Replacing Our Roof and Furnace: What We Learned

When we bought our house, two major issues needed immediate attention:

• The first-floor furnace was ancient and so poorly maintained we weren’t sure it would run.
• The 32-year-old roof was at the end of its life and had a hole that leaked into the attic every time it rained.

Thankfully, we knew about both problems before we closed, and we negotiated several thousand dollars back at closing to cover those repairs. New roofs and furnaces are expensive, so that concession felt essential. The challenge then became scheduling the work quickly—while we were on a book tour—so we spent a few weeks coordinating roofers and HVAC techs over the phone while traveling. By some small miracle, the furnace was cleaned and made operational and we had a brand-new roof with 50-year dimensional shingles within a few weeks of taking ownership.

Once the roofers got into it, the extent of the rot was shocking; in several areas the entire roof system, including underlying plywood, had to be removed and replaced.

It definitely looked worse before it looked better, as you’d expect when removing old materials and repairing structure.

Our dog Clara didn’t seem worried about the 2-foot piles of old roofing material scattered around the yard—brave pup.

Once completed, the new roof made a dramatic visual improvement.

We chose the roofer because we’d used them on our first house and had a great experience. They’re a fully insured, family-run company with decades of experience. We still obtained three estimates to compare prices and scope, and this team offered the best value and the familiarity we trusted, so the decision was straightforward.

To pick the style of shingle, we drove around the neighborhood looking at homes we liked. The brick colonials we admired most used 50-year dimensional shingles with large, slate-like shapes that felt in scale with the house. We went with that aesthetic for our home. You can see the look over the garage in the photo below.

Up close the shingles have a chunky, square-ish profile. We installed GAF Camelot II in the Antique Slate color, which many people refer to as a 50-year roof (the product carries a lifetime warranty in some formats). It provides the slate-like appearance we wanted without the cost and weight of real slate.

While the roof felt like a long-term, solid solution—especially after we confirmed there was no lingering mold or long-term damage from the leak—the furnace remained a problem. It turned out the furnace was original to the house and had never been serviced. The filter likely had never been changed. It was, to borrow a phrase, a hot mess.

Because the unit was so old and never properly maintained, sourcing replacement parts was difficult. After multiple service calls and a situation where we smelled gas in the garage (which was alarming), our home warranty provider stepped in. Thanks to the one-year home warranty we purchased at closing for about $500, we received a brand-new Goodman furnace with a solid warranty—installed at no extra cost, including some new ductwork. When the crew arrived with a roughly $5,000 furnace fully installed, that $500 warranty suddenly felt like one of the best investments we made during closing.

Those were two major updates we tackled immediately: a full roof replacement and a new furnace. It took us a while to share the photos because we had to clear a lot of moving chaos out of the garage to get the clean “after” shot of the furnace. Checking both items off early was a relief—especially since one was covered by the home warranty and the other was offset by money we negotiated at closing. It was also a good reminder that managing two homes at once is far more overwhelming than managing one. At one point, my in-laws stepped in to meet service folks at the house because we were on a plane returning from a tour stop.

If there’s a takeaway, consider whether a short-term home warranty is worth the peace of mind during your first year of ownership, and don’t underestimate how useful a neighborhood “roof crawl” can be when choosing roofing style. Did you do a neighborhood drive to pick materials? Have you had a home warranty cover a major item in your first year? Experiences vary by region and provider, so read the fine print and consider local reputations when making decisions.

Update: Comments from others show mixed results—some homeowners have had great experiences with warranties and even renew them yearly, while others have faced frustration. Outcomes often depend on the warranty company, your region, and the specific circumstances.