Roofing in Beatrice, NE, and Care for Older Brick Homes

How Close Is Beatrice to Our Lincoln Office?

Beatrice is about 42 miles from our office at 701 P Street in Lincoln, a straight run south on US-77 that takes around 50 minutes. That short drive makes inspections easier to fit in than in central Nebraska towns. We do not have a Beatrice office, but we still plan Beatrice jobs as booked blocks so the crew stays until your work is finished.

Beatrice is the Gage County seat, a town of about 12,000 people on the Big Blue River. It was settled in 1857, and that age shows up in its houses.

• Free inspection, usually easier to schedule than farther-out towns.
• Written bid, no pressure.
• Work booked as consecutive days.

Roofing in Beatrice, NE: Wind, Hail and Old Roof Decks

Beatrice storms tend to bring wind as much as hail. On June 16, 2017 the Beatrice Airport measured an 85 mph gust, and a National Weather Service survey found roof damage to homes and businesses on the far west side of town along with heavy tree damage. Hail of an inch or more also hits Gage County, and both wind and hail loosen and bruise shingles.

Roofs on Beatrice's older housing

About 32 percent of Beatrice homes were built before 1940, a higher share than York, Grand Island or Hastings, and the median home dates to the early 1960s, according to Census estimates. Only about 9 percent were built since 2000. For roofing that means:

• Steep roofs on early 1900s homes, sometimes with board decking, multiple old layers and brick chimneys that need flashing work.
• Shingle roofs on 1950s and 1960s homes where tear-offs can uncover soft decking.
• Downtown commercial buildings with low-slope roofs and brick parapets.

Wind damage often looks like creased or missing shingles along ridges and edges. Read the NWS Omaha report on the June 2017 Beatrice storm to see how strong these winds get.

Exterior Problems Common in Beatrice

With nearly a third of its homes built before 1940, Beatrice's most common exterior problems are masonry and paint, not just roofs. Expect washed-out mortar, spalled brick on chimneys and foundations, many layers of old paint on wood siding and trim, and gutters too small for steep roofs. Trees knocked down in wind storms also damage gutters, fascia and siding.

• Brick and mortar: masonry Beatrice homeowners need most is often tuckpointing with a mortar soft enough for old brick.
• Lead paint: homes built before 1978 may have lead paint, so scraping and prep must follow lead-safe practices.
• Wood siding: older clapboard that is cracked, rotted or stripped of paint, often a candidate for repair or new siding.
• Gutters and fascia: overflow from small gutters rots fascia and soaks foundations.
• Tree damage: limbs from wind storms dent gutters and crack siding.

Services We Offer in Beatrice

Beatrice has access to our full service list: roofing, masonry, tuckpointing, stone veneer, siding, gutters with soffit and fascia, painting, stucco and EIFS, storm repair and commercial work. For older Beatrice homes, a roof, tuckpointing on the chimney and new gutters often make sense as one project.

• Roof repair and replacement for older and newer Beatrice homes.
• Tuckpointing and brick repair for chimneys, foundations and brick walls.
• Masonry in Beatrice: brick, block and stone for homes and businesses.
• Stone veneer for fireplaces, columns and wainscots.
• Siding replacement and repair, including old wood clapboard.
• Gutters, soffit and fascia sized for steep older roofs.
• Exterior and interior painting with careful prep on older homes.
• Stucco and EIFS repair.
• Wind and hail damage repair for roofs, siding and gutters.
• Commercial exteriors for downtown buildings, builders and property managers.

Building Permits in Beatrice

In Beatrice, building permits go through the city's Community Development Department at 205 North 4th Street. The city's permit worksheet lists Re-Roof/Re-Shingle as its own work type, so plan on a permit for a new roof. Plans may be needed for larger jobs, and permit fees are paid before review. Confirm current rules with the department, or ask us to note it in your bid.

The worksheet asks for the total cost of labor and materials, which is one more reason to have a written bid in hand before you apply. The city also posts monthly permit reports on its website.

Gage County Towns and ZIP Codes Near Beatrice

Beatrice is ZIP 68310. Smaller Gage County towns such as Pickrell, Cortland, Clatonia, Adams, Filley, Blue Springs and Wymore sit around it, and Pickrell and Cortland lie between Beatrice and Lincoln. Call and ask about work in those towns, and we will give you a straight answer on timing.

A Beatrice Project From First Call to Clean-Up

A Beatrice project runs in five steps: call, free inspection, written bid, a booked block of work days and a full clean-up with a walk-through. On older homes we talk through likely surprises, like soft roof decking or hidden mortar damage, before the job starts, so you are not caught off guard halfway through.

1. Call: Brenton at (402) 417-3937, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
2. Inspect: free, with photos of the roof, brick, siding and gutters.
3. Bid: written scope and order of work.
4. Build: the crew stays on your job until it is complete.
5. Clean up: nails swept, debris hauled, final walk-through.

Nearby Service Areas: Hickman and Lincoln

Beatrice is the southern end of our service area. Hickman is on the way back toward Lincoln, and Lincoln is home base. If you own property in Beatrice and in Lancaster County, or manage buildings in both, we can plan inspections and work in the same week.

• Contractor services in Hickman, NE: southern Lancaster County.
• Home exterior contractor in Lincoln, NE: our home base.