One thing I have learned is to expect the unexpected when remodeling.  Here are a few photo’s of a recent job.  There originally was a deck built on top of an almost flat rubber roof, on an old log cabin.  We took off the existing deck, rubber roof, rolled shingle roof that we found undernieth, a kraft faced tar paper type membrane , and we replaced several of the original roof boards that had rotten over the years.  We then installed a layer of 1/2″ cdx plywood over top of all of that to give a nice flat surface for the rubber rooofing to go back on.  Rubber roof went ontop of that and the deck re-built on that.  All this while trying to get a good tight flashing system around an unconventional styled old chimney.  This cabin was built in the 1930’s I believe.

     We weren’t suprised by too much on this project except for having rolled roofing under the rubber roof, and then the kraft-faced type tar paper with threads in it.  Removing those layers and replacing the rotten boards, and adding the 1/2″ ply were all steps I hadn’t anticipated though. 

Since the Ham Lake Fire a few years ago, I have gotten several calls about metal roofs.  Several people have been concerned that a metal roof may help protect their cabin in case another large forest fire comes through.  I should state here that I am no fire engineer, etc…and don’t know much about the science of fire except what I have seen myself.  But what I did see the first morning after the Ham Lake Fire went through the Sag lake homes, were Voyageur Canoe Outfitters staff cabins burned down – all that was left was a pile of metal roofing on top of ashes.  I was on the volunteer fire dept at the time and what it seemed like to me is that the sprinkler systems is what saved cabins, not the roofing. 

        If  you do really want a metal roof on you cabin, I recommend the more expensive, more labor intensive to install – Standing Seam type metal roofs.   The snow and ice still builds up on the standing seam roofs and lets go with a roar at differnt unexpected times, but at least it isn’t punctured all over by screws going through it.  I have seen metal roofs where the movement of the built up ice and snow has torn off vent stacks , etc… and I have gone up to install snow guards to try to keep the snow and ice from coming off at high speeds.

The Standing Seam type metal roofs at least have much, much less screws going through the metal into the roof.  They are usually held down with clips that are screwed down to the roof deck, and then covered as the next piece of metal is snapped down over top of it.  These clips hold the metal from moving sideways, but allow the metal to expand and contract up and down with the large temperature swings we have up here throughout the year.   What happens with the screw-through type of metal roofing is that over the years the metal contracts and expands, but the screws are trying to hold it down solid.  Either the screws end up un-screwing themselves up out of the roof and /or  the metal ends up tearing a little around the screws, making larger holes in the roof.  In the winter we can easly have  -30F  -  -40 f temperatures and lately it’s been around 90+ air temperatures so the metal roofing is probably much hotter than 100F.  With that big of a temperature swing throughout the year the metal has to move.  Even if it’s screwed through, it has to expand and contract somewhere, somehow.  How and where it moves is where the problems are.   I don’t mind using the screw-through metal roofs on sheds, etc.. where a few drips or small leaks don’t really matter, but I don’t recommend putting it on a cabin or home.

Recently I was looking at a remodel job to a place with a metal roof, I took a few photo’s of just a couple of screws that I saw right away, that had backed themselves out.  This is how I found them, I did not touch these screws.

For ease of installation, ease of repair if a tree ever goes through the roof, etc… for cost and ease of walking on if anyone ever needs to go on the roof, I usually still recommend Archetectural Shingles.  But if you really want a metal roof,  I don’t recommend the screw- through metal on a cabin or home.

It is very interesting to see a real environmental movement happenning in a main-stream type of way.  I just saw in a magazine that there are now SMALL electric “Trucks”, and even GM is coming out with a hybrid truck.

I think it’s great.  I am suprised to see how much publicity the Green movement is getting and how it is really starting to happen, that people are starting to think about their/our actions more.   Each choice we make impacts our lives and the lives of others in many ways.

Here is another product I saw in that same Green Builder magazine:  Lumboo – bamboo dimensional lumber.  http://calibamboo.com/bamboo-lumber-lumboo.html 

Interesting looking stuff !

I spent the first 5 years or so after starting this business, just working. 6-7 days a week.   Or at least that’s what it felt like.  I turned down several canoe trips and missed many parties.  I think I even alienated some friends because I was always busy working, when they had some kind of plans going on.  Now in 2010 I am tring to find the right ballance between working  hard, growing and raising my commitment level to the business, And with not letting the business consume my life and forgetting the beautiful area in which I get to live.  This spring I finished my book “You Gotta Get Out of the Woods…” , I’m still playing bass guitar in our band  D’Merritt – and have been able to ride the motorcycle on a few of the weekends this summer.  I have found that by working less weekends and being able to take a little time to really enjoy the area I get to live in, that I have more energy and more focused energy for our projects going on during the weekdays.

   Here is a video of our band   D’Merritt    playing a classic  Billy Squire song from the 80’s ”My Kind of Lover”  at the Windigo Lodge  in August 2010. 

And here is a picture of one of quick bike trips I have been able to sneak in on a weekend.

In an earlier post I showed a short video of a roof where a few shingles were falling off each year.  We did end up doing the job of tearing off those shingles that weren’t nailed on correctly,  and re-roofing the cabin.   Here is another short video showing how easy those shingles tore off, because they were installed incorrectly.

Here is a quick video of the interior of a cabin we built on the Gunflint Trail.  We used factory Pre-finished tongue & groove wood on all walls and ceilings.

Other than hiring myself, a couple of my friends and family, I don’t know.

Here’s the second roof in a year I’ve looked at because shingles are falling off.   The shingles were not very old on either roof, they were just installed incorrectly.   I feel bad that some homeowners have paid / are paying for very poor quality work.

  My older brother asked me the other day,  when he buys a house – how does he hire a contractor to work on it ?    Word of mouth was the best thing I could think of.  Get recommendations from other homeowners, and ALSO ask lumber yards who they hear good things about.  This probably won’t work at a Menards or Home Depot, etc…the big chains, but if you are in an area with a small lumber yard – they know who pays their bills, and who has a good reputation to them anyway.  Most of all, Ask if how the contractor is about honoring their warranty?   Does their warranty cover 30 yr Shingles that fall off the house within a couple years ?

I hope everyone is able to find the contractor they like and can work with, who does quality work!

I’ll be honest with you, the idea that something is “Made in America” doesn’t impress me anymore like it did before the Chevy -General Motors  bailouts from the US Government/american people. 

  What Does impress me still about a product or a service, etc… is the Customer Service and Warranty !   If I know that a product I buy will be repaired quickly, in a location near me, and gotten back to me quickly, that is impressive!   I spent a day last week sitting by this coputer I’m using now, watching as a person in India move my curser around and try to get my computer running correctly again.  Granted, it’s impressive that someone in India CAN get in my computer virtually and fix things, it’s still frustrating when I have problems Again, with a 9 month old computer.  I have spent several times the cost of this computer, if I added up the hours of work I have missed while sitting on the phone to India with computer repair problems, and the ammount of “warranties and virus protection” they have talked me into buying.

    Again and again I have seen that a Low price does NOT equal a High Value.   It sounds like if I had spent more  money on processors and virus protection when I bought the computer, I might have lost less work time by not having as many repair issues.

With the sub-contractors I work with, I have found the same thing.   On top of doing a good job, the ones who answer their phones and make my life easier are the ones I call.  The idea of a person or business standing behind what they do or sell is SO important.  I have seen many times, and especially after the Ham Lake Fire, that a lot of carpenters from out of the area were bought in to help re-build.  I’m sure some of these buildings are fine, but I have seen a few of these “New” cabins with Major problems.  And now where are the contractors who built them ?  In Minneapolis?  Iowa?  Illinois?   Are they driving up after work to fix a problem with the cabin they built?

I live and work in Cook County.  But MORE than that, I stand behind the warranty on the projects I build in Cook County.  I have found that price and value are closely related.  Sure, there’s always someone who will work for cash, work without a license, or Insurance, or whatever it is they are doing to be able to work very cheaply.  But the lowest price, in the long run, often does not offer the highest value.

It sounds like the Gunflint Trail Garage Sale was a success for everyone involved.  It’s interesting and kinda cool – the things that end up becoming Events , on the Gunflint Trail.   I went down to Trail Center for a burger in the afternoon, and it was like a party down there. Thank you for everyone who checked out the sales !

   My book got a fantastic  3/4  page review in the Cook County News-Herald   on May 8, 2010.  Review by Jane Howard.

 ”Nace Hagemann’s book, You Gotta Get Out of the Woods…, must be one of the best books ever written about life on the Gunflint Trail.  Not because it’s idyllic, but because it’s real.  Self-published this year, it’s a collection of photos and musings bound to become a classic.”

    Thank you Jane  and  Cook County News-Herald.

We’ve been working on several different types of projects lately.  Drywall on one, re-building a deck and installing a new kind of composite decking on another, and are just about to start on a garage near Grand Marais.  Summer is looking busy and I’m working on estimates for projects for the winter-and spring.

            Thank you and I hope everyone has a great summer and gets to spend a little time playing on or near the Gunflint Trail !

GUNFLINT TRAIL’S FIRST ANNUAL TRASH AND TREASURE DAY! Saturday May  
29th 8 am-5 pm 60 miles of Bargains 26 Businesses and all the  
homeowners that want to join in. Please post this anyplace you can!  
Blogs, press releases, website. Help make this a big event for the  
Gunflint Trail/Cook County Homeowners please join in!

I think this is a great-fun idea.  I have collected plenty of things myself that will be for sale. 

Scaffolding, tools, winter gear, et….

Should be a fun Trail event.