2008 Remodelers Showcase Awards

Creative Repair: Under $35,000 Larry Strickland, Capital City Builders

At first glance, removing dormers from a roof is a creative repair in reverse. Most homeowners add architectural elements to their homes to add curb appeal; however, these homeowners desired a more streamlined look to their roof. Furthermore, removing the dormers allowed for the eviction of pesky tenants from the attic.

Removal of dormers from the roofline allowed for installation of a standing seam roof. This gave the house the streamlined look the homeowners hoped to achieve. More importantly, it cut off access to the attic for the local squirrel population.

While this project is a seemingly simple repair, it required precise planning and scheduling. The project posed some challenges, particularly with weather, height and access. Once the dormers had been removed and with the attic exposed, there was limited time each day to perform the work. Since the roof needed to be covered adequately each night and one weekends, the crew had to dedicate a significant amount of time each day to protecting the exposed attic from weather.

The 3-story height of the roofline and the pitch of the roof made it necessary to use scaffolding which had to be erected for each section, torn down, moved and re-secured. Since the only way to access the attic was pull-down stairs, the hole was enlarged once the dormers were removed to allow delivery of framing materials and sheetrock needed to complete the attic space.