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If you have ever wondered how the “other half” lives, you probably already know that envisioning the homes and mansions of the super rich likely takes a bit of imagination or a lot of research. This is because many homes of the super rich are under high security and are often hidden from the public eye. Even so, there are those that take the secrecy to entirely new levels.

1. Huguette Clark’s Secret Mansions

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Huguette Clark was the daughter of a U.S. Senator who was also a businessman involved in mining and railroads during the early 20th century. Although she and her mother owned and occupied several Manhattan apartments, to include an entire floor in at least one Fifth Avenue building, her most hidden residence was that of Bellosguardo, translated “beautiful view,” in Santa Barbara, California. This 23-acre, $100 million estate is surrounded by high walls and can only be viewed from the outside from the air.

Clark became a recluse after the death of her mother in 1963, retreating to the Santa Barbara mansion where she pursued her interests in music and art. She learned to play the harp and spent time painting the landscapes around her estate. Having no children as a result of her one brief marriage of only two years, Clark indulged in her love of dolls and playthings by befriending a child of her caretaker and sending dolls to the children of friends around the world.

2. Vladimir Putin’s Mansion on the Black Sea

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Although nearly impossible to prove, several activist groups are claiming that at least one extravagant mansion on the Russian coast of the Black Sea belongs to Russian president Vladimir Putin. Surrounded by a black gate and having a façade reminiscent of the Soviet era, the mansion is heavily guarded against trespassers trying to get a closer look, either by land or sea. Officially, the home and its surrounding 40 acres of land are owned by Indocopas, a supposedly private company without a website or valid phone number. In addition, allegations have been made that this is one of many such estates built illegally with state funds and in violation of environmental regulations.

3. Casa Jiménez

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Located in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica, this formerly grand mansion is currently in crumbling ruins. Casa Jiménez was originally designed by lawyer and diplomat Manuel Francisco Jiménez Ortiz and built in 1905. Jiménez Ortiz was also the original owner of the mansion. One of the only remaining original Art Nouveau style buildings in San Jose and listed on the Ministry of Culture’s protected heritage list, it is currently tied up in court proceedings that restrict the type of remodeling that can be done to the mansion. However, at this point, the building needs restoration to save it more than it needs remodeling.

4. Annesdale-Snowden

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Built in 1850 by Dr. Samuel Mansfield on the outskirts of Memphis, this gated Italian-style mansion sits on over 200 acres of land on Lamar Avenue, although not visible from the street. The home was sold to Colonel Robert C. Brinkley in 1869 and given to his daughter Annie Overton Brinkley and her new husband Colonel Bogardus Snowden as a wedding present. The home was then named Annesdale, as a shorter version of “Annie’s Dale.” Although the home’s designer is unknown, certain features of the home such as rounded arches, bracketed cornices, and square tower are reminiscent of the style of Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloane.

5. California Hidden Hills

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Here is your chance to live and party like a rockstar in this mansion owned and rented out by Ozzy Osbourne and wife Sharon in the Hidden Hills area of Los Angeles. Originally purchased for over $12 million, the couple originally tried to sell it for $13 million. When it didn’t sell, they reverted to renting it at $50 thousand per month. With six bedrooms and ten bathrooms, the home has plenty of room for elaborate parties and overnight guests. Located within a gated community, the home also features an eclectic style that one would expect of the likes of Ozzy Osbourne. Features include a black spiral staircase, swimming pool, cinema, floor to ceiling windows, a chef’s kitchen and formal dining room.

6. The Steinway Mansion

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Located in the Astoria neighborhood of Western Queens, New York, the Steinway mansion can be found in a forested area beyond the industrial section of town. Built in 1858, it was occupied by the Steinways until the 1930s when it was then sold to the Jack Halberian. The Halberians raised a family in the home and passed it on their son, who owned it until 2006, when it was sold to someone interested in restoring it. With 28 rooms, the house boasts fireplaces in every room and a finished basement that houses a full bar, billiards rooms and a cinema room. In addition, the house is filled with antiques, art and sculptures, and ornately carved wood.

7. Payne Mansion

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Used for various purposes over the years, the Payne Mansion in the Hudson river area of New York has most recently been donated to Marist College for use in developing a leadership program that will train individuals for careers in government, business and the nonprofit sector. Located on sixty acres of land, the property was most recently appraised at about $65 million. Since its construction in 1905 by Oliver Hazzard Payne on land purchased from John Jacob Aster, the property has been used as both private residence and educational facilities, including the Wiltwyck School for Boys and an earlier school and retreat operated by the Marist brothers, founders of Marist College. When the home was sold to its most recent owner Raymond A. Rich, it was restored to its former glory and then bequeathed back to Marist college upon his demise.

8. Bohemia Manor Farm

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Once belonging to Augustine Herman, one of a handful of prominent landowners in North America, Bohemia Manor Farm is located in the picturesque Chesapeake Valley area of Maryland. Although originally built in 1660 for Herman, a cartographer responsible for mapping much of the Chesapeake Bay area, the current home was rebuilt in 1920 and restored in 2003 to 2004. Most recently on the market for a cool $13 million, the Bohemia Manor Farm has eleven bedrooms, seven full baths, four half baths, several fireplaces, and a wine grotto. Herman named the property after his homeland in what is now the Czech Republic.

9. Blair Family Mansion

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Also dubbed the Mickey Mouse Mansion, this home in Palm Bay, Florida is owned by Timothy D. and Johna Blair. With a Mickey Mouse-shaped pool in the back and a Mickey Mouse-shaped fountain in the front, there is some speculation as to whether the current Blairs are in anyway related to the late Mrs. Mary Blair, the Disney artist responsible for the concept art in Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Cinderella, and Song of the South. However, while several business enterprises registered to the address would also suggest kinship with the late Mrs. Blair, nothing is proven. The home was built in 1999, has about 4,772 square feet and sits on approximately ten acres.

10. Beverly Hills Mansion of Rupert Murdoch

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This Italian-style villa resembles a mountain fortress built in the hills of Beverly Hills, California. Built in 1926, it has eleven bedrooms, nine bathrooms and over 8,700 square feet. Murdoch, owner of various newspapers, movie companies and televisions networks, including Twentieth Century Fox Studios, Fox Network, and Fox News, has let very little information leak with regard to his Beverly Hills Mansion, providing a perfect private retreat for this large business mogul. Arguably the most private of his residences, this mansion remains only one of several homes and apartments owned by Murdoch.

11. Hitler’s Secret Los Angeles Bunker

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Bizarre as it may sound now, this California mansion was built in the 1930s by a group of American fascists styling themselves the Silver Shirts in emulation of Hitler’s grass-roots organization The Brown Shirts. Convinced of Hitler’s eventual victory and acceptance in the higher social circles within the United States, the compound was created with 22 bedrooms, a diesel power plant, 375,000 gallon water tank, and a bomb shelter. Since its construction, it has been an artists colony and briefly home to the author Henry Miller. It currently sits in ruins, with plans to bulldoze the site and turn it into a picnic area for hikers.

12. Hidden Valley Castle

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With 8,400 square feet, seven bedrooms, nine fireplaces, and a stone courtyard, this castle replica was built in the early 1920s by Dr. Walton Martin as a present to his wife. It is located in Cornwall, Connecticut and also boasts an eight-car garage and a guesthouse with a walled garden. Construction involved over 100 workmen, many imported materials as well as local stone, and a total of five years in time. Previous owners included financier Saul Saul Steinberg and retailer Joseph Cicio. The most recent sales price on record for the home was $5.925 million in 2001.

13. Swannanoa

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Located on top of Afton Mountain near Waynesboro, Virginia, Swannanoa mansion is said to have once been a meeting place for the Illuminati. Previously owned by Walter Russell, a contemporary of Albert Einstein, with whom he corresponded regarding the dangers of nuclear fission. Russell is also a last name associated with the so-called Illuminati, leading to speculation that Swannanoa was once a meeting place for this organization. Russell was a multi-talented genius who filled his home with his artwork and music, representing strong Illuminati ideals and seeming to be the perfect example of an Illuminati representative.

14. Chameleon House

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The most contemporary entry on this list, Chameleon House was built in 2006 in Northport, Michigan on a hill overlooking Lake Michigan and a cherry orchard. Taking less than eight weeks to build out of prefabricated materials, the house got its name from the translucent acrylic slats that were used to wrap the steel frame, slats that reflect the surrounding landscape and give the house chameleon-like properties. Because of its location on top of a steep hill, the entrance into this house is on the third floor, with residents and visitors then descending to the lower level bedrooms and living areas.

In the United States, manufacturers create cedar roofing from the trunks of red cedar trees. From the center, or heart of the tree, to the outer edges, saws cut the trunks into 18 to 24 inch lengths. These sections then undergo lengthwise hand splitting with an axe or cutting with a saw until achieving ½ to ¾ inch thick rectangular shapes. Companies refer to these cedar slabs as shakes or shingles. Shakes are most commonly made from heartwood and have a more ragged, rustic appearance, as at least one side occurs from hand splitting. Sawing may also create tapered shakes, which are thicker on one end.

Sawing creates shingles, which appear smooth on both sides and uniform in length and thickness. Besides used in roofing, shingles also commonly cover exterior and interior walls. Once cut, the wood endures kiln drying, which removes moisture. Some cedar roofing undergoes CCA (chromated copper arsenate) kiln drying, which impregnates a pesticide and antifungal agent into the wood. Companies that manufacture red cedar roofing include:

* Bartica * Landmark
* Certi-Lable™ * Meeker
* DaVinci Roofs capes * Pinnacle
* EcoStar * RuBBer
* Goat Lake * Timberline

Not having fire retardant properties, manufacturers may coat shakes or shingles with flame retardant chemicals. This temporary coating requires replacement every two or three year after roof installation. Consumers also find shakes and shingles impregnated with fire retardant chemicals, which requires less maintenance. Differing chemical treatments used by manufacturers protect the wood from Class A, B or C fires. Some companies treat for a combination or all fire classes.

Left in a natural state, cedar roofing naturally turns a light gray over time. Manufacturers may deter this effect by applying oil, stains or paints and top coatings. For continued protection, homeowners must reapply these products when necessary. Depending on the quality of the wood and the number of conditioning treatments applied, cedar roofing shakes and shingles carry a 10 to 50 year warranty against manufacture defects. These factors along with length, thickness, hand splitting or saw cut also determine the cost of cedar roofing, which may range anywhere from $230.00 to $350.00 or more for a square that covers 100 square feet.

How long a cedar roof lasts depends on the type of installation and subsequent maintenance. Improper installation may create edge curling, requiring shingle replacement. Weather conditions producing considerable moisture through rain and snow may cause mold and mildew growth. If this condition occurs, owners apply bleach or trisodium phosphate with a brush for removal. Rinsing the cleaner only requires the normal water flow from a garden hose. Pressure washers may damage the product.

For more information about installing cedar roofs in New Jersey, call us at 973-599-0811 or visit our New Jersey Roofing Homepage.

If you’re a New Jersey homeowner considering a new roof, it’s important to understand your options in roofing materials. People have been covering the tops of their dwellings with all kinds of materials for thousands of years, from thatch to bark to iron to cedar shingles. Now the type of material a person might use for their roofs can largely depend on their esthetic qualities, how well they insulate the house and their cost.

Roof materials most frequently used are:

Asphalt

This roof material is actually roofing felt that’s been impregnated with asphalt, then covered with a coat of granulated minerals. More modern shingles have a fire and weather resistant fiberglass base. Asphalt roofing needs very little maintenance through the fist years after its installation, but then asphalt shingles become notorious for curling, cracking and even melting in the hot sun. These shingles therefore do much better in cool weather climates. Asphalt roofs are also not very energy efficient. However, they can last 30 years if they’re well maintained and the shingles are easy to repair.

Wood Shingles or Shakes

The difference between shingles and shakes is that shingles are uniform and look machine cut and shakes are more rustic and go well with country homes. However, they need to be treated to be fire resistant and to resist rotting and splitting. Both of them eventually weather to a soft, silvery gray that lots of homeowners find pleasing, but they’re both expensive. Shakes, however, may be worth the cost over time, as they can last up to 50 years. Shingles can last up to 20. Both are easy to repair and replace.

Clay or Slate Tiles

These roofing materials can last as long as the house does, or longer, but they’re both heavy and expensive. They’re also challenging to repair and replace if they crack or chip. Slate is a bit easier to repair, but the worker must be careful when going up on a slate roof. The stone is slippery and even walking on it can crack it. However, slate and clay make up for their drawbacks by being fireproof.

Metal

Metal roofs can be attractive on certain kinds of homes. They can be made of copper, corrugated aluminum, or steel. All but copper can be painted and copper soon fades to a verdigris color that many building owners also enjoy. All metal roofs are extremely durable and can last for decades if they’re installed and maintained properly. The trick is they must be flashed and fastened with the same type of metal or an electrolytic reaction will cause the metal to corrode. Painted roofs also need touch ups once in a while. A metal roof that’s painted with a pigment with a high reflectivity can save a homeowner money in terms of energy bills.

If you’d like more info, or need help selecting roofing shingles in NJ, please visit our homepage.

What is a Roof Warranty?

A roof warranty is a guarantee that the quality of the work and materials used in performing a roofing repair or replacement will meet certain standards. These standards include:

The quality of workmanship.

The quality of the materials that are used.

That these items are guaranteed to last a specific length of time, given normal use.

The the guarantor will repair or replace any damage caused by the lack of the items covered under warranty to fulfill their specified role.

Manufacturer’s Warranty Versus Contractor’s Warranty

Manufacturer’s warranties and contractor’s warranties are separate, but work hand in hand. A manufacturer’s warranty guarantees that the materials used are free from defects, and will perform as indicated in the specifications as long as they are properly installed. A manufacturer’s warranty is usually good for a period of 25 years.

A contractor’s warranty covers the workmanship that goes into installing or repairing a roof. This means that the job was done according to the specifications laid out in the proposal, that it was done according to the local building code, and that it was done according to the manufacturer’s specifications for the materials used. A contractor’s warranty is usually good for 2 years.

What are the costs involved with warranties?

A shingle roof is usually warrantied in stages, with full replacement coverage for the first 7-10, and then lowered in percentages after that, up to 25 years. A 50-year shingle is available. It costs a little more up front, but you are guaranteed full coverage for a longer period, so it could save if you need extensive repairs down the road due to defective materials.

Warranty Documentation

The contractor’s warranty is usually specified in the contract. Be aware that if the contractor didn’t install your roof as per manufacturer specifications for the materials, it could void your manufacturer’s warranty. The manufacturer’s warranty will be included with the materials. Make sure you get it from the contractor.

What to do if you need service

If you need service, contact the company that installed the roof. They will do an inspection to see if the problem is due to faulty workmanship or defective materials, and proceed from there.

In the end, your best bet is to buy the best quality materials you can afford from a reputable company, and have them installed by a reputable contractor.

Roof Cleaning File Photo (not actual customer's home)

Thank You
Bruno Buset
Nutley NJ

CKG Contractors is a roofing contractor specializing in all types of roof installations, including wood, asphalt shingle, and flat roofs throughout Morris County, Essex County, Somerset County, and Union County, NJ and the surrounding areas.

When you call us, our roofing specialists thoroughly inspect your home inside and out. They are trained to identify anything that is or could be a problem during the life of the new system or repair being performed. We are thorough because we understand that people cannot afford to pay twice.

We spend the time to understand the condition of your home and the actions necessary to correct the problem. Our technicians are well versed in all products — from wood and asphalt shingles and leak barriers to functional and decorative hardware, so we can specify the proper system, with the desired appearance, based on your budget.

We also specialize in roof cleaning, pressure washing, roof repair and roof maintenance. You get high-quality workmanship, affordable prices, and excellent customer service as well.

We stand behind all our work with a written warranty.

If you are looking for a reliable roofing contractor in New Jersey, please call us today at 973-599-9371 or request a free quote using the form below.

Contact CKG Contractors – Roofing Contractor in NJ

Please use this form to request a free quote.

We’re recommending CertainTeed Integrity Roof System products for new roofs we’re installing. Not too long ago, we finished installing a new CertainTeed roof in Parsippany, NJ.

In this case, the homeowner chose the Burnt Sienna color. (Other popular colors for CertainTeed roofs we’ve installed in North Jersey include Aged Bark and Country Gray.) The final stage of installation is pictured above.

UnedaRoof is a certified CertainTeed ShingleMaster installer, which means that you can take advantage of the extended CertainTeed warranties offered to homeowners when we install the new roof.

If you have questions about roofing materials or would like a free quote on roof repair or a new roof installation in the Morris County, NJ area, please contact us!

Click here to request a free quote.

CKG Contractors Inc.
177 Parsippany Road
Parsippany, NJ 07054

Phone: 973-599-9371
Email: Info@unedaroof.com

Homeowners in North Jersey have to consider a variety of weather factors affecting the investment in their home. Hurricanes, Nor’easters, snow, ice, rain, and cold winter temperatures can wreak havoc on a roof.

No new roofing system is complete without a leak barrier. The leak barrier protects the areas of your roof that are the most vulnerable to the elements – the edges. The leak barrier keeps wind-blown rain, ice, and snow that can push up under roof shingles from damaging the roof decking and allowing moisture into the home. In the photos above and below, you can see the leak barrier on the lower portion of the roof on a home in Parsippany, NJ where we recently finished installing a new CertainTeed roof.

Most shingle manufacturer warranties require that leak barriers be installed with all new roof installations, and leak barriers are a standard part of every installation we do.

If you have questions about leak barriers or would like a free quote on roof repair or a new roof installation in the Morris County, NJ area, please contact us!

Click here to request a free quote.

CKG Contractors Inc.
177 Parsippany Road
Parsippany, NJ 07054

Phone: 973-599-9371
Email: Info@unedaroof.com

We recently finished installing a new CertainTeed roof in Parsippany, NJ . The old roof had leaked, allowing moisture to seep onto the roof decking below. The existing decking was a combination of plywood and planking. We tore off the existing decking down to the roof joists (pictured above), and replaced it with new plywood (pictured below).

It’s often difficult to tell when roof decking needs to be replaced. A simple visual inspection from the ground is not enough. Many times, problems can only be identified through careful inspection of the roof from on the roof itself and from attic spaces. Mold, damp or soggy attic insulation, and discolored or warped decking and joists are red flags. We perform a thorough inspection each time we’re called out on a new roofing project.

If you have questions about roof decking, plywood installation, roof moisture problems, or would like a free quote on roof repair or a new roof installation in the Morris County, NJ area, please contact us!

Click here to request a free quote.

CKG Contractors Inc.
177 Parsippany Road
Parsippany, NJ 07054

Phone: 973-599-9371
Email: Info@unedaroof.com