Our New Roof

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comLast year, we had a record breaking wind storm roll through our neighborhood. My friend who works as a local meteorologist said they clocked winds of 110mph in my area, and here I thought we moved away from tornado alley when we relocated to Utah. While tornadoes don’t typically occur here, the wind storm did some significant damage to our home… which actually ended up working out rather well for us, if I’m being honest. Our previous roof was original to the home, which was built in the mid 90s. Being 25-30 years old, we moved in knowing we’d need to replace it sooner rather than later. Our home inspector guesstimated in one to two years time, we’d need to budget for a full replacement. A couple years after moving in, the wind storm hit our house. I spent an entire day picking up shingles from our yard and cul-de-sac… I had piles of shingles that were ripped from our roof. Immediately after the storm, we reported it to our home insurance, the adjuster came out, assessed the damage, and luckily they were able to cover the majority of the cost for a new roof. Again, it kind of felt like we won the lottery because the roof needed replaced anyway. As promised, I’m sharing that entire journey in a big blog post! Click through for some crazy before and after images, a couple home insurance tips, to learn more about the roof tiles we selected, and why we eventually landed on a Bartile roof. 

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comFirst things first… the before images. Our existing roof had basic gray shingles that had faded with time. They looked fine, but it certainly wasn’t the roof I would’ve chosen. The most concerning part of the our old roof was the fact that it was failing, in terms of function. We’ve never replaced the roof on any of our previous homes, and it felt like a daunting and expensive endeavor. Here is a better look our existing shingles…

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comThe designer in me really wanted our new roof to look more dimensional. Our Georgian Colonial needed something a bit more elevated to match the exterior (or at least what I envision it to look like someday). I wasn’t sure how much more expensive architectural shingles or roof tile would cost, as opposed to basic shingles, but I priced out lots of options and discovered the difference really wasn’t that crazy. Having a check from our insurance company certainly helped, and I was able to find an amazing local company who checked all of my boxes (price, aesthetic, quality material, positive reviews, insured professional installation, made locally, etc).

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comIn terms of design, I spent a LOT of time looking at samples, browsing through architecture books, and hashing out a plan for our entire exterior (that I’ll eventually share, because it has a long way to go). I landed on Bartile’s New England Slate roof tile in the dark charcoal / black color. They have quite a few options, but I photographed four… pictured above in their showroom. I also had to nail down trim pieces and the overall pattern or layout. Since I was taking the traditional route for our colonial, I had our roof tile installed in a running bond pattern, instead of random (which would make more sense for a cedar shake style). Check out Emmett below for scale, holding a couple tiles…they’re pretty big.

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comThe most difficult part of the process was waiting. The wind storm happened in the fall of 2020, and living in Utah, we had to wait all winter (thanks to snowy weather) to safely have our roof installed. We just hoped that our existing roof would make it through another winter- especially with missing shingles (a couple areas were tarped, just in case). Once spring arrived, our tile was delivered, the roofers showed up, and it took about a week from start to finish. That actually felt pretty fast to me, as our house is larger and the roof pitch is pretty intense. The installation team was great- super friendly and they cleaned everything up after each work day. I was prepared for a huge mess, but that really wasn’t the case. They tore off our old roof, installed new underlayment & flashing, and installed the new tile. Want to see the before and after?

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comWe’ve lived with our new roof for almost three months and I love it! I’m so happy with the aesthetic change, Emmett is thrilled with our utility bill (it’s much more efficient), and we don’t have to worry about it failing. The roof actually has a 75 year warranty- which is pretty unheard of… that’s a lifetime! It means one and done, when it comes to roof replacement.

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comDuring my roof tile research, I learned that Bartile has a batten system that allows airflow under the tile. It’s important for heat transfer, meaning it makes your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. You can expect to save 25% or better on your utility bills thanks to improved insulation. It also has 130 mph wind resistance and a class 4 hail rating, if weather is also a concern in your area.

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comWe had enough overage and leftover tiles to have them installed on our shed. It really made our shed feel like it belonged next to our home, since both have that matching cohesive element. It was such a happy accident! Here is a photo I snapped during the installation…

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comThe tile is made locally (only 5 minutes from our house), but they do roofs and send material everywhere! I also learned they’re a family-owned business that has been passed down from generation to generation… they’ve been in business over 80 years and really know what they’re doing! I would highly recommend. Here is what the finished shed roof looks like…

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comI have a LOT of design tips and layout & color suggestions to share with you, but I’ll try to work on a follow up post once I get images from Bartile (plus this post is getting long). I asked if they could send me samples to photograph for you. I wanted to put together some pairings for you, so you can see my top contenders, as well as other options to consider in terms of aesthetic. I definitely want to share a more design heavy post because they have so many beautiful options to consider. I actually really enjoyed learning about roofs, researching different looks, tile patterns & layouts, and really digging into how that enhances the architecture of a home. If you have a roof that needs replaced or you’re building a home, stay tuned for that post! These were just a few of the colors available in the New England Slate (the tile we landed on)

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comThey have a variety of sizes, finishes, and can even do custom colors. You can also choose the edge profile: split timber for a rustic look, a rough cut edge, a double barrel, or higher profile tile. The options were seriously plentiful, and again- I’ll tackle those design related items in a follow-up post because that was the part of the process. You should also check out Bartile’s Instagram page because there are some seriously gorgeous homes (and roofs) on their page. There are actually quite a few in our own neighborhood, so we had lots of great examples to check out in person!

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comIs our exterior transformation complete? Not even close (we have big plans for it), but the roof made a huge difference! We still have to replace the eaves, soffit, and gutters for the “roof phase” to be totally finished, but I’m thrilled with how things are coming together.

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comI’ll leave you with a good homeowners tip from Emmett… make sure your home insurance policy is for replacement value– not depreciated value. That’s the entire reason we were able to get a total replacement and our insurance check reflected that. Our neighbors also had significant roof damage, and their policy was for depreciated value, so the money they received from their insurance company was much much less than what we received. It didn’t even come close to covering their roof, which also had to be entirely replaced. Double check those policies!

Our New Bartile Roof - roomfortuesday.comLeave any roof or exterior questions you have for me in the comment section below! I promise to tackle as many follow up posts as needed because this felt like a BIG project that I knew little about before diving in. I’d be happy to share the info I discovered and design ideas if anyone is in the market for a new roof. I’m looking forward to sharing more exterior plans and projects with you. Our house is slowing, but surely transforming.

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10 Comments

  1. Who knew that a roof could make such a difference? The dimensional tile is really an anesthetic game changer, but the improvement in heating and cooling efficiency would be a major selling point at our house. Is that typical of any roof replacement, or is it a consequence of Bartile’s special system? I know zero about roofing; honestly, I’m hoping a new roof will not be something we need to tackle. Exterior design, in general, seems baffling to me! I am surprised to hear that you have such big changes in store; your home is already so beautiful! You mentioned eaves, soffit and gutters as part of the roof phase. Will that require several other companies, or will you and Emmet DIY this? Could that be part of a roofing installation? So many questions! I really appreciate your thoroughly researched approach to every project. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the roof design posts. I know I’ll learn a lot! Cheers to a beautiful day!💙

    1. I’m pretty amazed by the difference! The efficiency has really been incredible, and we’re definitely seeing that reflected in our heating & cooling. I think that’s only Bartile’s special batten system. I’m not sure if all roof tiles are installed in the same way, or if they have a patent? That’s something I’ll have to look into! I know regular shingles don’t create that air insulation barrier. That was always our mindset “hopefully we never need to replace a roof”, haha! 1 out of 3 houses isn’t terrible, I suppose. It was definitely something I had to research because I knew nothing about that topic. Exterior design is difficult! Our roofers gave us the names of their preferred contractor for the gutters, soffit, and eaves, so that will be done separately with a different company. Emmett knows nothing about roofing and I’m glad he won’t be crawling around on a ladder, so we’re definitely hiring that out. Haha! I hope you have a safe flight home :) Happy traveling today!! xo

  2. If I’m being honest, I didn’t anticipate how much better this roof would look on your house! It’s amazing that it can make that much of a difference to the aesthetic. It looks the way it was intended to look, and you did an incredible job selecting the color and pattern.
    Tile roofs are pretty common here in California, but I had never lived in a home with tiled roofing until this one. I far prefer the tile now, especially knowing how durable it is. Our roof is original to the home (96), and in great condition. When we had it inspected we asked if there was any reason we would have to consider replacing it at any point, and our inspector told us to put it completely out of our minds; we didn’t even have a single cracked tile. We feel very fortunate to not have to worry about such a costly expenditure.
    It looks beautiful Sarah, and I’ll be looking forward to your follow up posts. You have me intrigued over roof design now, haha!
    We are experiencing quite the cool down today (thankfully), but considering the rain showers this morning, I’m anticipating some humidity as the day progresses. I hope you’re experiencing slightly cooler weather. Have a wonderful Wednesday! Xo

    1. Thanks Lauren! I was also amazed! It really changed the entire look of the exterior. I definitely prefer the dimensional look of tile, and it seems much more efficient and durable. Your roof is proof of that! It’s just such a big expense and a project you hope to never tackle, but here we are. I’m happy with how it turned out :) There were a zillion design options that I’ll have to share in the next post. There are even tiles with faux moss on them that have a very English cottage / Yorkshire sort of feel. It’s cooling down here, too… just cloudy today, no rain (sadly). I wish you could send us some rain because we desperately need it. Fireworks have been banned for the fourth this year since it’s so dry. I hope you have a relaxing rainy day and it doesn’t get too humid! xo

  3. I’m with Lauren, I cannot believe the difference. The color and pattern look so good. I am at a complete loss with roof ing materials, design…well, exterior design all together. I just know what I like when I see it. I have a lot to learn. You stated you have a lot more to change and I feel like I do not see it. Your home and aesthetic is beautiful.
    I am off for a quick girls trip. Have a wonderful trip yourself. Cannot wait to hear all about the diving and details of where you stayed.

    1. Thank you, Danna! Exterior design is challenging… even for me. It’s no wonder so many choose to work with architects to get the exterior looking nice and accurate. Interiors definitely come more naturally to me. I’m glad you can’t see the little imperfections I notice. It’s mostly cosmetic things I want to update… like the shutters, decorative elements (like the columns & railing), etc. I hope you have a fantastic time on your girls trip! That sounds incredible. I’m glad we’re all getting to travel a little this summer :) I can’t wait to share trip details and our dives. I love that you’re a fellow diver!!

  4. Ok, so I never would have clicked through this post if it was on anyone else’s blog besides, Sarah and I’m so happy I did. What an improvement! It was amazing to see the difference a beautiful, architectural roof could make. Theoretically I know that, of course, but seeing the before and after really drove it home for me. Roofs are definitely not the MOST exciting home improvement project, but the time, thought and research you put into yours really made a difference. AND great tip about “replacement value” on insurance. A few years back a hail storm damaged the roof of our town home and thanks to replacement value, we didn’t pay a penny out of pocket. We did replace it with something very similar to what it had been (read: boring material), because you could really only see the roof on the detached garage as it was primarily hidden on the top of the house, unlike yours. So cool you’re seeing heating and cooling savings, too on top of everything and also love that you were able to use the extra tile on the shed. What a win-win! So in short (or long 🤪), if anyone could make roofing interesting, it’s you, Sarah and I cannot wait to see your grand plans for your exterior!!

    1. Haha! Well thank you for clicking through. I know a roof doesn’t seem exciting, but it was really fun to learn about and design- much more interesting than I expected the process to be. I’m so happy you didn’t have to pay a penny out of pocket for your roof that was also damaged during a storm. Those insurance policies come in handy, if they’re set up correctly! I felt for our neighbors having to pay some serious cash because their insurance company wouldn’t help them. The roof definitely felt like a major win over here- especially given we had enough material for the shed… which totally made the look. Here’s to more exterior projects in the future :)

  5. JULIE VELTMAN says:

    Would love to hear what you would do with the columns. We have columns that continuously need repainting. They look alot like yours only with a brick base.

    1. We’re still looking into that, but I’d like to square them off and replace them (ours are showing age and aren’t the best material).