Scandia roofing for farmhouses, acreages and lake homes
About one in six Scandia homes was built before 1940, and many homes sit on acreages with barns, garages and pole buildings. Repair King serves Scandia from St. Paul, and next door in Forest Lake we replaced the flat roof on Forest Lake Chrysler Jeep Dodge with a white Duro-Last PVC membrane. We handle Scandia's combination building permit and give you a dated photo report of every roof on the property.
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.
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.
What should you know before re-roofing an old Scandia farmhouse?
Expect surprises under the shingles. About one in six Scandia homes was built in 1939 or earlier, and farmhouses that age often have board decking with gaps, several old layers, little or no soffit venting, and additions tied in at odd pitches. A careful tear-off and a written plan for the decking and ventilation matter more here than the shingle brand.
Scandia has kept its old buildings longer than most places. Swedish settlers built the first log cabin at Hay Lake in October 1850, and the Gammelgården Museum still has the 1856 log church that is the oldest Lutheran church building in Minnesota, plus the 1868 log parsonage, the oldest in the state. The Hay Lake School and the Johannes Erickson log house, south of the village, are on the National Register. Census data counts 266 of Scandia's 1,602 homes as built in 1939 or earlier.
On an old farmhouse roof, the deck is often 1x boards instead of plywood, with gaps wide enough that new shingles need a solid layer over them. Attics built before modern ventilation rules can have no intake at the eaves at all, which cooks shingles from below and feeds ice dams in winter. We photograph the decking once the old roof is off and write down what needs to change before the new roof goes on.
Most Scandia properties are acreages, so the house is rarely the only roof. Barns, machine sheds, detached garages and pole buildings take the same hail and wind, and many have steel roofs that dent without leaking. We include every building on the property in the inspection so you can see the whole picture in one report.
Look what we did for your neighbors in Forest Lake
Drive west on Highway 97 and you reach Forest Lake, home of Forest Lake Chrysler Jeep Dodge. Repair King replaced the dealership's gravel roof with a white, heat-welded Duro-Last PVC roof. The dealership is in Forest Lake, not Scandia, but it shows how our crews handle a big roof with a lot going on.
Forest Lake Chrysler Jeep Dodge, Forest Lake
The dealership's showroom and service areas share one big flat roof. We removed the old gravel roof and installed a heat-welded white Duro-Last PVC membrane across the whole building.
Detail flashing on the new membrane
Our photo from the job shows a piece of PVC flashing being fitted on the new white membrane, with the crew's tools beside it. Every curb, pipe and edge on the dealership roof got that kind of hand-fitted, heat-welded detail.
What are Scandia homes built like?
Scandia is a rural city of about 4,000 people where nearly every home is a detached house, many on acreages. The median home was built in 1978, but 266 homes date to 1939 or earlier, and lake cabins on Big Marine and Bone Lakes are steadily being converted into year-round houses.
| Local factor | What we see in Scandia | Why it matters for repairs |
|---|---|---|
| Housing age | Median year built 1978. 373 homes built in the 1970s and 266 in 1939 or earlier, out of 1,602 (Census ACS 2020-2024) | Older farmhouses often have board decking, old layers and weak attic ventilation that only show up at tear-off |
| Housing mix | 1,502 of 1,602 homes are single-family detached; 89% of households own their home | Most jobs are one owner, one property, often with several buildings to inspect |
| Farmsteads | Barns, machine sheds and pole buildings on acreages | Steel roofs dent in hail without leaking, and older barns can have board sheathing and loose fasteners, so we photograph them separately |
| Lakes | Big Marine, Bone, Sand, Hay and other lakes; Big Marine's watershed district reports seasonal cabins being converted to year-round homes | Converted cabins often have low-slope additions and mixed roof layers under one roof line |
| Trees & open fields | Wooded lots and open farm fields in the St. Croix Valley uplands | Open-field houses take wind on every side, while wooded lots add debris and shade, so the checks differ by lot |
| Watershed permits | Scandia makes its building permit conditional on watershed district approval where one is required | We confirm early whether your project needs a watershed permit, so the schedule doesn't slip |
When did hail last hit Scandia?
NOAA storm reports put 1.5-inch hail near Scandia on July 18, 2020, the largest reported near Scandia since 2015. Before that, 1-inch hail was reported on June 25, 2010. The most recent damaging wind reports near Scandia were 64 mph gusts on July 12, 2017 and July 17, 2010. Reports are sparse in a rural city, where there are fewer spotters on each road, so a storm that hit your farm may never appear in the record. That's one more reason to have your own dated photos.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports within 3 miles of two reference points in Scandia (the village center and the Big Marine Lake area), through September 2026. Reports are from trained spotters and the public; hail can hit a street without a report.
What our inspection covers
- Every slope on the house walked, with hail bruises marked and photographed
- Barns, sheds, garages and pole buildings included
- Ridge caps, rakes and seal strips checked on open-field sides
- Decking and ventilation noted on older farmhouses
- Dated photo report you keep
Check your own address
Our free Roof & Storm Report looks up hail and wind history for your exact address, not just the city.
Before, during and after: the Forest Lake dealership roof
Photos from Repair King's job album for the Forest Lake Chrysler Jeep Dodge roof, in Forest Lake.
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Scandia?
Yes. The City of Scandia requires a separate building permit for roofing, and fees are based on the job's valuation. The 2026 schedule starts at $99.50 for jobs up to $4,000 and adds $14.75 for each additional $1,000 up to $25,000, plus a $2 technology fee and the state surcharge.
Scandia uses a combination permit: the general contractor pays for all the permits on a job (building, electrical and so on) when the building permit is issued. Since October 1, 2025, every application goes through the city's online ClearForms permit portal, and contractors must have a current state license on file with the city.
Scandia doesn't run its own inspection staff. The city contracts with the City of Hugo for building inspections, so a Hugo-based building official inspects Scandia roofs. Where a watershed district permit applies, the city's approval is conditioned on it, and the city lists more than one watershed district within its borders.
Agricultural buildings are handled differently from houses under Scandia's zoning code, so for barns and farm buildings we confirm the permit path with the city before we schedule. Repair King pulls permits under our Minnesota contractor license (BC695228).
What's it like to own property in Scandia?
Scandia is a Washington County city of 3,984 people (2020 census), about 25 miles northeast of St. Paul. It was New Scandia Township until January 1, 2007, when it became a city, partly to head off annexation by Forest Lake.
The first three Swedish settlers, Carl Fernstrom, Oscar Roos and August Sandahl, built a cabin at Hay Lake in 1850, and a monument with the first settlers' names still stands near the site on Olinda Trail. Other small communities grew up around the lakes, at Big Lake on the west side of Big Marine Lake, Bone Lake, Goose Lake and others, but Scandia's village center never incorporated on its own. Today the Gammelgården Museum on Olinda Trail keeps the Swedish log buildings and hosts a candlelit St. Lucia celebration each December. Big Marine Lake has some of the best largemouth bass fishing in the east metro, according to the DNR, and Big Marine Park Reserve and William O'Brien State Park are minutes away.
Storm in Scandia: 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.
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.
Scandia property owner resources
Official links worth bookmarking, whether or not you ever hire us.
- Scandia permits and licensingBuilding permits, the 2026 fee schedule and the ClearForms permit portal
- Washington County GIS property viewerParcel and property details for Scandia addresses
- MN DLI contractor license lookupCheck any roofer's Minnesota license before you sign
- NWS Twin CitiesWatches, warnings and local storm reports
- Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed DistrictBig Marine Lake and watershed permits for part of Scandia
- Gammelgården MuseumScandia's Swedish log buildings, including the 1856 church
- Scandia parks & recreationTomteskogen Park on Bone Lake, the Big Marine launch and more
- Scandia history & museumsThe Swedish settlers' monument, Hay Lake School and Gammelgården
Scandia roofing questions
How much is a roofing permit in Scandia?
It depends on the job's value. Scandia's 2026 schedule starts at $99.50 for jobs up to $4,000 and adds $14.75 per additional $1,000 up to $25,000, plus a $2 technology fee and the state surcharge. We'll show you the permit cost in your estimate.
Who inspects roofs in Scandia?
The City of Hugo's building inspection staff. Scandia contracts with Hugo for building inspections, and permits are filed through Scandia's online ClearForms portal.
Do I need a watershed permit to re-roof in Scandia?
Usually not for a simple re-roof, but Scandia makes its building permit conditional on watershed district approval where one applies. We check that before scheduling, especially for bigger projects.
When did hail last hit Scandia?
NOAA reports show 1.5-inch hail near Scandia on July 18, 2020, the largest since 2015. Rural storms are under-reported, so run a free Roof & Storm Report for your exact address.
Will you inspect my barn and pole buildings too?
Yes. On Scandia acreages we inspect every building, not just the house, and note steel roof dents, loose fasteners and damaged trim separately.
My farmhouse is over 80 years old. What will you find at tear-off?
Often board decking, old layers and little attic ventilation. We photograph the deck once the old roof is off and explain what needs to be added, such as solid sheathing or eave vents, before the new roof goes on.
Has Repair King done commercial roofing near Scandia?
Yes. Next door in Forest Lake we replaced the gravel roof on Forest Lake Chrysler Jeep Dodge with a white Duro-Last PVC membrane.
Should I call after a storm if I can't see any damage?
Yes, if hail or high wind came through. Damage often isn't visible from the ground. We document what we find with dated photos; coverage questions go to your insurer.
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