GAF to issue the lifetime warranty for its entire premium line of roof shingles.  This change has been made possible by GAF’s Advanced Protection™ Technology.  This innovative shingle technology has resulted in shingles that offer improved performance, including superior durability and wind resistance.

Camelot Ultra Premium Designer Shingles

Before attending the conference, it was my understanding that this may have been a marketing decision.  But now I know, due to the company’s comprehensive research, it is the company’s philosophy and belief in its products.
   
I’ve been promoting the beautiful and stylish GAF Roofing to Callen customers for years now, and this is even more reason to do so.  GAF was a pioneer in manufacturing a dimensional shingle, the Timberline.  Homeowners who chose the Timberline had a rich-looking roof, unique from the standard 3-tab shingle.  Timberline is pretty common now in roofing projects or new subdivisions and we still like the way it looks and performs.  But now everyone can afford the beauty of a designer shingle to make their roof pop!  GAF lifetime Ultra-Premium Designer and Value Collection Designer Shingles are only a fraction of the cost of traditional slate, wood shakes, or expensive metal roofing.  

Timberline Architectural Shingle

Want to see how a roof can make a difference in your home?  Visit www.callenconstruction.com/home-exteriors-products/roofing.html and click on “Virtual Home Remodeler.”
   
The Virtual Home Remodeler allows you to select from almost 50 different house styles.  You can click on roofing options and the roof will be transformed to the color and style you picked.  You can go further and change the color and the product on the exterior walls and trim to get the complete picture.  I think this is a great tool for anyone considering an exterior makeover or planning for one in the future.

Value Collection Designer Series

As you will also see from using this site and the variety of shingles, GAF realized from their research that homeowners wanted a selection of roofs that are not cookie-cutter, along with a life-time warranty.
   
All this tied in nicely with GAF’s 125th anniversary in business – this company has been around a long time and in fact absorbed another excellent roofing company, ELK, in 2007.
   
Another reason I like GAF is that it aligns so well with our philosophy at Callen.  Since we began our business – and this is our silver anniversary year – we have been committed to providing our customers products that are reliable, long lasting, and enhance the appearance and value of their homes.

It Takes a Team to Bring a Remodel to a Successful Finish

In my last blog I talked about how relocating the laundry room led to a whole-house remodel and our home being on Milwaukee/NARI’s annual tour of homes, the Spring Home Improvement Showcase. I touched a little bit about enlisting the help of an interior designer to pull things together and coordinating with other craftsman on the project.

Even though I am in the home improvement business, I don’t profess to have a vast knowledge of interior design and the step-by-step process and finishing touches that go into making a home beautiful and special. That’s where our interior designer Faith Wolf comes into play. We were introduced to Faith by a neighbor and, after some conversations, we knew we could work with her to create the living area we always wanted. Coincidentally, Faith worked with two of our Callen Design Group designers when all three were employed at another firm. Getting a thumbs-up from the Callen designers solidified our relationship.

I do want to point out that our Callen Design Group designers were very involved in our kitchen, bath, and sunroom remodels with space design, fixture and appliance layout, and assistance with choosing countertops and cabinetry. They also were involved with other aspects of our main floor remodel including the laundry room, the starting point for this project. But even with attic and lower-level conversions, our designers leave furniture placement, accessories, and the like for the homeowner to decide. That’s why for our living room project, we needed someone whose expertise was not only space planning, but also her ability to select furniture, drapery, window treatments, and accessories taking in account our lifestyle and the purpose of the room.

The process began with Faith asking us many questions on how we saw the room being used, how many people we envisioned seating and what type of feeling we wanted to impart. Those were the starting points. Then, she worked with our construction crew as our fireplace was gutted to the studs and window replacement eliminated an unused window seat, giving us additional living space.

But as can happen with remodeling projects, there were a few surprises. The soffit we wanted to remove in the fireplace area was actually housing a second-floor support beam. Our project manager’s solution was to put a footing in the basement floor and a new support beam. Relocating that support beam gave us additional ceiling height and room to put recessed cabinets on both sides of the fireplace.

After the construction, it was time to begin pulling all the living elements together with the help of Faith. Bonnie and I chose a granite hearth for the new gas-burning fireplace and that was a starting point for color. Faith and Bonnie went furniture shopping and selected pieces that were comfortable when it was just the two of us at home, but also additional pieces that would add seating when we had company.

An advantage to using a professional like Faith is that she had access to showrooms, was familiar with all the materials and fabrics, and was able to streamline the process for us. Besides furniture and paint color, she also helped with lighting, window treatments, area rugs, selecting fabric for pillow covers, vases and all the extra touches – plants, art work, and tabletop accessories.

And last but not least, when we decided that our home would be on the tour, Faith was able to make sure every element of the room, large or small, arrived in time and was placed where it should be. Bonnie and I of course wanted everything picture perfect for the tour-goers and Faith made sure the tiniest detail was taken care of. But a home is meant to be lived in, not just looked at. That’s what made having an interior designer so critical. Not only is everything simply beautiful, it’s also simply easy to use. We can relax and be comfortable as well as entertain either casually or formally. We like that.

Everyone worked together on this project to give us the remodel we wanted. Our fireplace installation from Best Fireplace in Oak Creek, our Callen Construction carpenters and trade contractors, Callen Construction project manager, Steve Turzinski, who made sure everything ran smoothly and communicated with Bonnie every day, and Faith who took our input and created a room that was exactly what we wanted.

And that’s how a project comes together – team work between all involved.