The purpose of a building’s roof is to provide protection from environmental elements like rain, snow, wind and sun. Although a roof can last for 20 to 30 years, it will eventually deteriorate and need to be replaced. Factors that can impact the life of a roof include how well the roof was installed, the quality of the materials that were used, the effectiveness of the roof’s ventilation system and weather.
Indicators that you may need a new roof include:
Cracked shingles or tiles
- Loose shingles or tiles
- Missing shingles or tiles
- Shingle edges are curled and buckling
- Shingle granules in the gutters
- Bald spots where shingle granules are missing
- The roof is sagging
- There are signs of water damage
- Daylight is shining through the roof
- There are roof leaks
- The roof looks old and worn
Asphalt shingles, also known as composition shingles, are the most common type of roofing product. They are less expensive than clay or concrete tiles and relatively easy to install. The shingles are covered with grit and come in a variety of colors.
Both concrete and clay tiles are extremely heavy, but also very durable with a long life (100 years or more in some cases). Because of their weight, concrete and clay tiles often require extra framing.
Wood shingles are usually made of cedar, redwood and southern pine. The shingles may need to be fireproofed in certain areas, or chemically treated in wet climates because they are a natural product.
Metal roofs are made of steel, zinc, aluminum, copper and stainless steel. They come in shingles or panels, and provide long-lasting protection, especially in places with extreme weather conditions. They are also low maintenance.
Slate is one of the most expensive types of roofing materials. Similar to clay and concrete tiles, slate is heavy and will need additional support, but can also last 100 years or more if properly maintained.
Sometimes a damaged roof can be repaired instead of replaced. If you have concerns about the condition of your roof, get professional advice from an experienced roofing company, including an inspection to find out what issues need to be addressed.
Julian De La Torre, expert in Los Angeles foundation inspection, foundation repair and founder of Julian Construction (http://www.julianconstruction.com) foundation contractors (Los Angeles), has inspected over 15,000 structures, working with engineering firms & local departments of building & safety. The company has done more foundation repair (Los Angeles) than any other company in the area over the last five years (http://julianconstruction.com/services/foundation-repair/). Julian Construction owns its own company and is a "no middlemen" model--no salesmen or subcontractors--you get the principals of the company and its workers under your home. Learn more about Julian Construction and Los Angeles foundation repair at http://www.anchorla.com/. See their video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKWYhuuBak4
The team at Atkinson-Baker Court Reporters provides their clients with court reporters in different countries on a regular basis. As an example, they recently had a Los Angeles attorney who needed to take a deposition of a witness in Melbourne, Australia. Atkinson-Baker Court Reporters provided a court reporter in Australia, while the client deposed the witness via 
Water can be a homeowner’s worst enemy as it can ruin or destroy their home. Leaks can cause pipes to rust and burst, and ceilings to crack.
The client’s neighbors opened up a large view corridor between the client’s windows by removing an existing hedge on their side of the fence line. Wanting a solution immediately, the client contacted Big Trees. One aspect of the project was to find a plant large enough to replace the previous hedge. The second aspect was the access into the backyard was too small for the needed equipment to handle a larger plant.
Dr. Finn and his team understands how expensive dental procedures can be. In order to make it possible for every patient to get the dental work needed without feeling financial pressure, Dr. Larry Finn accepts most major insurance plans, including 
April is National Oral Cancer Awareness Month. This cancer can affect anyone, regardless of whether or not they drink or use tobacco. The Oral Cancer Foundation reports that the reason this particular disease is so dangerous is because the average person is not aware of its existence and when they find out that they have it, the cancer is already well developed. 
The term “
Underpinning is the method used to strengthen and stabilize the foundation of a structure, provide increased depth or to repair a faulty foundation. 
As the seasons change from Winter to Summer, it’s important to check your home foundation for any signs of damage. Julian Construction says when the foundation is left unchecked and uncorrected, breaks or cracks in the foundation can lead to additional cost and can pose a risk to your structure. There are specific steps you can take to protect your foundation, including:
Moisture, poor soil conditions and extreme weather can damage a foundation. Indicators of 
Big Trees was contacted a year ago regarding a large scale, waterfront project. Initially, they were consulted to salvage trees that were not reusable. However, as the project continued to develop, Big Trees was asked to offer their services again by saving and reusing a large number of specimen trees, which were reusable. These 50 trees were comprised of Japanese Maple, Styrax Snowball trees and Magnolias.
Pines live a long time, with some reaching ages of more than 1,000 years. The tree’s leaves, which range in color from blue to dark green, are long and needle-like. The needles will remain on the tree for a couple of years. When the older needles drop off, they are replaced with new ones. The needles can range in size from 1 to 11 inches long. They will usually grow in bundles of two to five needles.