The Dianna Hill Project
Armadas Exterior was originally hired to complete just two portions of this new ADU: the roofing and gutters.
Before our crews ever arrived, progress photos from the homeowner revealed something that didn’t look right. The roof framing being constructed did not match the plans we had originally reviewed, and a closer look raised concerns serious enough that we would not send our roofing crew onto the structure until it had been inspected.
What followed turned a relatively straightforward roofing and gutter project into something entirely different: an evaluation of the existing construction, the discovery of significant framing deficiencies, and ultimately a complete rebuild of the ADU.
By November 2025, what had once been a troubled construction project was a completed, furnished and livable new space.
Project Snapshot
Client: Dianna Hill
Location: Gresham, Oregon
Project Timeline: July–November 2025
Original Armadas Scope: Roofing and gutters
Final Armadas Scope: Complete ADU reconstruction, roofing and gutters
Project Type: Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)
Key Challenge: Existing construction differed substantially from the approved project plans and contained framing conditions that raised structural and worker-safety concerns.
The original framing differed substantially from the approved plans, and the roof structure raised immediate concerns about whether it was safe for our crews to work on.
What began as a roofing and gutter project quickly became a much larger evaluation of the existing construction. As additional deficiencies were identified, it became clear that correcting the project would require far more than simply completing the roof.
It Started With a Roof and Gutters
When Dianna first contacted Armadas Exterior, she was already in the process of having an accessory dwelling unit built behind her home.
The contractor constructing the ADU wasn’t going to install the roofing or gutters, so Dianna reached out to us about completing those portions of the project. She provided the proposed construction plans, we reviewed the scope and prepared an estimate for our portion of the work.
Dianna approved the proposal and planned to contact us again once construction had progressed far enough for the roofing work to begin.
Several months later, that call came.
Dianna sent us progress photos of the ADU and asked whether our crew could begin within the next week or two.
That’s when something caught our attention.
Something Didn’t Match the Plans
The ADU in Dianna’s progress photos wasn’t being framed the way it had been shown on the plans we originally reviewed.
The proposed roof design had changed. That alone wasn’t necessarily a problem. Construction details sometimes change, and a simple shed-style roof over a relatively small ADU can be a perfectly workable design when it is properly engineered and constructed.
It was what we saw after looking more closely that concerned us.
The rafters spanning the building appeared to have been cut or ordered too short. Instead of replacing them with properly sized members, additional lumber had been attached at the ends to extend the rafters the remaining distance.
And it wasn’t an isolated repair.
The same condition appeared across the entire roof structure.
At that point, our responsibility wasn’t simply to figure out how quickly we could install the roof. Before putting roofers, plywood and roofing materials on top of that framing, we needed to know whether the structure was safe to work on.
We told Dianna that Armadas would not send a roofing crew onto the structure until it had been properly evaluated.
Lloyd’s Field Note
“Our responsibility to a customer doesn’t begin and end with the line items on our proposal.”
We had been hired to install roofing and gutters—not to build this ADU. But once I saw something that made me question whether the roof structure was safe, I wasn’t going to send our crew up there and pretend it wasn’t our concern.
Sometimes the right decision for a contractor is simply to stop and ask more questions.
— Lloyd Anderson, Founder, Armadas Exterior
A Closer Inspection Revealed More
Once Dianna understood why we were concerned about the roof framing, she asked Armadas to take a closer look at the rest of the ADU.
We sent Simon, one of our most experienced builders, to evaluate the project in person.
The roof framing was only the beginning.
During the inspection, additional construction problems became apparent throughout the structure. Framing around window and door openings had not been completed the way we would expect for a properly built structure. Corner framing and other connections also raised concerns, and portions of the wall framing at the base had been constructed without the pressure-treated lumber required for those conditions.
At that point, the question was no longer simply whether Armadas could safely install a roof.
The larger question became whether continuing to build on top of the existing work made sense at all.
When Repair Became Rebuild
After the inspection, Dianna brought the concerns to the contractor who had originally been building the ADU and asked that the problems be corrected.
For a period of time, the project essentially stopped while she tried to determine whether the existing construction could be brought back in line with the plans and completed properly.
About a month later, Dianna came back to Armadas with a very different request.
Instead of asking us to install the roof and gutters, she asked whether we could take over the project and rebuild the ADU.
Before moving forward, we had to determine how much of the existing structure could reasonably be saved. Unfortunately, the deficiencies weren’t confined to one section that could simply be removed and repaired. Problems with the roof framing, wall construction, openings and materials used at the base of the structure affected multiple parts of the build.
Trying to preserve questionable portions of the structure would have meant designing the new work around problems we already knew existed.
The better path was also the more difficult one:
Take it back down and rebuild it correctly.
Building It Back the Right Way
Once the original structure had been taken down, we finally had the opportunity to give Dianna what she had expected from the beginning: an ADU built on a sound foundation and constructed with the details necessary to support the finished home.
Rather than trying to work around the previous construction, our crew could now build each stage intentionally.
The wall framing was reconstructed with proper materials and connections, including pressure-treated lumber where required at the base of the structure. Window and door openings were properly framed, corners and wall intersections were rebuilt, and headers and structural components were installed to properly support the loads above them.
The roof was also rebuilt rather than attempting to preserve the framing that had originally stopped us from beginning our work.
As construction progressed, framing gave way to sheathing, weather protection, roofing, windows, siding and gutters. Each new layer could now be installed over work we knew had been properly prepared for the next one.
For Dianna, the project was finally moving forward again.
For Armadas, the goal was straightforward: build an ADU we would be comfortable putting our name on.
From Construction Site to Finished Living Space
By November 2025, the project that Armadas had originally expected to visit for a roof and gutter installation had become something entirely different.
Dianna finally had the finished ADU she had set out to build—a completed, fully furnished and livable space ready to be used and enjoyed.
For our team, seeing the finished rooms was particularly rewarding because we knew exactly what was behind them. The walls, windows, roof and exterior finishes weren’t simply covering the problems we had discovered months earlier. They were installed over a structure our team had rebuilt from the ground up.
What began with us saying “we can’t safely put our roofers on this structure” ended with Armadas completing a project we were comfortable standing behind.
Sometimes the Right Decision Is to Stop
This project wasn’t what Dianna hired Armadas to do.
We were supposed to install a roof and gutters.
But when something didn’t look right, we stopped. We asked questions. We inspected the structure before putting our people on it, and what we discovered ultimately changed the direction of the entire project.
Months later, Dianna had the ADU she had originally envisioned, and Armadas had been trusted with considerably more than the roofing project we initially estimated.
Projects don’t always go according to plan. When they don’t, experience matters—not only in knowing how to build something, but in recognizing when it’s time to stop, investigate and find a better path forward.
Planning an ADU or Exterior Project in Gresham?
Whether you’re planning a roof replacement, exterior renovation or a larger project involving multiple parts of your home, Armadas Exterior can help you evaluate the existing conditions and determine the right path forward.
Talk With Armadas About Your Project →
I’m not sure where to even begin!!!
Armadas rescued me from rip off artists and contractors that built a structure that was not structurally sound. Lloyd, the owner, was beyond helpful! He guided me in the knowledge and process of what to do in a situation such as this and the processes a legitimate company performs. He was generous with his time and gave freely in an effort to help me! Its rare to find someone with Lloyd’s character and integrity these days. I still shake my head in unbelief at times for his generosity and understanding!
On to Simon!
Simon was the project manager. He was incredibly thoughtful and kind! Simon also went above and beyond what I imagined! Simon made multiple trips to the City of Gresham and updated plans, etc that had to be done due to previous contractors lack of expertise and lack of character/integrity. I’m sure Simon put in WAY more hours than I ever expected. Simon took care of all the details on my behalf.
The gentlemen that added the siding were wonderful and fun…singing while they worked! They too were kind and went above!! After a year and a half of being taken advantage of, lied to, stolen from, etc. from others; it took a bit for me to even believe that everyone that I dealt with at Armadas was well…amazing!
The workmanship is top notch!
Simon made recommendations that I wouldn’t have thought of. The quality of products, service, personnel and finished product well…I don’t think a person could get anyone better than the leadership of Lloyd and the hands on service of the fellas at Armadas!!!I am grateful beyond measure and so thankful I had the blessing and good fortune to cross paths with this crew! Thank you is hardly enough!!!!! They built an ADU and tool shed for me. The ADU I expected was basically a large storage shed. It’s not!!! The best way I can describe it is like a tiny home. Because I’m…”me”…I was curious the synonyms for “amazing person”. Wonderful, fantastic, incredible, extraordinary, remarkable marvelous, awesome, terrific, excellent, outstanding…
That’s Armadas Exterior!!!
All of those! You won’t go wrong with this company! Blessings to all that worked on my project…you certainly earned them!Dianna Hill
Armadas Exterior also provides roofing, siding, gutters and exterior remodeling throughout Gresham and East Multnomah County.