PDCo Home: Roof Materials

charcoal roof shingles malarkey
charcoal roof shingles malarkey

Our main roof has been on for some time now, but there was one small special section left to complete before sharing! There was a hiccup with the roofer and he wasn’t able to finish the job, so our contractor stepped in and got it done! I’m sharing all the details about our roofing materials today, and the reasoning behind the decisions. You can see our full exterior design concept here.

researching roofing

I’m not an expert on roofing. I know the main options but my knowledge hardly scratches the surface when it comes to pricing, quality, durability, and sustainability. It was over two years ago when we started thinking about the look of our home. That aesthetic all revolved around a metal roof. I knew it was costly, but I knew the durability and sustainability of a metal roof was all worthwhile. Fast forward a year and receiving a cost for the total house. We had to make some cutbacks. We held on to the metal roof for so long. Eventually, it was cut. It saved us nearly 15k. We had to select a new material and it was a really difficult decision. I researched so many different roof types, looking for something sustainable and affordable. I came up empty handed over and over again. But it was time to make a decision.

black metal roof on hallway
sustainable considerations

As a deadline approached to make a decision, I pretty much knew I had to go with a standard shingle. But I wasn’t going down without swinging! I was introduced to the company Malarkey. They specialize in asphalt shingles, but with a twist. I’m not going to get into a lot of detail, because again, this isn’t my expertise. But I liked that their company is local to the PNW, and they are doing good work to keep asphalt shingles out of landfills. No, they still aren’t the most sustainable option for roofing. For the options we had, we felt it was our best choice. We hope when the time comes to replace our roof, we can upgrade from an asphalt shingle to a metal roof (or maybe some other material we learn about between now and then!).

home with black windows
the final selection

Our primary roof material is the Malarkey shingles in the Storm Grey color. It reads as a charcoal color which felt softer than the Midnight Black. Yet, it still looks killer with our black gutters! I also have to say, the more I looked at inspiration photos of cedar siding with shingled roofs, the more I loved it!

I wasn’t going to give up on my metal roof though. We decided the main hallway section of our home was the perfect opportunity to change things up. We already planned to do this with the siding material at this location as well. So the metal roof here was perfect. We used our local metal roofing supply company and went for a standing seam look in black.

pdcohome spokane construction
other details

The soffits were installed and painted, as well as the ceiling in the covered patio! These are all a dark charcoal color from Miller Paint. Gutters also were installed which was so nice to have after a week or two of pouring rain. We went with black gutters and it all just looks so sleek. We don’t have the downspouts on yet (waiting for siding), but we have a few locations we’ll be doing underground spouts so it doesn’t pour out onto the patio spaces.

I’m really looking forward to seeing these selections paired with our siding material and stone!


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PDCo Home: Trusses & Final Framing

We’ve been moving right along the last few weeks since framing was complete. Trusses and roof lines are taking shape and we’re getting all ready to move to the big phase of exterior finishes. I’m so excited to see what the next month will bring!

Here’s what we’ve been up to!

trusses & framing

Trusses were delivered and the framers worked for a little over a week getting them all set in place. We had a mix up on the covered patio and we were given scissor trusses instead of a more open timber frame. Thankfully our contractor was able to hook us up with the new ones in a quick 3 day turnaround (instead of 4-5 weeks!). This will prevent delays on the roofing. Seeing the trusses installed was was so exciting! It really finished the form of the house and helped blend and soften all the corners.

The last of the framing details are being completed. I shared a framing tour over on IGTV before the trusses were on if you’re interested in checking it out! I’ll do an updated one soon. The guys are now working on the eaves of the roof, fascia boards and soffits, adding the stairs to the basement, casing out a few openings, and doing the partial wall for the island to back up against (great for plumbing).

misc. & future plans

Speaking of plumbing, we marked all the center lines of our fixtures so the plumber can start on rough-ins soon. We also determined that we will need to reverse the layout of the tub and shower in the master bathroom. It will still look beautiful and maybe feel more open not having the tub in our main line of sight!

The septic system was approved and we were able to backfill that area!

Our Port Orford cedar T&G siding arrived and we can get that finished ASAP so it’s ready for install!

We’ve also been working with Blend Outdoor for our landscape design plans. We are getting very excited to start working on the first phase!

Our contractor used his drone to get a few really cool aerial shots of the home and the surrounding land. I love that it’s starting to blend now that the roof is on! We’ve been working so hard to create some hills around the house, too!


Want to stay up-to-date on PDCo Home?

Follow us on Instagram and use hashtag #pdcohome to search for past posts.

Follow our contractor Solo Homes Co. on Instagram, too!

View a full resource list of blog posts, videos, and allllll the things about the house.