Work began on Monday to replace the roof at the Carter County Courthouse.
On Monday morning crews worked to begin removing shingles on the oldest portion of the courthouse to begin the roof replacement process.
A portion of the back parking lot at the Courthouse, which is typically reserved for county employees and elected officials, was cordoned off as a staging area for the crew and its equipment. Other parking areas around the courthouse could be affected as the project progresses.
The roof replacement project is being completed by Leonard Roofing, which is based in Bristol, Va., after they submitted the lowest bid on the project to the county. The bid came in at just over $40,700.
Carter County Mayor Leon Humphrey said the project will replace the entire shingled portion of the roof. The roof on the oldest part of the courthouse, which faces the monument is about 30 years old while the roof on the newer portion of the building is approximately 40 years old, Humphrey said. There is a flat portion of the roof which is not included in the project.
The shingles for the new roof will come with a 50-year limited warranty, Humphrey said, adding they will preserve the historic look of the building which is part of Elizabethton’s Downtown Historic District.
Leonard Roofing estimated the entire project would take between six and seven days to complete with crews working their way around the building in sections.
“There was some concern with the possibility of some rain in the forecast,” Humphrey said. “They assured me they would not take off more of the roof than they could replace quickly to the weather should not cause any problems.”
According to the National Weather Service, the possibility of rain or even some thunderstorms moves into the area on Wednesday with chances of precipitation ranging between 20 and 30 percent. The highest chance for rain is on Saturday afternoon when the forecast calls for a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.