Short Project Excerpt
See how a 30-year-old three-tab shingle roof on a historic Livermore family ranch was replaced with American-made Unified stone-coated steel, while rooftop HVAC equipment was relocated to reduce roof penetrations and simplify future maintenance.
Project Overview
| Project Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Livermore, Larimer County, Colorado |
| Property type | Residential single-family home on a family ranch |
| Existing roof | Approximately 30-year-old three-tab asphalt shingles |
| New roofing system | Unified stone-coated steel |
| Product origin | Made in the USA |
| Additional improvement | Rooftop HVAC equipment relocated to the ground |
| Primary goals | Long-term durability, fire resistance, fewer roof penetrations, and easier future maintenance |
A 30-Year-Old Roof Ready for an Upgrade
The existing three-tab shingles had provided approximately three decades of service. However, the roof had aged as a complete system rather than developing one small, isolated problem that could be addressed with a simple repair.
For the homeowners, replacing the roof was also an opportunity to think beyond the next few years. This is an established family homestead that has already stood for more than a century, and the family intends to preserve it for future generations.
Instead of installing another basic three-tab shingle system, they chose to make a longer-term investment in stone-coated steel.
Why the Homeowners Selected Stone-Coated Steel
The homeowners’ priorities were clear: they wanted a roof with long-term performance and greater fire resistance for a property located in the foothills, where wildfire concerns are part of living in the area.
Unified stone-coated steel was selected to meet those priorities. The system uses steel as its foundation while maintaining the textured, dimensional appearance expected on a residential home. The material used for this project was made in the USA.
This choice allowed the family to move away from a conventional asphalt replacement and toward a premium metal-based roofing system suited to their long-term plans for the property.
Planning for a Complex Main-House Roof
The home’s roofline includes multiple intersecting sections, valleys, gables, wall transitions, a masonry chimney, ventilation components, and other penetrations. Several upper roof planes also direct water toward lower sections, making coordinated drainage and installation planning especially important.
American Roofing and Restorations documented the existing roof with close-up photography and aerial imagery. Viewing the roof from above helped the team understand how the individual sections connected and plan the project as one complete roofing system rather than treating each slope separately.
This level of preparation was particularly valuable on a rural property with extensive tree coverage and roof sections that are difficult to evaluate fully from the ground.
Reducing Roof Penetrations by Moving the HVAC Equipment
An important part of this project extended beyond the roofing material itself.
The HVAC equipment was relocated from the roof to the ground. Removing the rooftop unit reduced the number of penetrations through the new roofing system. Roof penetrations require carefully installed and maintained flashing, and each penetration can become a potential water-entry point if components or seals deteriorate over time.
Moving the HVAC equipment also makes future servicing and repairs more accessible. Technicians can reach the equipment from ground level without needing to work on or around the new roof.
For a family planning to maintain this ranch for generations, reducing unnecessary roof penetrations was a practical improvement that supports both the roofing system and the home’s future maintenance needs.
Protecting a Property Built to Stay in the Family
This project was not approached as a temporary update to a short-term property.
The home is part of a family ranch that has been standing for more than 100 years. The homeowners wanted the new roof to reflect the way they view the property: not simply as a house, but as a homestead they intend to preserve and pass forward.
Replacing the aging shingles with stone-coated steel, reducing the number of roof penetrations, and making future HVAC access easier were all part of the same long-term strategy.
The Completed Result
American Roofing and Restorations replaced the approximately 30-year-old three-tab shingle roof with an American-made Unified stone-coated steel roofing system.
The project gave the home more than a new exterior appearance. It provided the family with a roofing system selected around long-term ownership, foothills fire concerns, durability, and simplified future maintenance.
By also moving the HVAC equipment from the roof to the ground, the project reduced potential vulnerability points in the roofing system and made future mechanical service more convenient.
The result is a coordinated upgrade designed to help protect a century-old Livermore family ranch for the generations ahead.
Considering Stone-Coated Steel Roofing in Northern Colorado?
Choosing a roofing material involves more than comparing the initial installation price. The home’s location, roof design, fire exposure, expected ownership period, maintenance priorities, and long-term goals should all be considered.
American Roofing and Restorations helps Northern Colorado homeowners compare asphalt shingles, conventional metal roofing, and stone-coated steel through professional documentation, straightforward recommendations, and a no-pressure planning process.