This was a 2025 project at a 1920s Coral Gables estate. The original Spanish tile roof was intact and in good condition; the original copper flashings, gutters, and downspouts were sixty years past their installation and had reached end of life. Several were leaking; all were ready for replacement.
We were retained to rebuild the entire copper system without disturbing the tile field.
The scope
- New copper apron and counterflashing at every wall transition
- New copper valleys, replacing the originals
- New copper hip and ridge caps, matching the original profile
- New copper gutter system, hand-fabricated to match the originals' dimensions
- New copper downspouts and leader heads
The field tile was inspected, individual broken pieces were replaced from a salvaged inventory we maintain, and the surrounding work was completed without disturbing the tile.
Why the field stayed
The original tile was Ludowici, fired in the 1920s, on solid 1x8 board sheathing with #30 felt underlayment. By any normal accounting, the underlayment should have been replaced thirty years ago. By inspection, the felt was still functioning — partly because the tile field had been kept in good condition, partly because Coral Gables' specific microclimate is gentler than the immediate coast.
We presented the owner with two options: full re-roof (replacing the underlayment as part of the system) versus copper-system replacement (leaving the tile field intact). The owner chose the latter, accepting the risk that the underlayment might need replacement within another 10-15 years.
The fabrication
The original copper profiles are not stocked items. The gutter dimension (custom, 6.5 inches wide with a distinctive ogee on the visible face) was reproduced from the originals by a Florida-licensed metal shop. The hip and ridge cap profile (a hand-formed compound bend) was templated from the original and reproduced.
Total copper count: roughly 2,400 linear feet of gutter and downspout, plus another 1,800 linear feet of flashing.
What this cost
Approximately $145,000. Substantially more than a typical asphalt re-roof on a comparable home; substantially less than a full tile re-roof would have been ($310,000 was the parallel quote we prepared).
Timeline
10 weeks of fabrication. 6 weeks of installation. 16 weeks total from contract to handover.
What we are proud of
The new copper, soldered cleanly, reads identical to the original from the street. Within 2-3 years the patina will catch up to the older surrounding tile and the work will be invisible from anywhere. That is the point of preservation work.
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