A housing stock that goes back generations
Findlay was a booming oil and natural gas town in the 1880s, and its housing reflects a long history. U.S. Census Bureau survey data puts the median year built for Findlay homes at 1971. About 6 in 10 were built before 1980, and roughly 1 in 5 before 1940.
Older houses raise specific exterior questions. A roof may have been re-covered over an earlier layer of shingles. Siding may have been replaced once already, or not at all. Original windows may be single-pane. None of that is cause for alarm, but it does affect the scope and the price, so it's worth knowing before you compare estimates.
Living near the Blanchard River
The Blanchard River runs east to west through Findlay, and the city has a long flood record. In August 2007, heavy rain from the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin pushed the river to within inches of its 1913 record crest. The city has since removed properties from the floodplain and widened the river channel to hold more water.
To be straight about what exterior work can and can't do: gutters and downspouts will not protect a home from river flooding. What properly sized seamless gutters do is carry rainwater off the roof and away from the foundation during everyday storms, which helps any house. If your property is near the river, the city's flood information page is the right place to check your flood risk.
What we do in Findlay
- Roofing: new installations, full replacements and repairs
- Siding installation for older homes ready for a new exterior
- Seamless gutters installed to move water where it belongs
- Energy-efficient windows to replace drafty originals
- Insulation to cut heat loss in older houses
- Custom decks built to fit your yard
- Storm damage restoration, with help through the insurance claim
Findlay zoning permits
The City of Findlay Zoning Department says many types of construction need a permit, including fences, sheds, decks, signs, new dwellings and grading. The permit confirms a project meets size, height and setback rules. Fence and accessory structure applications need a to-scale site plan.
Skipping the permit is expensive. The city says work started without one triples the permit fee and brings a stop work order. For roofing, siding or window projects, ask the Zoning office in the Municipal Building at 318 Dorney Plaza whether anything needs to be filed for your address.
We pull the permits for the work we do, in every community we work in.
Serving Findlay from Toledo
Blackridge Exteriors is based in Toledo and doesn't have an office in Findlay. We serve Hancock County homeowners as part of our Northwest Ohio service area. Estimates are free, pricing is clear and upfront, and estimate requests sent through the website get a response within 48 hours.
Our founders bring a mix of backgrounds. Donovan Mabry has years of experience in roofing, siding and insurance restoration, and Kaleb Smith spent nine years in law enforcement. You can read more about our team.
Findlay is about 40 miles from Toledo, and it costs you nothing extra. There is no travel charge and no scheduling restriction on Findlay work.
Recent work on homes like yours
Findlay's housing stock runs older than the regional average, so full roof replacements and complete re-sides are common rather than exceptional.
Below is a sample of recent Blackridge work. There is no travel charge for Findlay, so an estimate costs you the same as it would in Toledo: nothing.
Sources
- Findlay is the county seat of Hancock County, about 40 miles south of Toledo; I-75 passes through; Blanchard River flows east to west through the city; 1880s oil and natural gas boom. en.wikipedia.org
- Median year structure built 1971; about 60.7% of units built before 1980; about 21.2% built 1939 or earlier; owner-occupied 59.9% (ACS 2020-2024 5-year, B25035, B25034, B25003). censusreporter.org
- August 2007 flooding in northwestern Ohio (remnants of Tropical Storm Erin). pubs.usgs.gov
- Blanchard River at Findlay reached 18.46 feet in August 2007, just short of the 18.5 foot record crest set March 13, 1913. wtol.com
- After 2007, properties were removed from the floodplain and the Blanchard River was widened by cutting benches into the banks. floodsciencecenter.org
- River benching project changed flood stages in Findlay. 13abc.com
- City of Findlay flood information page. findlayohio.gov
- Permits required for fences, sheds, decks, signs, new dwellings, change of use and grading; to-scale site plan for fence and accessory structure applications; fee tripled and stop work order if work starts without a permit. findlayohio.gov
- Findlay Municipal Building zoning office at 318 Dorney Plaza, Room 304. findlayohio.gov
