Horizon Pass Lodge
Shaking It up With Synthetic Shingles in Bachelor Gulch, Colorado
by Marcus Dodson, editor & publisher
When is a good time to replace real cedar shingles? Before they totally fail. That’s what condo owners at Horizon Pass Lodge in Bachelor Gulch, Colorado, recently decided. Although the shakes overhead were in fair shape, they were a fire liability. That made the owners nervous. Plus, gaining insurance on the real wood shake roof was becoming a challenge. It was a headache the 30 condo owners didn’t want or need.
That’s when they approached Jamie Pappas, president, Borne Consulting. Pappas and his company have been in business for 12 years. With both architectural and engineering expertise, they specialize in helping condo-based associations manage their projects from start to finish.
“We put together a scope of work so contractors can bid on the project,” said Pappas. “Then we filter down and match the best contractor for the job. From there we oversee the installation on site.”
Fire-Resistant Roofing
Based on previous reroofing experiences with composite roofs on the western slope of Colorado, Pappas recommended the DaVinci Multi-Width product for Horizon Pass Lodge.
“There’s an Elk Track townhomes project I check up on every so often,” said Pappas. “It was done back in 2008. The composite roofing tiles look almost brand new. Our team believes the DaVinci Multi-Width Shake, and slate tile, product holds up the best in this snow country environment.”
Made of virgin resins, UV, and thermal stabilizers, along with a highly specialized fire retardant, all DaVinci products have a Class A fire rating. The low-maintenance products resist fading, cupping, curling, cracking, and splitting. They also resist insects, algae growth, and fungus.
Choosing a Professional
After issuing the RFP, Arapahoe Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Louisville, Colorado, was selected for the Horizon Pass Lodge project. The roofing company has a long history of successful composite roofing project work, including the Highlands Slopeside condo community and Denver West office park. To complement the Rocky Mountain setting of this project, DaVinci Multi-Width Shakes were installed in a Tahoe color. The team also mounted new copper gutters and downspouts.
“The roof pitch made this an extremely challenging job,” said Mark Bellitt, Arapahoe Roofing and Sheet Metal, Inc. “Access was very difficult. There were only two access points on the 500-square reroof project. We used a 90-ton crane and a very large amount of roof jacks. Our safety system was incredibly important due to the extreme heights and the 15:12 roof slopes.”
Protection from Snow Slides
In addition to the roofing system, the Arapahoe team was tasked with installing a variety of snow retention systems. Rocky Mountain Snow Guards supplied more than 10,000 metal RockyGuard RG16 Snow Guards in Dark Bronze. They were placed in the very effective soldier row patterns.
The roofing company also installed 1,700 linear feet of NoFlash III 3-pipe aluminum snow fence systems. This was located above all sensitive areas at the eave. Additional snow fences were added to supplement the eave snow fences on long eave-to-peak sections. This particular system was chosen because it can be attached to the roof deck and does not require additional flashing to keep the system watertight.
Ten-Week Super Job
As the project progressed, Borne Consulting was onsite continually. “The Arapahoe Roofing team adhered to every aspect of the project specifications,” said Pappas. “They stayed on schedule and on budget. Safety was a primary concern for them, both for their workers and for the residents of the community.”
The superior work done on this reroofing project earned it the designation of DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor 2022 Project of the Year. Only seven projects nationwide were awarded this honor.
