The John & Cheryl Project
Some projects begin with a sales call. This one began at a gym before sunrise.
John Nelson and Lloyd Anderson had been using the same local gym at roughly 4:30 in the morning, but they had never actually met. After the January 2024 winter storm, John mentioned the damage to his home to a member of the front-desk staff. The staff member told him he should call Lloyd at Armadas Exterior—and was surprised to learn the two had been crossing paths at the same gym without knowing each other.
What John was dealing with was far beyond an ordinary roof leak. Two large Douglas fir trees had come down onto the home during the storm, and the impact damaged the roof structure itself. Four engineered roof trusses were broken through the middle, roof sheathing was damaged, gutters were hit, and later storm-related damage also had to be repaired along the side of the house.
It became one of the more complicated storm-damage restoration projects Armadas Exterior had handled in Gresham—not because of one single repair, but because structural framing, electrical work, roofing, gutters, siding, inspections, insurance coordination, weather, and a separate interior restoration all had to move in the right sequence.
Project Snapshot
Clients: John and Cheryl
Location: Gresham, Oregon
Storm: January 2024 winter and ice storm
Initial Armadas estimate: February 1, 2024
Primary Armadas scope: Emergency tarping, engineered roof-truss replacement coordination, damaged plywood replacement, roof replacement, gutters, siding repair, electrical coordination, insurance documentation, and inspection follow-through
Core structural and exterior work: February–June 2024, with later exterior follow-up and final-walk activity continuing beyond the primary repair phase
Two Douglas Firs Came Down on the House
The January storm left many Portland-area homeowners dealing with frozen trees, broken limbs, ice, and roof damage. At John and Cheryl’s property, two large Douglas firs fell directly onto the house.
The damage was substantial enough that the trees could not simply be moved by the roofing crew. John had to wait for a tree-removal company with the equipment required to safely remove the weight from the structure. That meant the roof could not immediately be opened up and rebuilt.
Once the trees were finally removed, Armadas could evaluate the damage more completely. On February 1, Lloyd met with John for the estimate and the emergency repair process began.
Emergency Tarping While the Roof Was Still Icy
Before permanent repairs could begin, the first priority was keeping more weather out of the home. Armadas secured the damaged roof with a tarp while snow and ice were still present. Cheryl later specifically remembered that part of the response in her Google review.
On February 12, our team returned to adjust and repair the tarp. Temporary protection after severe tree impact is rarely a one-and-done task. Wind, remaining ice, damaged framing, and irregular openings can all make a tarp difficult to keep secure, which is why follow-up is an important part of emergency roof repair.
The Water Damage Did Not Stop at the Roof
Unfortunately, John and Cheryl were also dealing with damage inside the home. As frozen material on the damaged roof began to melt, water found its way through the opening. Part of the drywall ceiling collapsed, and water traveled down interior walls into the lower level.
Armadas Exterior is an exterior remodeling contractor, so Lloyd was clear with John and Cheryl that interior demolition, drying, drywall restoration, and interior reconstruction were outside our scope. They therefore engaged a separate restoration contractor to handle the interior loss while Armadas remained responsible for the structural roof and exterior work.
That distinction mattered throughout the project. The interior restoration and the exterior structural repairs were related to the same storm, but they were different scopes being managed by different contractors. Our responsibility was to get the damaged roof structure rebuilt correctly, get the home dried in with a permanent roofing system, replace the damaged gutters, complete the later siding repair, and work through the inspections and insurance documentation associated with our work.
Four Engineered Roof Trusses Had to Be Replaced
This was not a project where the repair could stop at shingles and plywood. The tree impact had broken four engineered roof trusses. Those structural members had to be replaced before a permanent roof could be installed.
On February 22, Lloyd met with the framing contractor to review the structural damage and plan the replacement. Because engineered trusses are designed components, this required more coordination than simply sistering a damaged rafter or patching a small section of framing.
Replacement trusses were delivered to the property on April 22. A crane was used to place the large members where the framing crew could stage them for the repair. The next day, April 23, Timberline Electric came to the home to disconnect electrical wiring that passed through the damaged framing so the trusses could be removed and replaced without compromising the electrical system.
Weather Still Controlled the Schedule
Even with materials and contractors lined up, the repair still depended on safe working conditions. Snow, ice, rain, and the exposed structural opening all affected when the framing and roofing crews could proceed.
On May 16, the framing crew returned to roll and set the replacement engineered trusses into position. That finally gave Armadas a sound structure to roof over.
Roof Replacement Began the Next Day
With the structural repair in place, the roofing crew began work on May 17 and completed the roof on May 18.
The storm had also damaged roof sheathing beyond what could be fully quantified at the beginning of the project. As the work progressed, additional plywood replacement became necessary. On May 27, Armadas documented a supplement for 15 additional sheets of plywood so the insurance file reflected the material required to complete the repair properly.
This is one of the reasons severe tree-impact losses are difficult to price perfectly from the ground. The visible damage may be dramatic, but the complete extent of the damaged deck and framing often becomes clearer only after debris is removed and the roof is opened.
For homeowners dealing with a similar loss, our roof insurance claims guidance explains why documentation, photographs, supplements, and clear scope separation matter during a storm claim.
New Gutters Followed the Roof
The falling trees had also damaged the home’s rain-gutter system. On May 20, Armadas’ gutter crew returned to install the replacement gutters after the roof work was complete.
Sequencing matters on a project like this. Structural framing had to come first, roofing had to follow the framing, and the new gutters made sense only after the roof edge and drainage system were ready for final installation.
Inspections Closed the Structural and Electrical Work
Armadas called for the framing final on May 22, and the framing inspection took place on May 28. Timberline Electric returned as the project moved toward completion, and the electrical inspection for permit ELER-24-03007 was scheduled for June 3.
A further final-inspection milestone was completed on June 17. Later final-walk and follow-up activity continued as the broader restoration of the property moved forward.
Later Storm Damage Required Siding Repair Too
The roof was not the only exterior surface affected by the falling trees. Storm-related damage along the side of the house also affected the siding and nearby exterior components.
Armadas later returned to repair the damaged siding and complete the finish work necessary for the repaired area to blend with the existing home. Although painting is not a stand-alone service Armadas markets, finish work associated with this repair was coordinated as part of restoring the damaged exterior.
The Exterior Was Repaired Long Before the Whole Restoration Was Over
John and Cheryl’s experience did not end when the new roof went on. The separate interior restoration continued for much of 2024, and they remained displaced from the home while that work progressed.
For Armadas, the goal was narrower and very clear: complete the structural roof repair, restore the exterior systems within our scope, coordinate the trades and inspections that affected that work, and keep John and Cheryl informed while their much larger recovery continued around us.
What the Homeowner Said
“In January 2024, a winter storm caused two large Douglas fir trees to fall on our home. Lloyds team at Armadas Exterior went onto our ice and snow-covered roof to secure a tarp, preventing additional weather damage to our home.
The damage was extensive, requiring the installation of multiple new support trusses. The replacement of damaged plywood and the installation of a new roof and gutters. Lloyd worked with my insurance company and kept us informed of the progress.
I wish the other contractors were as prompt as Lloyd in making the necessary repairs to our home.”
— Gresham homeowner, Google review, August 31, 2025
What This Gresham Storm-Damage Project Shows
This project is a good example of why major tree-impact damage cannot be treated as a routine reroof. The visible roof damage was only one part of the problem. Armadas had to protect the home temporarily, coordinate engineered structural replacement, disconnect and restore electrical work that passed through the damaged framing, replace damaged roof decking, install the new roof, replace damaged gutters, return for siding repairs, document additional material for insurance, and follow the work through inspections.
It also shows the value of clearly defining contractor scope. Armadas handled the exterior and structural roof work we are equipped to perform, while a separate restoration contractor handled the interior damage. That kept our responsibility focused on the systems we could repair and stand behind.
Need Help After Tree or Storm Damage in Gresham?
If a fallen tree, ice storm, wind event, or other severe weather has damaged your roof, the first priority is protecting the structure and determining whether the damage extends beyond the roofing materials. Armadas Exterior provides storm-damage roof repair, roof replacement, gutter replacement, and siding repair and replacement throughout Gresham and the Portland metro area.