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Ramsey, Minnesota

New roof and LP SmartSide siding on a Ramsey home

The drone footage above is a Ramsey home Repair King finished in August 2019: vinyl siding replaced with LP SmartSide engineered wood lap siding, plus a new shingle roof. Our file on that house starts with a hail inspection in August 2018, chalk-marked slope by slope. Ramsey sits on open, sandy ground between the Rum and Mississippi rivers, and we serve the whole city with roof and siding inspections and dated photo reports.

3.0"Largest hail reported near Ramsey since 2015 (August 5, 2019)
1974Year Ramsey Township became the City of Ramsey
$125City re-roof permit for a house, covering two inspection trips
2009Licensed Minnesota contractor (BC695228) since
A word from your neighbors in Forest Lake

Gary Frantz on his hail re-roof, finished in three days

They cleaned up every night after work and finished the roof job in three days. I would certainly recommend that you give Mike Holmes a call and give Repair King the opportunity to look at your job.
Gary FrantzHomeowner on the lake, Forest Lake, MN
Read the transcript

My name is Gary Frantz, and we just recently had a major roof repair done by Repair King and Mike Holmes, the manager and owner of Repair King. And I will say that working with Mike has been a very significant pleasure. We found ourselves having to get a complete re-roof of our home because of hail storm damage, and Mike and his crew came in. They did a very good job. They did what they committed to. And for us personally, it was a significant thing because we have a dog that runs our property, and we were a little concerned about scrap and nails and what have you that might be dangerous. They cleaned up every night after work and finished the roof job in three days. And we were very mindful of the fact that we were still living here, taking care of our property and our lives, and they were trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. And Mike was able to work with us in terms of some special needs that we had and some interests that we had in getting a unique style of shingle, and was very supportive. So I highly recommend Repair King and Mike Holmes if you need roofing or siding at your home. When we were informed and recognized that we had damage to our roof from a hail storm back in June of 2015, we realized that we needed to talk to various contractors. There were some that knocked on our door right away, so we were very open to hear what various people had to say. Mike was in the neighborhood and had left a flyer on our door regarding his willingness to discuss our storm damage with us. And when we were at that point of having to make a decision, we were very concerned about working with somebody that was local, and Mike was able to provide some references for us to follow up with as to other work that he'd done in the area. Local for us wasn't necessarily in the neighborhood or in the same town, but it was to understand and be a part of the Minnesota economy and to know what the general building codes and requirements are for doing work in Minnesota. So when Mike identified himself as being from the Roseville area and knowledgeable on construction projects all over the area, we felt very comfortable doing business with Mike after we had conversations with him. So in conclusion, I would say that if you have any need for siding and/or roof repair or roof replacement, I would certainly recommend that you give Mike Holmes a call and give Repair King the opportunity to look at your job.

Repair King crew installing LP SmartSide lap siding around a door on a Ramsey, MN home, June 2019
Our Ramsey job

Is LP SmartSide a good replacement for vinyl siding on a Ramsey home?

It can be, if it is installed as a system. On our Ramsey job the owners replaced blue-gray vinyl with LP SmartSide engineered wood lap siding in a matching blue, and the crew cut and fit every board on site, including the tall chimney chase. Engineered wood reads like painted wood from the street and is thicker and more rigid than typical vinyl, but it needs correct clearances, flashing and sealed cuts.

The house is a two-story from Ramsey's newer subdivisions, with an attached three-car garage, a stone-wrapped front porch and a boxed chimney chase. In August 2018 our inspector walked the roof and chalk-marked hail hits on every slope, labeling the counts on the shingles, and photographed the gutters, downspouts, vents and vinyl siding on every wall. The owners picked siding colors from sample boards held up against the house that same month.

The siding went on in June 2019. Our photos show the old vinyl coming off down to the house wrap, the crew setting up a cutting station in the backyard, and new lap boards going up course by course around the windows, doors and the chimney chase. By July the new shingle roof was on, and our August 2019 drone flights show the finished house from every side.

Ramsey is a good fit for sturdier siding. The city sits on the Anoka Sand Plain, a flat, sandy plain with few windbreaks in the newer neighborhoods, and NOAA has recorded 3-inch hail near Ramsey on August 5, 2019. When a storm damages both the roof and the siding, planning them together, as this family did, avoids patching one while the other waits.

Commercial work

Look what we did for your neighbors in Elk River

Ramsey's neighbor to the northwest shares Highway 10 with it, and plenty of Ramsey drivers pass this hotel every day. It is in Elk River, not Ramsey, but it shows our commercial inspection work close to home.

Elk River Lodge & Suites and its parking lot on US Highway 10 in Elk River, MN, during Repair King's June 2024 roof inspection

Elk River Lodge & Suites, US Highway 10, Elk River

Our crew inspected the shingle roofs at this Highway 10 hotel in June 2024, chalk-marking hail hits and checking every slope, valley and vent across the building before scoping repairs.

Ramsey homes & buildings

What are Ramsey homes built like?

Ramsey is a young city spread over almost 30 square miles. Most of its roughly 10,100 homes were built after 1990, with an older layer of 1970s homes on large lots, and about 85% of households own their home. Open sandy ground and big lots mean a lot of wind exposure.

Local factorWhat we see in RamseyWhy it matters for repairs
Housing ageAbout 1,812 homes built in the 1970s, 2,666 in the 1990s, 2,292 in the 2000s and 1,408 from 2010 to 2013 (Census ACS)2000s roofs and siding are reaching their first replacement; 1970s homes may be on a third roof
TownhomesAbout 1,870 single-family attached homes, close to one in fiveAssociation buildings share roofs and siding; each needs its own photo record
LandAlmost 30 square miles on the Anoka Sand Plain, a flat, sandy plain between the Rum and Mississippi riversFew windbreaks in newer subdivisions; roofs and siding take wind straight on
SidingVinyl on most newer homes; engineered wood (LP SmartSide) and fiber cement on replacementsHail dents and cracks vinyl; replacements need house wrap and flashing checked at the same time
Hail3-inch hail reported near Ramsey on August 5, 2019, and 1.5-inch hail on July 26, 2019 (NOAA)Stones that size can break shingles, dent gutters and crack siding in one storm
RiversThe Mississippi forms Ramsey's southern edge and the Rum River its eastern edgeRiver-lot homes get more wind and more moisture; we check flashing and ventilation closely
Project files

Ramsey project file

A real Ramsey job from our photo records, described only from what the photos show.

Drone view of a Ramsey, MN two-story home finished with blue LP SmartSide lap siding and a new shingle roof, August 2019

Two-story home: LP SmartSide siding and new roof

Property
Two-story home with an attached three-car garage, stone-wrapped porch posts and a boxed chimney chase
Work
Hail inspection, then vinyl siding replaced with LP SmartSide engineered wood lap siding and a new shingle roof
Found
Chalk-marked hail hits on every roof slope with counts written on the shingles; gutters, vents and vinyl siding photographed on every wall
Result
Finished in blue LP SmartSide lap siding with white trim and a new shingle roof (drone footage above)
When
Inspection August 2018; siding June 2019; roof July 2019; finished August 2019
Hail & storm history

When did hail and wind last hit Ramsey?

NOAA storm reports near the center of Ramsey show 0.88-inch hail on July 22, 2023, the most recent report in our data. The big one was August 5, 2019, when 3-inch hail was reported near Ramsey, the largest near the city since 2015; 1.5-inch hail had fallen on July 26, 2019, just ten days earlier. A 75 mph wind gust was measured on May 9, 2022. Hail that size can crack shingles and siding, dent gutters and break window screens in a single storm.

Jul 22, 2023Last hail report near Ramsey (0.88")
3"Largest hail reported near Ramsey since 2015 (Aug 5, 2019)
2Days with 1"+ hail reported near Ramsey since 2015
DateTypeWhat was reportedWhat to check
Jul 22, 2023Hail0.88" hail reportedShingles, roof vents, gutters, siding, window screens

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports within 3 miles of the center of Ramsey, through September 2026. Reports are from trained spotters and the public; hail can hit a street without a report.

What our inspection covers

  • Every roof slope walked, with hits chalk-marked and counted
  • Siding checked wall by wall for dents, cracks and loose courses
  • Gutters, downspouts and window screens checked for hail marks
  • Dated photo report covering roof and siding together

Check your own address

Our free Roof & Storm Report looks up hail and wind history for your exact address, not just the city.

Job photos

Ramsey job photos

New blue lap siding on the chimney chase and a new shingle roof on a Ramsey home, August 2019
New blue lap siding on the chimney chase and a new shingle roof on a Ramsey home, August 2019
Chalk-circled hail hit on a Ramsey roof during our August 2018 inspection
Chalk-circled hail hit on a Ramsey roof during our August 2018 inspection
Drone view of a Ramsey home before its siding and roof replacement, June 2019
Drone view of a Ramsey home before its siding and roof replacement, June 2019
Old siding off and house wrap exposed during a Ramsey re-siding job, June 2019
Old siding off and house wrap exposed during a Ramsey re-siding job, June 2019
New shingles meeting the new lap siding on a Ramsey home, July 2019
New shingles meeting the new lap siding on a Ramsey home, July 2019

Photos taken by Repair King crews at a Ramsey home. Dates are capture dates from the photos.

Codes & permits

Do you need a permit to replace a roof or siding in Ramsey?

Yes. The City of Ramsey requires permits for re-roofing, re-siding and replacement windows. The city's adopted rates list a $125 residential re-roofing permit and a $125 re-siding permit, each covering two inspection trips; commercial and multi-family re-roofs are priced by valuation.

Ramsey issues permits through the LOGIS ePermits system, and inspections are scheduled online. Repair King applies for the permit under our Minnesota contractor license (BC695228) and books the inspections.

For a combined roof and siding job like the one on this page, that means two permits and separate inspections. The Minnesota Residential Code requires a water-resistive barrier behind new siding and ice barrier at the eaves under new shingles, and we photograph both before they're covered.

Local

What makes Ramsey different?

Ramsey is a northwest Anoka County city of about 28,000, 22 miles north-northwest of downtown Minneapolis, bordered by the Mississippi River and the Rum River. Ramsey Township became a city on November 12, 1974, when it had about 8,000 residents.

Ramsey's history starts early: Thomas A. Holmes and James Beatty built the Old Log Trading Post here in 1849, and Itasca Village, platted in 1852, had the first post office in Anoka County. The township was first called Watertown, then Dover, before taking the Ramsey name. Today the city's center is The COR, a 322-acre mixed-use district planned around the Municipal Center on Sunwood Drive, and Anoka County's Mississippi West Regional Park, on Traprock Street, has a boat launch and canoe-in campsites on the river.

Inspect first

Storm damage in Ramsey: what should you do first?

Start with an inspection, not a decision. A damaged shingle does not automatically mean a roof needs to be replaced. What matters is what the inspection actually finds on the roof, siding, gutters and windows.

1 · InspectWe check the roof, soft metals, gutters, siding and windows, and we check the storm history for your address.
2 · DocumentYou get a dated photo report of everything we observe, damage or not.
3 · DecideYou choose the next step: repair, replace, or keep an eye on it. We explain the repair options and give you a written estimate.

Repair King is a licensed Minnesota contractor (BC695228). We are not a public adjuster and do not negotiate insurance claims. Questions about your policy belong with your insurance company.

FAQ

Ramsey roofing and siding questions

How much is a re-roof permit in Ramsey?

The city's adopted rates list $125 for a residential re-roofing permit, covering two inspection trips, and $125 for a re-siding permit. Commercial and multi-family re-roofs are priced by valuation. Repair King applies for the permit for you.

When did hail last hit Ramsey?

NOAA reports show 0.88-inch hail near Ramsey on July 22, 2023. The largest hail near the city since 2015 was 3 inches on August 5, 2019. Run a free Roof & Storm Report for your exact address.

Does Repair King install LP SmartSide siding in Ramsey?

Yes. We replaced the vinyl siding on a Ramsey two-story with LP SmartSide engineered wood lap siding in 2019 and put on a new shingle roof. The drone video at the top of this page is that house.

Should I replace my roof and siding at the same time?

If both are damaged or worn, doing them together usually makes sense. The crews coordinate the flashing where roof meets wall, and you get one set of permits, inspections and photos. We'll tell you honestly if only one needs work.

My Ramsey home is on an open lot. Does that change the inspection?

Yes. Ramsey sits on the flat, sandy Anoka Sand Plain, and many newer subdivisions have few windbreaks. We look closely at ridge caps, rakes, seal strips and siding on the windward walls.

What does a Repair King inspection include?

A walk of every slope with hits chalk-marked, plus gutters, vents, windows and every wall of siding, delivered as a dated photo report you keep.

Will my insurance pay for new siding?

We can't answer that; coverage questions go to your insurer. We document what we find on the roof and siding with dated photos, so you have a clear record to share.

Book a free roof inspection

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You see what we see: a photo report of every finding, yours to keep.

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Storm hit? Leak showing up? Let's look at it this week.

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