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The San Antonio Roofer Guide to Historic Homes
Posted on Thursday, June 8th, 2023 at 8:00 am
San Antonio, Texas is a culturally rich city that is known for a mix of attractions. You can visit the staple of the Alamo, take a stroll along the San Antonio River Walk, or grab some food at a wide range of restaurants. You can even visit the city’s large number of historic districts. Including both commercial and residential properties, these districts are recognized on local and national levels. Across San Antonio, there are early 20th-century Craftsman bungalows and gorgeous Victorian-era mansions.
These buildings have withstood the test of time. But all buildings are capable of experiencing damage—and that includes their roofs. Preserving the roofs of these historic homes is crucial for the sake of their structural integrity. Luckily, professional roofers are willing and ready to take on the task of repairing and restoring those roofs while maintaining their charm and character. Let’s explore what a San Antonio roofer is capable of when it comes to historic properties.
Architectural Eras in Texas Roofing
According to the Texas Historical Commission, around the time when Texas became a state, there were several styles of architecture (and, thus, roofs) that were being built. One was Greek Revival, which came with a gable or hipped roof with a low pitch. You see this type of roof used in fraternity and sorority houses. The Second Empire style was also popular with its mansard roof with dormer windows, and the minimalist National Folk style with its medium-pitched roof. Over time, with the construction of new residential and commercial buildings, Texas has certainly adapted. In fact, Minimal Traditional architecture has been popular for the past century! But we can still find beautifully crafted roofs of long-gone styles throughout historic districts.
Steps for Renovating Historic Roofs
Back in 2012, the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) announced the adoption of the City of San Antonio Historic Design Guidelines. For over a decade now, these guidelines have served to ensure the compatibility between new development and the existing historic environment. When undergoing a roof renovation, expect to follow these four steps while staying in line with the guidelines:
Get an Experienced Roofer
In general, you should not attempt to repair your roof on your own. This is especially true when you have a historic home. You need to work with a reputable San Antonio roofer that is capable of preserving the home’s architectural integrity. They are trained to handle materials and equipped with the right tools to get the job done. A good roofer will comply with preservation guidelines throughout the restoration.
Assess the State of the Roof
Every roof experiences wear and tear over time due to exposure to the elements. If left unchecked, this could result in deterioration, leaks, or structural issues. When a licensed San Antonio roofer takes the time to thoroughly inspect your roof, they will determine whether the issues can easily be patched or are sizeable enough to require the installation of a new roof. The hope is that the assessment will show that your historic home has not faced neglect for too long.
Learn About Your Roof’s History
Because historic homes often have unique design elements that contribute to their significance, you want to ensure that you retain them as much as possible. Knowing your roof’s history allows you to better protect the property’s cultural heritage at large. This is because you and your San Antonio roofer can work together to identify its original features. So, take some time to gather documentation from around the time of its construction, then consult with architects and historians to guide your restoration project.
Undergo the Necessary Repairs
There could be moisture issues, broken shingles, or excessive debris and the same point would remain… No matter the situation, a skilled San Antonio roofer can address your roof’s weaknesses. They will make sure that you have adequate ventilation and flashing, for example. But beyond that, your professional roofer can repair or replicate decorative features that give the roof its historical character. If they are unable to acquire the exact materials needed, they will need to locate identical substitutes that are compatible with the rest of the roof.
Historic Roofing Materials
In order to respect the authenticity of a historic home, a San Antonio roofer will be considerate of the materials used. On top of familiarizing themselves with historical techniques, they have to be knowledgeable about local traditions and the city’s geographical location. Wherever you are in the country, the roof of your historic home might be made out of the following:
Wood Shingles
Between the earliest colonial days through the 19th century, wood was the most common roofing material. It can be found in homes of the Georgian, Federal, and Greek revival styles, just to name a few. If you are planning to revive your historic home’s wooden roof, you are going to need to determine what type of wood was available during the time it was built. However, in the event that your wooden roof is deteriorating, it may be best to simply replace it with a modern architectural roof.
Metal
Copper rolls and sheets started being used in the late-1700s. It was among the most popular choices for metal roofs because of its durability and subsequent long lifespan. Across the board, though, metal holds up much better than wood. Sheet-metal roofing, which was the first type of roofing produced in factories, didn’t emerge until the Federal era. Southern Victorian homes, especially, utilized metal as a roofing material, and it is often recommended for Italianate homes.
Clay Tiles
Typically made from terra cotta, clay tiles are known for their Spanish influence. Like metal roofs, clay roofs are known for having a long lifespan. They are also resistant to fire and non-combustible, which makes them an especially good choice for areas that are prone to wildfires. Clay tiles are a definitive characteristic of Mission-style homes, which gained popularity during the 20th century. The most common tiles included “S” and convex shapes.
Slate
Although costly to manufacture and transport due to its heaviness, slate is a material that is advantageous for its minimal requirements for maintenance. It can also last for over a century, making it quite cost-effective. Plus, it is a sustainable material considering you can recycle it! Slate started off as very rare but, thanks to the railroad system, more and more people were able to get access to it. This material pairs well with European, Colonial, and French-style homes.
Contact the San Antonio Roofers at Kidd Roofing
Kidd Roofing has offered professional residential and commercial roofing services to the San Antonio area since 1982. Our highly skilled team is committed to providing you with exceptional workmanship from beginning to end. Not only will complete your project with efficiency, but with safety. We strive for excellence in everything we do, whether it be new roof installations or roof repairs after hail storms. If you have a historic home that is in need of a roofing transformation, it will be in good hands with Kidd Roofing. Send us a message to get started.
Kidd Roofing San Antonio (Jeremy) responded quickly to our request for an assessment/quote, was friendly and candid, gave helpful advice on dealing with inspectors and insurance, did great work, charged a fair price, and provided excellent documentation we requested. Most impressive was that out of the nearly dozen roofers I contacted, Kidd was the only one who didn’t try to twist our arm into a full roof replacement or stop responding when they realized we just needed minor repairs.
Brityn Willis Bennet
Highly recommended Jeff at Kidd Roofing. I am a real estate who was in a huge bind with a home under contract that needed to have a new roof installed before closing. After dealing with a rough experience with Ace Roofing increasing their quote by 50% for the same job, my clients (very upset at the time) and I scrambled to problem solve and luckily found Jeff and Kidd Roofing.
They got to the job fast, worked our extremely pressed timeline, and had great communication the entire time. To top it off the future buyer of the home had the new roof inspected and the inspector/other roofing company complimented the work. All parties were completely satisfied and I will be recommending and hopefully using Jeff going forward for my future clients.
5 stars well deserved.
CG
We had a leak in a clay tile roof. Mundo and his crew came out and fixed it in one day! They also extended our gutters to help keep water off the foundation. We were thrilled with the service and results.
Micheal H
Kidd Roofing was a pleasure to work with from the start of the job until completion. I highly recommend them.
James O
I love finding a company that values offering and delivering a high quality & affordable service and are honest about the entire process. Kidd Roofing and Cody are my “go to” company and guy for any roofing issues that might arise. I contacted Kidd Roofing about some problems that we were having our add-on cover/roof over the deck a family friend built for us. The particular roofing my husband wanted was unfamiliar to our friend and he did the best he could, the deck is spectacularly amazing but we needed some professional help with the roofing. Cody showed up, on time & prepared, to help us figure out what to do and how to fix it. Cody answered all our questions and explained what needed to be done in a manner that made us reassured to do business with Kidd Roofing. The quote was affordable and we asked to get it done right away. Cody scheduled the work & just like clockwork the roofing crew appeared with the materials and ladders to fix our deck roof. The guys worked fast, cleaned up their leftover material, and were done so fast! Cody even showed up to make sure we were satisfied! Satisfied is an understatement, we were pleasantly impressed and the roof not only looks like our home builder did it when the house was built but we are no longer worried about leaks.
Shannon C
Cody with Kidd roofing did excellent work on our very big project of tearing off and re-roofing a 41 unit condominium complex of 10 buildings. Cody was always available to communicate with and supervise the work as it went along. Everything agreed to on the contract was completed as specified and more. Cody even came back a few weeks after completion to check for hail damage after a big storm. This is a solid, honest company that we will use again.
Cynthia A
Awesome service!!!! We discovered hail damage so, working with my insurance, Kidd Roofing came right out. We were in the middle of a pandemic but they were speedy, safe, repaired the roof in one day and wall damage a different day. We found them professional, honest, speedy, thorough and kind. Totally recommend them!!!
Kim H
Kidd Roofing did a complete re-roof of my house and they did a great job. Every step of the process from the initial visit with me to evaluate the problem to the actual final installation was professionally and efficiently done to my satisfaction.
Enrique B
I had hail damange and a section with leaks. The team that came out made sure that the areas on my roof that was prone to problems because of the house design would not leak. They also included extras that improve the aesthetics as compared to the original roof. The crew paid attention to the details and had excellent workmanship. Finally, at all times, the crew was considerate, friendly and professional.
Annemarie Vicere
I had the unfortunate incident of a tree falling on my house causing over $65k in damages recently and was blessed to find the best roofing company that the Houston area offers…. Kidd Roofing! When I was soliciting quotes the President of Kidd Roofing, Marcus Mathews, not only spent time thoroughly looking over my damages, but stayed until dark to properly tarp my roof since we were expecting rain the next day. He also stressed that it didn’t mean I had to use his company for the repairs, he just couldn’t let me go a night without being properly tarped! Fast forward to the repair job itself and the Sales & Estimating Manager who oversaw my project, Jeff Marshall, was absolutely fantastic. He kept me apprised of all repairs, time frames and completions, he respected my schedule and accommodated me at every turn. He handled everything and was on site a majority of the time to monitor the work that was being performed. The entire process was seamless and they provided high quality results in a short time-frame, even going above and beyond at times. It was the best experience I have had with a company/repair project and I would highly recommend them for any of your roofing repair needs!
Jodi Bieniek
My roof took a direct hit from the April 18th hail storm in Humble, Texas so I searched and asked around my neighborhood and kept hearing Kidd Roofing. After meeting Mike at our house for a quick inspection I knew that Kidd Roofing was the right choice for us. Mike has been amazing throughout the entire process start to finish. He always made sure we knew what the next step was from the insurance side to the day the roofers showed up. Everything that Mike had told us was going to happen happened exactly as he said it would during the roof removal and replace. Mike went above and beyond to set the right expectations and ensure the expectations were met perfectly. Our new roof is almost a month old and can already tell the quality when compared to other roofs that were replaced at the same time. Mike and Kidd Roofing will always be the only roofer I recommend to friends and neighbors. Thank you Mike for a great quality install!
Travis Steele
We had some hail damage to our roof when the last storm came through and got the recommendation of Kidd Roofing from a friend. They sent out Micah Loyd to give us an estimate. He was very professional and easy to work with. He answered all of our questions and was always prompt returning any phone calls or messages we left for him. The roof replacement went on without any problems and looks great. We are happy to recommend Kidd Roofing and Micah for any roofing problems you may have. Five star job!!!!!!
Joan Bone
The entire process from start to finish was excellent and professional. There was an initial meeting with Steve Jasik, Kidd sales and estimating rep, who went over the entire job including materials to be installed, the schedule of the roofers, and steps to close the job when it was finished. When the job began, it all ran like clockwork, from the arrival of the materials; to getting it all up on the roof; to the removal of the old shingles, et al; to the reinstalling of the new shingles; to the clean up afterwards (no roofing nails found anywhere); to the final paperwork to conclude the job. It was all well-handled. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Kidd Roofing to anyone who asked.
Steve Richards
Eric Roeslers’ professionalism, product knowledge, and highly competitive price convinced me into choosing Kidd Roofing. The crew was polite, clean, and fast working. There were a few minor details on the roofing of the upper deck of my porch/patio that needed redone and Eric had his crew repair it to my liking. I am very satisfied with his work and will definitely recommend him and repeat business!
Paula G
In the process of getting our house ready to list, we approached Kidd Roofing to give us a quote for a roof replacement. They worked with us on the best way to get our roof replaced including assisting us immensely with us being able to receive a new roof because of previous hail damage. Unfortunately the insurance adjuster didn’t work with us, but Kidd Roofing did all that they could to get us the most value for our money. Now our roof and chimney are brand new and we couldn’t be any happier! I would hire them again in a heartbeat to do any roof work I could ever need in the future!
Jessica Willms
We used Kidd Roofing to repair our leaking roof and they discovered we also had rotted wood fascia behind our gutters due to improperly installed gutters. So they also removed our existing gutters and repaired all of the wood that was rotted for us. They did an outstanding job including several inspections by the Kidd team leaders (Steven Jasik) to ensure everything was done right. We are now big fans of Kidd Roofing. They’re very professional, honest, and easy to work with.
Jerry Beverly
Scott and his crew are the best. He managed the entire process with special attention to every detail. They supported me with all documentation related to the claim. He was with me when the insurance team came by to check the damages, worked with insurance to address any required adjustments and complete the work with precision and super high quality. Next time we need a roofing company, we will definitely reach out to Scott and Kidd.
Fabiano Colicchio Lopes
This is a wonderful company full of wonderful people. They do good, hard work and they are always fair. You can’t find a better company to do your roof! Mason and Todd are very respectful and work with you to provide you with the best service as well as the best customer service. They are diligent and quick! Great job guys 👍🏻.
Eloise Haynes
I acquired quotes from several roofing companies including the one I had last used, just 3-4 years earlier. I most appreciated how my sales rep, Scott, took time to listen and answer my questions. Not in a canned response fashion, but with genuine interest. Looking at their website, I kinda felt I might be considered a lower end customer for them (my house is about $375k), but in no way was I ever treated as such. We have 3 kiddos and the crew did a great job cleaning up after, ensuring no nails or debris could injure our animals or kiddos. They weren’t the cheapest. They also weren’t the most expensive. But I went with Kidd roofing because I felt they did things right, the first time, with quality and excellence. Now that the job is complete — I can confirm, it was all done with quality and excellence. Scott and Kidd roofing are the surest way to have great work done on your roof!
Chris M
I’m someone difficult to please as I like things done right and there are so many roofers that do sloppy jobs. Super happy with Kidd Roofing, worked with me from the start to finish as changes needed to be made. Also did an excellent job cleaning up and I still haven’t found any nails in my yard… I believe they found them all 🙂
Jesse Lowe
Kidd Roofing replaced my 24 year old roof and did a spectacular job. They were very responsive in answering all of my questions as I was a first time roof purchaser. The results were high quality, and they provided options for how to solve my gutter replacement as well as alternatives to managing to keep wildlife out of my attic. Raccoons are cute but very tenacious. I even asked for them to come repair the chimney cap the was knocked off during a storm by an overgrown large tree and they graciously did that for me at no cost. I would highly recommend Kidd Roofing. Max was my contact through the whole process, it was nice to have one single contact that knows your project inside and out. So many times in doing house repairs, I have had to deal with several people from the same company, repeating requirements and reaffirming quotes. That didn’t happen at Kidd, excellent customer service.
K island
We had an awesome experience with Kidd Roofing!!! Davis and his whole team were excellent. We had hail damage and they worked with our insurance company and came right out safely (in the midst of this pandemic). It was done so quickly (finished in a day for the roof and a different day for our wall). They are professional, speedy, honest and super nice. I highly recommend!!
Kim Hiles
This is the third time I have used Kidd Roofing and I continue to great great service and value. The first was a complete new roof. Since then I have called them twice for minor repairs/fixes. They are very responsive and do quality work. They are my roofer and I highly recommend them to others!
Pete Courtois
Because I have solar collectors that needed to be removed before the roof was replaced, I asked Matt to coordinate with the solar people to schedule the replacement. He made all the calls and had his crew here the very next day after the solar collectors had been removed. His crew worked over 12 hours, hardly stopping, trying to finish in one day. They were even cleaning after dark. The very next day he had the gutter crew in early to complete the gutters and finalize the cleanup. Both crews were dedicated and worked very fast to get the job done before any rain. The coordination between crews and other companies was the tops. I can’t say enough about the management and the individuals. This is my second experience with them and both times they were superb.
Lloyd Stearn
We loved our experience with Kidd Roofing. They are very professional and have great communication. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who is looking for great quality and hard workmanship. Jeff and Micah were very present during our roofing experience. They checked in every day and made sure that things were being done and that we were happy with the progress. My husband kept saying you get what you pay for and we did. No more leaks and a beautiful roof.
Jodi Mcallister
Trial
I had an awesome experience with Kidd. The job turned out to cost way less than I expected which of course is always nice. Max was my rep and he came up with a lot of great ideas for a flat-ish portion of my roof which has caused some problems in the past. I met the owner family too and they are solid folks that care about their results. Oh and when they left, the place was spotless.
Michael D. Spadaccini
I have had roofs replaced in the past which did not go well. Kidd Roofing was amazing to work with at every angle, from the top all the way down to the guys that actually did the work. The guys were so friendly and respectful. They were also diligent and clean in every aspect of the job. First rate in quality and professionalism. I give them 5 Gold Stars and a Thumbs Up! Thank you Patrick Lambert and Scott Nelson!