katgarr - congrats on your build! We, too, had to choose our selections upfront...the roof was a challenge for us too! We used an Arkansas field stone sample to select our roof color...and then, when the actual stones arrived, we had to re-think our roof choice...the sample board was much different than what came out of the quarry! Here is a photo of our roof with our stone, chicago brick and sienna driveway...we used Certaineed Weathered Wood - we looked at the Owens driftwood too.....they are similar. I know you are looking for a warm gray roof, but I thought a photo of our home with Driftwood would help!

A few years ago I was looking around for white oak,very good stuff same qualities as ipe, and ran into white cedar,eastern white cedar,true northern white cedar,atlantic swamp cedar, white cedar that actually is a cypress ...and on and on it went. "white cedar " seems to be about the same as Western Red cedar far as decay/bugs go. Due to transport cost one is used on the east one on the west and of course the wr trees are much bigger so the lumber has more sap wood. Go for it Stacey!!! It will help out the local cash flow.But dont expect the the long term service of South American or quality manmade. J.

Hi, In most areas around here (Mass), the Ice and Water dam protection is required by code. It's usually a 3 foot strip along the edge of the roof, and tucked under the gutters. If it's not required where you are, get it anyhow. It's additional protection from ice dam problems, which can cause leaks and lots of nasty water damage. Basically, if your roof isn't done right, it can cause a lot of damage to your house, and lots of grief in time and expens to fix it. Don't be cheap about it. As for the teardown or not, it really depends on how many layers of shingles are up there now. If there's only one, and your decking is in good shape, you can shingle over and not tear down. Be aware, that will lower the expected lifetime of the new shingles somewhat. If you think your roof deck needs repairs, tear down the shingles, and do it correctly the first time. It's always less expensive that way. As for types, there are three major manufacturers, GAF, CertainTeed, and Owens Corning. My research told me that they are all pretty good and there's not any strong reason to go with one or the other. Your major choice is between 3-tab or Architectural shingles. The Architectural ones have some depth to them, and make a nicer roofline, with some shadows and texture, rather than the flat look of 3-tab. It's really a personal preference. If you don't have proper ventilation in your attic, you should add it as part of this job. Soffit vents and a ridge vent are a standard system for this. Ventilation will help keep the roof from overheating in the summer (increasing the life of the roof), and keep it cold in the winter, so snow on the roof won't melt and cause ice dams. Finally, if you haven't picked a contractor yet, each of the manufacturers I mentioned have "certified" contractors, who are tested and guaranteed by the manufacturer to do quality work. Check the websites for information.

That will be beautiful. It's a great old house! I would stay away from more modern colors and use colors more in keeping with its era. (Danita's examples while beautiful are all too contemporary for the age of your house. ) What colors do you personally like? The house can go in many different directions and all would be appropriate.