OUR MISSION

Jim Staats

To complete each job in a timely
manner; giving our customers superior
workmanship and quality materials for
a fair price through training,
experience, and teamwork.

[Jim Staats, owner Vanguard Roofing and Construction Co.]

If you are like me, you have a special appreciation for the old homes and buildings that are part of our heritage. You probably cringe at the thought of covering beautiful old mill work with aluminum or plastic as is so often done today.

The fact is, most of the old homes and historical buildings that were constructed in the 19th and early 20th centuries were built by artisans who were highly skilled at their craft and left to our stewardship to maintain. Sadly, we have lost many through neglect, but there is a renewed interest and commitment to restore these grand structures for us and our children to enjoy.

Here is the major problem. Through decades of modern development, home building and prefab technology, this country has lost most of its true craftspeople with little interest by today's youth to apprentice in such trades. Old homes need specialized artisans with skills to restore and maintain them.

At Vanguard, our expertise is roofing and all related sheetmetal work. With over 40 years experience and training, I have kept alive the skills of past generations. While most roofing companies try to talk their customers into design changes to fit modern methods and materials, we can completely restore your roof using slate, terne ("tin"), copper, wood shingles, or whatever its original design called for.

Increasingly there is a new demand for these traditional materials in new homes as well because of their longevity and non-pollution to our environment.

The single most important area in protecting an old building is the roof. When it fails, everything else will not be far behind. A leaking roof can usually be temporarily repaired until a permanent replacement is possible.

If you can save an old building and restore its integrity, do it. It's a part of history; of who we are and where we are from. We would like to share that pride with you.

Testimonials

I wanted to let you know that the bank roof looks great. I suppose that many of our visitors will never truly appreciate the roof's authenticity and the level of effort that went into creating it, but some will and we in the research and collections department certainly do.

~Architecture and Materials Life, Old Sturbridge Village

Past Roofing

Copper roofing Residential project Residential project Slate roofing