Preserving Missouri’s Historic Slate Roofs
by Chris Walker, Editor Roofpal.com
The availability of both federal and state tax credits have certainly encouraged investment in Missouri’s historic structures across the state for many years now, but historic home building owners as well as those who manage and maintain them have not maximized the preservation potential due in part to a lack of awareness and understanding of the guidelines, process and assistance available to them.
For a home or building to be eligible for the state or federal credits it must be deemed historic, meaning either listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places, a contributing element of a historic district that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, or a contributing element of a Local Historic District that has been certified by U.S. Department of the Interior as substantially meeting National Register criteria.
A common misunderstanding when it comes to historical preservation is the role of the roof. Before any repair work or complete replacement is agreed to, the historic value of any materials to be used should be verified with a professional roofing
contractor with specific knowledge of historic preservation to help ensure approval for tax incentives, as well as continued recognition from the Historic Preservation Committee. The installation particularly of slate roof systems requires patience, care, an
eye for detail, and a true craftsman’s skill. Roofing contractors who are experienced in this type of restoration work understand the requirements of vintage roofs for decking and underlayment, as well as when modern materials can be substituted without causing the roof to fail or leak. Many historic homes and buildings in Missouri still have their original slate or tile roof systems, and although both are designed to last over 100 years the underlayment can fail after the first 50 to 75 years.
Anymore, many historic home preservation committees will not allow a shingle substitute for a slate roof, which happens to be the recommendation of most insurance claims due to the roofing contractor hired to perform the work not having expert knowledge in this area of specialty. Truly, the art of slate roofing seems to have been lost and unfortunately the only way Missouri’s historic districts will remain as such is with restoration projects like those recently completed and currently underway by the team at Innovative Construction & Roofing (ICR). After early spring storms in 2011, residents in Shaw/Tower Grove, University City and South City are now seeing major transformations with 100+ year-old slate and tile roofs being fully replaced by insurance companies while maintaining their historical status thanks to the ICR team already completing 30 jobs in these neighborhoods and with over 50 currently in process. Several more are planned throughout 2012 as well.
Headquartered in St. Louis and with satellite offices servicing Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, ICR has installed the entire spectrum of slate roofing styles and systems. From custom graduations to the full palette of colors, custom sizes and the entire range of finishes, they have done it all. Founded in 2008 by Christian Larson, Brian Benson and Patrick McNichols, the team has more than fifty years of collective hands-on industry experience. By combining the latest in roofing industry technology with the craftsmanship and expert knowledge in restoring historic slate and tile roofs, ICR has quickly become the Midwest’s premier provider of commercial and residential roof, gutter, and insurance restoration construction services. The company is a member of the National Slate Roofing Association and The National Slate Association.
If you are considering pursuing a historical preservation tax incentive it is recommended you consult a qualified tax professional and the Missouri Department of Economic Development as soon as possible, and well before you begin the restoration project to ensure it follows the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the National Park Service works with property owners, developers and architects to provide advice on appropriate rehabilitation. You can find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InnovativeRoofs.
Recent Customer Reviews from Slate Roofing Customers . . .
“I am very pleased with my experience with Innovative Construction & Roofing. We had our roof replaced this spring and the process took all of one and a half days. I first met with Christian Larson who kept me informed of each step of the process. The roofers were exceptionally courteous and extremely professional. The work was of high quality as were the materials used. All my landscaping was protected and the yard was kept clean and neat throughout the job. I would not hesitate to call them again for any future roofing projects.” – yp.com review in St. Louis
“We have had the pleasure of working with Innovative twice in the past year and a half. Hail storms totaled our roof and then a tornado damaged our beautiful new roof. Innovative was on site making sure our roof was leak proof within 60 minutes of our call. Not only is their workmanship great but their crews and managers are a pleasure to work with. I recommend Innovative to all our friends and neighbors. They exceeded our expectations both times we have needed them.” – St. Louis homeowner
“I would like to fully express my recommendation to anyone looking at roofing contractors, that Innovative Construction & Roofing is by far a first class organization. The entire project was efficiently setup, all safety issues were addressed, coordination and communication displayed was that of an extremely high quality company. It is clear that your organization is committed to excellence, and I will continue to recommend your company to anyone in need of any construction project.” – Patrick Hanon (Building Owner/Restaurateur, Pujols 5 Westport Grill)
