Protecting History with Modern Durability: Megan & Emily’s “Lil Speedy” Gets a New Metal Roof
Meet Megan Gallagher and Emily Waldmann with Next Move Austin and their Hyde Park bungalow affectionately known as “Lil Speedy.” Megan and Emily are Austin realtors who came across this historic gem at 4406 Speedway, Austin, Texas 78751 and decided 2025 was the year it was “ready to find its next life.”
Lil Speedy was erected in 1938, a home purchased from the Sears Modern Home catalog and Megan and Emily focused on saving and illuminating the historical details of the home to blend “vintage charm with smart, modern upgrades” beginning with protecting the home with a new roof. A roof inspection (see images below) revealed hail damage to the roof of the main house as well as as the studio structure. Austin’s hail storms, among other benefits to metal roofs ultimately led Megan and Emily to choosing a metal roof replacement across both structures instead of replacing the shingle roofs.
Why did they choose to switch to metal roof?
As seasoned real estate professionals, Megan and Emily were keenly aware that metal roofs provide a lot of advantages over shingles that makes it a more desirable listing. For example, metal roofs boast more than double the life of a shingle roof, especially in a harsh climate like Austin with extreme heat and damaging hail storms where the increased durability of a metal roof makes a big difference.
Metal roofs also provide greater energy efficiency by reflecting heat, reduce maintenance costs vs. shingle roofs, and are fire resistant. Plus, for a home like this one that’s nearly 100 years old and came out of a Sears catalog, the weight of the roof is significant. Metal roofs are lighter than shingle roofs, so the weight of the roof reduces the structural stress on the home.
So while the choice to switch to a metal roof may have cost more upfront, Megan and Emily will have a much more desirable listing with a roof that lasts longer, requires less maintenance, and can save the new homeowners money while boosting home value.
The New Roof Installation
The roof replacement started with carefully removing the old asphalt shingles from both the main house and the studio structure in the back yard down to the base of the roof.
The team replaced any damaged decking and repaired damaged wood around the eaves. In addition, our team replaced any necessary ventilation, including a hail damaged whirlybird and an old vent pipe and flashing.
Once everything was repaired, a brand-new standing seam metal roof went in, complete with protective underlayment like high-temperature ice and water shield in valleys and around penetrations. The 24-gauge panels in the silver color selected by Emily and Megan were installed with double-lock seams, roof jacks, drip edges, and all the necessary flashings.
Any roof penetrations were painted to match, giving the whole roof a clean, seamless look. Once the installation was done, the crew cleaned up the site, removed all debris, and finished with a walk-through with the homeowner to ensure everything was perfect.
And Megan and Emily’s satisfaction is clear in Lil’ Speedy’s Austin home market listing: “A major highlight is the brand-new standing seam metal roof—a significant upgrade from traditional shingles that not only adds architectural appeal but also qualifies most homeowners for a reduced insurance premium thanks to its durability and fire resistance. “
