Ichabod, we're in the desert southwest, but I probably should have expanded on that comment! Our annual average rainfall here is under 10". Snow does happen but is not common. Ice dams are not a problem here, for example, so local code does not require ice and water shield at the eaves, either. We recently had a wet 6" snow but that is fairly remarkable for us, down here in the southern part of New Mexico. Also to you and tlbean2004, thanks for your thoughts on the metal flashing. We may request metal valley flashings, with ice and water underneath. Metal flashings got the roof through 17 years with no problems, so I'm not sure why to abandon them now...unless the technology of modern underlayments has rendered metal valley flashings obsolete. I thought that was what the roofer was implying, and we weren't sure if that was correct. I'll admit I am also a bit more worried about this roof than I would be if it was not such a low pitch. So you folks are a big help. klem1, thanks for your explanation. Nope, no interest here in removing the 2x2 trim to try to treat the rafter tail end grain (DH would leave me if I suggested that) so it looks like the consensus is to keep a very wide metal flashing. I guess it will be less distracting when painted to match the wood. Our house was built in 1965 and I sure don't want to make uninformed decisions that lead to damage...all for the sake of looks. (As much as I dislike the look of the big drip edge.) I guess a smaller drip edge and rotted wood would not be very pretty, either. I need to figure out which ice and water shield product will work in our hot temperatures, if we want it under the metal valley flashing. One bid specifies GAF Weatherwatch (but the contractor isn't local.) I don't know how heat resistant that product is. I know Grace Ice and Water has the best reputation, but I was surprised to see the Grace website says that only their most expensive product, Grace Ultra, should be used in the desert southwest: Grace IWS Contractor's Guide So if the esteemed Grace Ice & Water Shield (regular product) will not stand up to desert southwest heat, I wonder how any of the (much less expensive) GAF ice and shield products would work. There are a few scary stories in some roofing forums about "bitumen bleed" when ice and shield products are used in higher temps than recommended. (Roofing is not for sissies, have you noticed?)

Almost anything . The windows do not match are you planning on new ones? If you are then black windows and white siding could be quite striking with a black metal and glass railing and a black door. Under that deck needs some serious work to look good too.Or you could go very different with natural cedar and some stone to wrap the pillars and then the black windows

I suspect, it has something to do with heat gain, or how hot it gets for the roofers when working. I have a jet black roof, and I do live where its hot and sunny. The roof was here when I bought the house, and is probably about 15 yrs old. I havent noticed any heat gain, but, my house is also solid stone, which keeps my heating and cooling costs very low, compared to my last house. If you are asking, will it streak down your white house, no, probably not . I have never noticed any streaking on my house, and there is none down the road on a white house that has a black roof, and all black trim. The houses, I see all the streaking on, are those with very light roofs. In this area, light roofs, look old and dirty and streaked very fast.

Pictures 1, 2 and 3 show reverse board and baton plywood siding in a gray color. Picture 4 shows a different siding in a dirty (finish coming off, maybe) brown T&G. Where are each of these sidings in relation to the home.