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Archive for the ‘Roofing’ Category

The type of roof you want to have should be in consideration of the type of building it will be placed on. Commercial buildings can benefit from a flat roof for a number of reasons but it should not be assumed that a traditional roof is the only choice for a residential building. Before deciding between a flat roof and a traditional roof, it is important to know some of the differences that exist between the two.

A flat roof offer many advantages which include being a high performance, cost effective roof as compared to other types on the market today. On major positive point for a roof schedule that has a relatively short time line is that a flat roof can be constructed rather quickly. For a commercial structure that needs to be erected quickly and put to use, this can spell a great way to meet deadlines, keep costs down to a minimum and to have a low maintenance cover that can hold a decorative finish, such as coordination with an advertisement sign.

For most homes, however, the contrasting traditional roof is the preference, particularly with multi-storied designs that bump out into bay window covers and enclosed front porches with ornate railings and eaves. Old Victorian homes may support a flat roof for a front tower and the midsection of the home, but even these areas are typically designed with a traditional roof that peaks and accentuates the overall exterior design.

A traditional roof has some benefits over a flat roof. One of the major benefits is that there are no flat spots for water, snow, ice or dirt to accumulate. Shingles provide an added layer of protection that is also a means of cutting down heating and cooling costs. Traditional roofing also provides storage or living space such as an attic bedroom.

If your budget has some constraints and you need a roof replacement, you may want to consider replacing with a flat roof but this will not work for all roofing conditions. For example, a traditional roof cannot be replaced with a flat roof without destroying the look of the home.

Take the existing roof into consideration. Deciding between a flat or traditional roof may involve a slight upgrade that can make repairs look like new or a new roof give a completely new look to the entire exterior front and sides of the building.

Research both types of roof in terms of the contractors you have access to. Compare prices and the quality of work each contractor you are interested in has done. Find a contractor who specializes in one type of roof or the other and check to see if they will match the price of a lower competitor. This is often a way to get the best of both worlds where quality of workmanship and low price are concerned.

Remember that the type of roof you choose will be on top of your building for many years to come so choose wisely and make your investment count.

Many of us flip through garden magazines, all the while thinking that it takes years, a professional, or tons of money to landscape the gardens featured in the glossy pictures. This isn’t necessarily true. You can design a breathtaking garden and be the envy of the neighborhood by following some of the following tips.

Know What You Like and What Works
Drive around your neighborhood and see what’s out there that grows well in your zone. You can jot down what you see on index cards, so they are organized and handy. Start gathering page clippings from magazines and collect some pictures of the designs that interest you. This can help you decide what garden style you like. You’ll have an easy reference for plants and placement too.

Select Location and Color
Next, look at your notes and clippings and choose the color scheme you’d like to have in your garden. Don’t forget to keep in mind if you’re designing and planting in shade, sun, or partial shade or partial sun. Are you looking for something bright and vibrant or something more calming and soothing? Consider starting with a foundation of shrubs and accenting with some perennials, bulbs, ornamental grasses, and annuals for more seasonal color. Perhaps, you want all flowers. Decide on a shape that compliments your house style. Straight styles give a more formal appearance while curves give a more informal feel. If you don’t feel confident selecting colors, you can use a color wheel to help pick contrasting and complimenting colors.

Budget and Create a Plan
Decide how much you are able to and want to spend on your new garden. Do you want to start with a foundation and add to it gradually? If so, start with purchasing your most expensive plants and shrubs first. Use these as a focal point for your garden. Start watching for sales and discount plants at garden centers and nurseries. Tell everyone you know that you’re starting a garden and would love it if they could give you divisions of their perennials or seeds they have saved from their garden. Let family and friends know that you have a wish list of plants that would be the perfect gift idea. If you have access online, do a search for seed swaps. Many gardeners love to help a new gardener. Many are willing to send seeds for the cost of postage or will trade for something else that you may have that they are looking for. A great resource for free items is http://www.freecycle.org Look for a group in your area, join the group, and post letting the group know that you would be interested in garden plants and seeds. You may get lucky and find that a member of the group has already offered some plants up for grabs. Don’t forget to ask your local garden club when they are having their sales too. You can also start some plants from seed yourself. Many seeds are very easy to direct sow and a little can go a long way.

Here’s a partial list of easy to grow seeds:

Candytuft
Asters
4 o’clock
Sunflowers
Pansies
Violas
Impatiens
Dianthus
Larkspur
Salvia
Cupid’s Dart
Morning Glories
Moonflowers
Zinnias
Calendula
Marigold
Cosmos
Sweet Alyssum
Bee Balm
Poppies
Nasturtium

Don’t forget if you decide to sow into containers, there are many inexpensive containers such as yogurt containers, milk jugs, egg cartons, and plastic ice cream buckets. You can also call your city and see if they have free mulch available. Don’t hesitate to strike up conversations with your neighbors while you’re out for a walk. You never know, the topic of gardening may come up and they might be more than happy to offer you some seeds or divisions.

Design Away
Now you’re ready to design. You can sketch out your idea beforehand. Keep the following in mind as you design.

Scale- Judge the size of the area and choose plants that aren’t going to be too large, too wide, or too small for the area. Keep in mind the plant’s size when it’s met its mature growth.

Balance-Don’t place your plants where one area is too compacted with plants and another area is too airy. Try and achieve a good balance of small, medium, and large plants. Balance offers visual stability. It can be created with space between plantings or the visual weight of your design. This can be created with lines so that your garden is pleasing to look at from all angles.

Focal Point- Your focal point will be the area that your eye is drawn to first. This can be your prized flowers, tree, or shrub.

Rhythm- This is visual flow. The eye wanders throughout the entire garden design, but comes back to the focal point. It can be achieved with repetition and contrast.

Harmony-Unity- This is when plants have a way of appearing connected and a part of one another. This can be achieved with color, texture, groupings. Unity is lost when your plants look too separate or your color choice makes one plant look lost amongst the rest.

Color- Color impacts the entire design process. Use a color wheel if you don’t feel confident selecting colors that go well together.

If all of this is too confusing and overwhelming, check out some garden catalogs. Many have suggested designs. It’s also best to place your containers out and arrange and rearrange where you want to plant them before you start digging.

Accessorize (homemade garden art)
To add some interest and whimsy to your garden, consider some homemade items or trash to treasure works of art. Ideas such as making your own stepping stones, garden markers, terra cotta bird baths or toad houses, painted rocks and pavers, and fun wind chimes are simple projects that can add a lot of interest to your garden area. Look around for unique items you could add to your garden such as milk cans, wooden chairs, ladders, tricycles, wagons, trunks, roofing shingles, mailboxes, or even dressers. The sky is the limit on what you can create. Use your imagination.

There you have it and you didn’t have to hire a pro, spend thousands of dollars, or take years to achieve a pretty garden. You won’t be a new gardener for long. Soon, it will be you sharing starts, cuttings, seeds, divisions, and tips.

Flat roofs may be a cheap choice at the beginning but as time passes by you are going to realize that they are not necessarily the best option for they present a number of problems. They have a high cost of maintenance meaning that you will have to spend a lot of money on their care. Flat roofs are highly susceptible to damages, which require that keep replacing them every now and then. Replacing these flat roofs is not an easy task and may take many days before the process is completed.

The coatings of flat roofs usually wear off within a short period of time. They are likely to get damaged if the weather is too hot or too cold. Too much rain may also cause considerable damage to the flat roofs. Flat roofs do not allow for easy flow of water to the ground. This water may cause the roof to rust or cave in. pitched or slanted roofs do not have this problem. The water flows easily down the roof leaving very little or no room for damage.

The water that accumulates on the roof tops usually weakens the roof material causing leakages. The water can also cause untold damage to walls especially if the house has just been built. During the winter season, a lot of snow will collect on top of the flat roof. Taking the snow out is hard enough, not to mention that damage that it can incur not only on the roof, but to the entire house. These roofs are uneconomical for top floors.

Flat roofs offer little or no ventilation. When it is very hot, these flat roofs usually absorb incredible amounts of heat making the house to be uncomfortably hot. Many people are forced to add a layer of insulation to avoid overheating. The same case applies during the extremely cold seasons when the roof lets in cold into the house. Slanted roofs on the other hand allow for energy conservation.

Flat roofs also present security concerns. Burglars will find it very easy to get onto your roof and into the house before you know what is happening. With a slanting roof, it would be hard for the thief to balance his weight, thus reducing the chances of burglary. Another security issue concerning flat roofs is their inability to withstand natural calamities such as strong winds and earthquakes. The design of slanted roofs makes them to withstand the pressure caused by these forces of nature.

When building a house, make sure that you choose the slanting roof as a design for your rooftop. This will save you a lot of utility and maintenance cost as compared to flat roofs. Pitched roofs will from the effects of adverse weather conditions and will last longer.

If you’ve ever needed roofing repair or installation in New Jersey, you already know that quality roofing service is hard to come by. Roofing is a delicate process and you have to make sure that you not only find the right roofing contractor, but you have to make sure that the materials you are using are the best material for your house. Using the wrong material could result in the inevitable destruction of your roof. So in order to save you money, let’s talk about five different types of roofing styles and materials.

Asphalt Roofing Materials Growing up in NJ, you probably had an asphalt roof over your head for the majority of your life without realizing it. This type of roofing is inexpensive, has many types of colors, sizes, and manufactures, and it is suitable for almost any residential home across America. Since asphalt roofing is easier to repair and fire resistant, it’s not surprising that it’s the most common type of roofing available, however it is a very eco-Unfriendly material that is subject to mildew and moss decay. This, coupled with its short life span leaves some home owners wanting more out of their roof.

Wood Roofing shingles We’ve seen lots of wooden roofs in old black and white movies (Lassie ring a bell?) but unless you live near the country side then you probably have never felt the need for wooden shingles as your roofing material of choice. Wooden roofs offer a nice “weathered” look as well as some insulation value. Wooden roofs are great for trapping heat inside your home and you’re house (as long as you’re near the country) will blend in with your surroundings. If maintained properly, you’re looking at a long lasting life and the best part is that wooden roofs are easy to replace and repair. The bad is that being wooden shingles, they are prone to rotting, molding, and fire hazards unless treated properly. Though they are easy to repair, the initial installation usually carries a high price tag.

Tile Roofing Materials Tile roofing is commonly seen throughout Spain, Portugal, southern ranches and the Mediterranean. They are beautiful, elegant, contemporary, and many home owners with new houses have been flocking to this style of roofing recently. Tile roofing has a long life span and is easy to repair (and don’t forget fire proof!). The problem with tiled roofing is that it is heavy, bulky, expensive, and its installation can prove to be tricky with older homes that don’t have the support for a heavy roof.

Slate Roofing Shingles Slates distinctive and beautiful appearance is what has seen it appear through Colonial, French, Italianate, Exotic Revivals, Chateauesque, and Beaux Arts homes throughout the ages. It is completely fireproof and also shares a long life span as well as low maintenance. Of course, with such a beautiful type of roofing, it’s easy to see that it requires a highly specialized roofing installation done by quality contractors. This type of quality NJ roofing service is hard to come by and if found, should definitely be put to use on your roof. Slate roof shingles are heavy and fragile and require expensive installation.

Metal Roofing Materials One of the last types of roofing is metal roofing. Metal roofing is known to last longer than composite or asphalt roofing but it typically runs higher in price. The advantage about these roofs is that they are durable, lightweight, and typically fire-resistant and you can find them in many types of shapes and sizes. Metal roofing shingles can also be made to look like regular wooden shingles so your house’s appeal won’t change drastically once your new roof is installed.