One of our regular clients is a company based in Carol Stream Illinois that specializes in relocation of professionals. We did these 2 jobs for them recently in Ridgefield Washington. These jobs were close to each other so we did them both in about 1 1/2 hours. Afterward we went to nearby La Center for a visit to an outstanding bakery called 'Sadie & Josies'. Go there. It's worth the trip.

We do a lot of roof certifications and are the only ‘independent’ that does. We’ve done many hundreds of these and are well known within the real estate community.
There are roofing companies that do these. Some will issue a certification and with a warranty if that is desired – after a bunch of repairs are done. Others will charge a percent of a new roof. These conditions are a good deal . . . for someone. Here’s how the game is played: They won’t issue a warranty unless they’re damn certain the roof will easily last the length of their ‘warranty’. Nice and safe. We do not offer a warranty or guarantee. Never have. It has never been an issue. This is why we can and do roof certifications for a fraction of what these folks charge.
 

We met with the buyer to have a look around. We look at various details of the roof install which gives an idea of the experience / skill level of the install. We then lift out a few tiles to see what they are and to check the underlayment. We also look to see if valleys are clogged. This Adams-Powell concrete tile roof was professionally installed and should last a long time.
 
Check out the keen hot tub shrine out back.

Two years ago we gave the owners an independent assessment of three large commercial buildings. Now they are two-thirds of the way through reroofing. Building 1 is done, supposedly. Building 2 is nearly done, supposedly. Building 3 hasn't been started yet. These roofs are an overlay meaning a cover board over the existing 2 layer BUR system then TPO. TPO installation is fair with a few issues that will require attention. Corners being cut shall we say.  Stay tuned on this one . . . . . . . . . .

We were asked to do an assessment of this standing seam metal roof in Oceanside which is due west of Tillamook. A small town. One way in one way out. The weather was sunny and calm and we had the huge beach to walk with no crowd at all.

ORC was asked by an investment group to assess the TPO roofing on The Sanctuary Apartments in the Johns Landing area of the South Waterfront. This is part of their due dilligance prior to purchase. These two buildings are 1-1/2 years old. They wanted an accurate independent assessment from a non-roofer, so we got the call.

The roofing is a Firestone TPO membrane roof in the light gray color. These two roofs were professionally installed. Taper/drainage is good.

Pretty nice view from up here.

ORC was asked to do an assessment of this tile roof. This semi isolated 37 acre property is about 3 miles north of downtown Corvallis.The owner wanted to know if it was feasible to restore/repair this roof or replace it.

To repair/restore this 38 year old 'Spectile' concrete tile roof would cost about 2/3 of a new Malarkey Legacy shingle roof. Spectile was made at a plant in N Salem on Portland Road NE. The plant . . . mysteriously . . . . burned down in 1990 and this tile especially the trim pieces are hard to come by.They will go with replacement. We provided a new roof spec list which will be presented to all bidders.

➲ ​See New Roof Inspection – Corvalis, OR  Jun 03, 2019.

ORC is the only independent that does roof certifications. We’ve done hundreds. We visited this really nice five-acre property that was about to go on the market.

This church wanted an independent assessment of their 220 square flat roof so we got the call. The roof is a hot mop applied granulated cap sheet. A roofer told them they needed a new roof. No surprise there. Objectivity isn't always profitable.

There are a few isolated areas that require restoration or patching but 99.8% of this roof still has years of service left. I was joined on the roof with the church secretary and their maintenance guy. Both real nice folks. We walked the entire roof and I pointed out the areas that needed help and what to do. They were most pleased with our efforts just like everyone else is. This job is never work it's always fun.

We were asked to inspect this new roof in Lafayette which is between Dundee and McMinnville. This was a real treat as this house was built in 1846 and has quite a history. What a gem that’s been nicely restored.

The roof is fine overall however a few minor errors need to be corrected. I outlined these items and they will be addressed. A nice day trip !

ORC was hired by the probable buyer of this home in Manzanita, which is between Cannon Beach and Rockaway Beach. We looked over the roof and looked in the attic. The roof was a fair install at best but appeared watertight and should last at least 10 years. There were some sags in the roof that will be corrected in conjunction with a new roof when that time comes.
 
Afterward we picked up some steamers at the market then off to Nehalem for some yummy fish-n-chips. Went for a beach walk at Rockaway Beach near Twin Rocks. No crowds I had a seven mile long beach mostly to myself. Stopped in Tillamook for some crab cakes and chowder to bring home. ORC loves beach trips!

The buyer of this home wanted an independent – there’s that word again – assessment of this 13 year old ‘Decra’ granule coated steel shingle roof. Don’t see these very often. The roof was professionally installed and has at least 25 years of reliable service left.

ORC had the refreshing pleasure to inspect this essentially flawless new roof installation in Beaverton. The shingle is the CertainTeed 'Presidential TL' shingle. I could find no legitimate negatives. None. Zero. I almost never see this. As long as I have been doing this I have seen 4 perfect jobs, one by Griffith Roofing and three by Gonzalez Eagle Roofing. Oh, my own roof too.

What do THEY know that most don’t know or care to know? The homeowner commented on how polite and professional they were. On the job at 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM every day. Cleaned up after themselves – daily – like they should. They even brought a port-a-potty just like the big boys do ! ! I told the owner she could have easily paid much more for much less. I see it ALL the time. See all you cowboy roofers, it IS possible to do it right !
 

Normally the drop box is put in the driveway so the tons of debris can be tossed directly in to the bin. Here there is a large flat driveway, no wires no obstructions but the bin is out in the street. Maybe they couldn’t put it in the driveway because the pile of shingles that should have been stocked on the roof by the distributor was in the way? Let’s do it the hard way! Handle the debris and shingles twice instead of once! Can’t wait to see their installation skills.
 

ORC assessed this roof in early 2017. We provided specs for a PROPERLY done new roof. Evaluated estimates. Monitored the install, then did a final inspection on Aug 31, 2018. The result was a senior citizen getting a nicely done roof with quality materials for a reasonable price. The shingle is the Malarkey ‘Legacy’ which is a top-shelf shingle. Lead pipe jacks, metal-not plastic-vents, metal stem vents, metal valleys, hot dipped galvanized shingle nails not those garbage electro zinc nails most roofers use, bleeder strip at rake edges with strip and shingles lapping past the large T-metal by 3/4” like it should. This homeowner could have easily paid much more for much less. I see it all the time. Here is one senior who isn’t another ripoff statistic.
 

We were asked to assess this ceramic glazed clay tile roof by the owner/seller of this $2.2 Million home in the West Hills. Other than 4 damaged tiles this roof is fine and should last a long time. These clay tiles can easily last 100-150 years. In Europe there are similar tiles that are 1,500 years old. These are MCA ( Maruhachi Ceramics Of America ) tiles made in southern California.

ORC was hired by an investment partnership to assess this roof on a two-building apartment complex in Seaside. The roof is newer and the shingles should last at least 25 years however the nails are already rusted and will fail before the shingles do. They didn't use hot dipped galvanized nails or better yet stainless steel nails - 4 blocks frome the shoreline. They used the inferior electro zinc plated cheapo nails. Plus, it's an overlay on a 4/12 slope so there is shingle cupping which creates standing water which is seeping in between the layers and has already caused ceiling damage. Plus, the utility fans are not hooked up to 'stem vents' and are partially venting into the attic which has caused significant black mold growth.

The first two photos were taken at 'Camp 18' in Elsie. Camp 18 is a restaurant/lodge/gift shop/logging museum. It took 10 years to build and is an amazing structure. Note the very thick shakes on the roof. As on all beach trips we decided to make a day of it. After this job we headed south with stops at Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Nehalem, Wheeler, Rockaway and finally Tillamook. Brought home 5 lbs of FRESH steamers, crab cakes, clam chowder and some fresh true cod. It was 92 degrees in Tillamook which rarely happens. Maybe once or twice a year. ORC loves beach trips!

This job was out in the Redland/Oregon City area. The roof was fine, however, the entire property needs a lot of work. I needed inside access so I could get to the roof from the upper deck. The house was vacant but had the look of someone needing to get outta there FAST. Clothes, furniture, tools, patio items, kitchen items including pots and pans, crock pots, toaster, dishes, glasses, knick-knacks. Oh, and three jars with processed weed along with evidence of a grow operation. You just never know what you’ll find on a job!

ORC was asked to assess this 34 year old ‘Monier’ tile roof for the probable buyer of this home in the West Hills. Tile is very specialized and there are very few experienced legitimate tile roofers. Less than five. Back in the 80’s and 90’s I laid acres of this stuff, so am somewhat familiar with it.

There were about 90–100 broken tiles, as if someone was up there who had no business being up there. You can’t just freely walk about on tile as you can other types of roofing. I walked all over this thing and didn’t break ONE tile. For that accomplishment I was awarded an atta boy, a gold star, and a cookie by the prospective buyer and her realtor.
 

ORC is the only independent that does certifications. People like the ‘independent’ factor. I’m not selling anything. We have done hundreds of these and have not had one rejected.

These two inspections / certifications were for a longtime client based in Redondo Beach California. Founded in 1985 this company specializes in residential rehabilitation, non-performing loans, property management, private lending, brokerage, escrow, and more. The backbone of this firm is the flip business which involves the purchase, rehabilitation, and resale of single - family residences throughout the Western U.S. and Florida.

Over the past 4 years ORC has built a lasting and trusted relationship with this company. We average about 8 inspections a month for them.

ORC was hired by a Vancouver Roofing Contractor, who wanted an independent assessment of this new roof. The homeowner had "concerns", so the roofer thought an opinion by an impartial, unbiased, and unimpeachable third party would be wise.

I told him what I tell everyone. "You may or may not like my findings. I don’t give a wink-wink rubber stamp. I stick my neck out for nobody."

The roof install is well within industry standards. All detail work nicely done. No mangled corners. Standing seams and edge flashings parallel. symmetrical.
 

Occasionally we are asked to inspect a new roof that was refreshingly correctly applied. Such was the case with this job. See all you cowboy roofers, it IS possible to do it correctly. These roofers didn’t get tangled up in their spurs!

ORC was hired by a lender to assess this cedar shingle roof in the Dunthorpe area of SW Portland. This home is for sale and the bank wanted an independent and accurate assessment.

Here are some of the inspections we did in June, 2018.

Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Sweet Home, Springfield, Bend, Eugene, Tualatin, West Linn, Lake Oswego, La Center - Longview - Vancouver Washington to name a few.

Some are real estate transactions. Some are for homeowners who want an honest accurate assessment of their roof from someone not selling anything. A nice variety.

One thing about doing this is that you never know where the next job will be. Seattle, Nehalem, Sweet Home, Beaverton, Gladstone, Bend.

This trip took us to SW Washington. The La Center job was for ReloOlogy which is based in Dallas Texas. They assist in the relocation of transferred professionals and are a regular client, as is Wedgewood Inc based in Redondo Beach California. Wedgewood buys, restores, and sells residential properties all over the Northwest and beyond. ORC does all their jobs in Oregon & Washington.

ORC was hired to have a look at the ongoing install on this one-of-a-kind home in NE Portland's Laurelhurst neighborhood. The roof is so far, so good; however, it was a real treat to see the inside and outside of this unique home, listed on the National Register Of Historic Places. Check out the elaborate brick work. I have never seen one like this before.

This homeowner was getting all kinds of advice – mostly bad – about her roof, so she hired ORC to give an honest, accurate assessment. One chump told her the electricity would have to be shut off for a few days so the power mast could be disconnected so a pipe jack could be placed over the pipe and then re attach the wires. Unbelievable!! Apparently they haven’t heard about split lead pipe flashings designed for this application.

We provided a new roof spec list  and gave her a number that represents what a reasonable price would be for a new roof. Sears wanted $15,000 which is about double what it should be. I also provided names of good roofers and told her she still has a few years left and a new roof isn’t needed at this time – unlike what ‘roofers’ told her. Objectivity isn’t always profitable.

On the way home we stopped to admire 2 old covered bridges. One in Sweet Home and one in Craffordsville which is about 15 minutes west.

Attention Cowboy Roofers !
Attention Cowboy Roofers !

ORC was hired to inspect this new CertainTeed roof in Hillsboro and what a pleasant surprise! I could find zero legitimate negatives on this roof. Not one. This is only the third time that’s happened. The homeowner was very pleased to hear the news. Most roofers would bid this job at $13,000 – $16,000. This job was done for $9,000. They could’ve easily paid more for less. I told the homeowner he got a heck of a deal and should give the roofer – Gonzalez Eagle Roofing – a $500 tip then take his wife out for a nice dinner. I then did something I’ve never done. I called the roofer and congratulated them and told them I’d be giving their name out to people who ask for names of good roofers – of which there are few. I also told them to raise their prices. They said I made their week.

See all you cowboy roofers, it actually IS possible to do it correctly!

One of ORC’s regular clients is ReloOlogy based in Pennsylvania. They assist professionals who are relocated by their employer. These folks are being transferred to Tennessee so we got the call to assess their 20 year old Monier concrete tile roof.

ORC was hired by a southern California based contractor to be an ‘independent observer’ of this 420 square TPO installation. This contractor has been in business for 140 years and has offices in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. They contacted the other 4 independent roofing consultants in our region and decided to hire ORC which made us feel good. I have complete autonomy on this job. We are making multiple visits to this job that are 1-2-3 days in length.. We monitor and photo document daily activities. Even have to wear a hard hat, safety vest and eye protection. Not used to that. Have discovered some worthy eateries in Eugene and Springfield which is important to our morale.

Update Jun 09, 2018:
Yet another visit to this job which is nearly completed.   

Update Jun 22, 2018
This was our final visit. The roof is essentially done. All that’s left is to install walk pads and check all seams.

This homeowner in Bend wanted an independent roof inspection from someone not trying to sell anything so we got the job. We found the source of 4 leaks plus a couple other items that needed attention. ORC provided a detailed summary with photos as well as what a reasonable price should be to do the work. The roof was fastened with staples - all roofers are staple happy in Bend however staples were disallowed by code on 3/1/03.

Our hotel room was right on the bank of the Deschutes river which was nice. On the way home I stopped at Smith Rock state park, a place i've never been to have a look around. Then it was back over Mt Hood on the way home. This was our 10th trip to central Oregon the last 14 months. I love this area.

This new roof was nicely installed and well within industry standards. From time to time we see one like this. On our previous visit here things were a bit different (see link below). The homeowner took this guy to court and prevailed. This ‘roofer’ was ordered by the court to tear off his first roof, replace any bad plywood, and pay for my inspection. My question is, why didn’t they do it this way the first time ?!? 

When my invoice was sent to this ‘roofer’ he whined about me charging driving time saying “ I don’t charge driving time for my services “. Of course YOU don’t charge for driving time. Only PROFESSIONALS get to do that. Here’s another ‘roofer’ that likely won’t be sending ORC a Christmas card this year. Oh well...

➲ ​See Newer Roof Inspection – Carlton, OR  Aug 17, 2017.

One thing about this job is that you never know who will be the next phone call or what / where the next job will be. Westfir is forty-five miles southeast of Eugene just off Highway 58, right next to Oakridge. Trailheads, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, covered bridges and history abound.

This homeowner was getting mixed signals regarding his roof so he found this website and liked what he saw. He wanted an accurate independent assessment so we gave him one. I told him he had at least twelve years left in his roof and pointed out a couple of minor issues. I also sent him a new roof spec list for his roof so when it's time for a roof he will present that list to bidders and have them bid the job that way.

This was a fun trip. Perfect weather and had a little time to look around. Saw two covered bridges, one in Lowell along the way and the 'Office Bridge' in Westfir. This one at 180' long is the longest covered bridge in Oregon and the only one with a separate pedestrian lane inside.

Stopped at the '58 Drive-In for a great burger and fries to enjoy on the way home. ORC loves road trips! This was a good one.

This home is being sold and the buyer wanted an independent assessment of this Monier 'Villa' concrete tile roof.

ORC was asked by a Bend insurance company who is a regular client to inspect this twelve year old 'Lifetile' concrete tile roof.

We went over Mt Hood, through Warm Springs, Madras, Redmond, Bend, then to Sunriver.

This roof was not professionally installed. Many basic fundamental mistakes were made. It was done by someone with composition shingle experience trying to transition to tile. Wasn't a very good transition. It will cost $12,000-$16,000 to have a legitimate tiler travel from portland to correct this roof.

ORC was hired by this HOA to make random inspections during the new roof installation. We wrote the specs for this job and gave them names of above average roofers of which there are few. 2 layers were torn off. Real plywood installed not that OSB garbage. Plywood was nailed with 2 3/8" ring shank nails. Shingles nailed with hot dipped galvanized nails not those 'electro galv' nails most roofers use that have no galvanization on them. Quality shingles ( some brands ARE better than others ), lead pipe jacks, ridge vent, proper perimeter flashing details. Just a nice job.

ORC happened by this oddity up in the hills about three miles south of Scappoose. This 'Artwork' is at the base of an old log railroad bridge. Some of these drawings and troll dolls go back several years with others signed by folks from all over. One from Norway! I'm still trying to figure out the significance (if any) of this?

This property consists of 8 large buildings and 40 double car garages. Three years ago ORC did an assessment of these roofs and the owners opted for replacement over repairs. We wrote the specs for the work and assisted in finding a contractor. Now, we make irregular and unannounced visits to see how things are going. Sometimes I even hide behind trees with my binoculars. Sneaky huh?

Three buildings were done last year and one building was recently completed  with another building about half done.

Update  April 22nd 2018 :

These bottom six photos are from a recent visit. Nice weather and a lot of things happening. Tearoff & cleanup; installation; loading; a little of everything.

ORC was asked to do an assessment of this standing seam metal roof for the buyers of this houseboat just south of Scappoose. A pipe flashing and rework at one vent is all that is needed. Whole different world on these. I kinda like it.

The jobs stacked up while on a recent travel job to Long Beach Washington so we did these 9 out on a nice Friday. Took about 7 hours.

Started with 2 in Happy Valley that were near each other then to Oregon City. Drove to Vancouver for 2 then back to Oregon for one in outer NE Portland followed by 3 in SE Portland. Only one roof needed replacement and 3 needed minor repairs. All others were fine.

This day's adventures took us to six properties for inspections and certifications. Two in NE Portland; one in SE Portland; one in Camas Washington and one in Vancouver Washington. The last stop was in Clackamas.

After the Camas job stopped by one of our favorite burger spots - KM Burger which is quite good. Then after the NE Vancouver job stopped by Mayer's Meat Market. Old school, clean, consistent with high quality meats and always good service.

All 6 inspections resulted in positive results and happy clients. At least 99% of our clients are most pleased with our efforts however many roofers aren't quite so pleased. They don't like getting caught doing shoddy work. Well, then don't do shoddy work. Simple as that.

The buyer of this home wanted an independent accurate assessment of this 20 year old concrete tile roof. The tile is a Monier 'Homestead Shake' tile. I found no broken tiles which was rare. The valleys need dismantling and then cleaning out. A piece of 2-1/2 lb lead should be at all trim tile junctions. Other than that it's all good here.

One thing about doing this is that you never know who will call next and what / where the next job is. Might be in Seattle might be 3 minutes from home. We have been as far north as Edmonds Washington and as far south as Fresno California and all points in between.
One of our regular clients is Community Management Inc. (CMI). We have done many jobs for this property management company. This carport roof is nearing the end of its serviceable life however it could still last 2 or 3 or 4 more years. I advised them on condition, life left, and recommendations for a new roof.

One of our regular clients is Wedgewood Inc., based in Redondo Beach, California. We've done many dozens of inspections for them. Once we did eight for them in one day! They want inspections and, if possible, certifications. ORC is the only independent that does residential roof certifications. We have done hundreds and have not had one rejected (yet). This roof is shot and needs replacement.

ORC was hired by the potential buyer of this unique home to assess the tile roof.

This home sits on a large lot that has been sub-divided, and several new homes will be built here. This place was built by one of the founders of the Red Lion Hotel chain.

The roof was in better condition than I thought. Moss growth is insignificant. I scanned about 80% of the entire roof with binoculars and saw no broken tiles. None! That doesn't often happen. Detail work was nicely done as was the tile layout. This roof was professionally installed.

The only negative I found was the 30lb organic felt that covered all hip and ridge boards had disintigrated. That's it. The slurry coat is starting to wear away. however recoating with slurry is possible although very few do it.

ORC does a lot of inspections for real estate transactions. This one was for the potential buyer. I advised on the present condition, estimated years left of each of the four sections and gave a number for what a reasonable price would be to have each section reroofed properly. I also provided a new roof spec list and advised to present that spec list to bidders when it's time to reroof. I sent numbered emails to correspond to each numbered item on the summary report. All this for 225$ which is waaaaay cheaper than any other independent would do it for and for that matter any roofer.

I was told they had quotes for $600 - $700 for the same service. Maybe I should raise my rates... just a little bit...

It's rare that we visit a property before giving a price but sometimes an onsite visit is necessary in order to give an accurate assessment.

The first property is Waverly Yacht Club Condominiums in Sellwood right on the river near the new bridge. This assignment came from a regular client that manages properties all over the region. They want an assessment as to condition of tile, condition of underlayment, condition of protrusions, and approximate estimate of years left as well as any necessary repairs or maintenance / cleaning.

The second property is the Mountainside Apartments in Lake Oswego. This assignment came from another property management firm that is also a regular client. They wanted a similar assessment for the tile as well as the TPO membrane on the top of all 5 buildings. A problem on this one is that 4 of the five buildings have 'Summit' tile which stopped being made in the early 80's. None of this tile is available from any of the tile roofers who have 'boneyards' so this property may be forced to replace all tile roofs with a more user friendly composite shingle roof product.

ORC was assigned this inspection by Special Districts Association of Oregon  (SDAO) who is a regular client. Alsea ( Pop 164 ) is between Corvallis and Waldport on Highway 34. About a 2 hour drive. It was a sunny mild day so decided to make a day of it.

The roof had some leaking around cables that were not secured properly. The drip edge was rusted away with water entry over a long period of time. The perimeter flashing details were not done with local weather patterns in mind. They recently had 115 mph winds here ! The roof still has some years left however repairs must be done. These negative roof issues could have likely been avoided with regular visual inspections / walk throughs. Before leaving I bought a 2014 Alsea Wolverines blue pullover hoody. A bargain at 25$!

After the inspection we visited the nearby Hayden Road covered bridge circa 1918. Stopped at Deb's Cafe for lunch. Ordered an open face hot beef sandwich with mashed potatoes. Out came a small plate with 2 pieces of burnt toast, maybe 2 oz of roast beef and canned or powdered gravy ( I was told it was scratch gravy ). No mashed potatoes. I inquired about the no mashed potatoes and was told " I must have misunderstood " Huh ?!? I didn't say hold the mashed potatoes. I didn't leave a tip and won't be back. I've never had a hot beef sandwich with mashed potatoes that didn't come with mashed potatoes. Then we wandered around town and went in Alsea Mercantile. Also visited the Alsea Trout Hatchery right on the Alsea River. Stopped at a bakery in Corvallis for some take home goodies then headed home. A great road trip !......except for the lousy hot beef sandwich with no mashed potatoes...........
 

ORC was asked by one of our regular realtor clients to inspect this roof for the potential buyers. We have worked for dozens of realtors and many are repeat and regular clients. ORC is the only independent that does roof certifications. We have done hundreds and have not had one rejected. We also have two regular clients that specialize in relocating professionals - one based in Pennsylvania and the other based in Illinois.

Realtors like the 'independent' factor: meaning, I'm not selling anything. Roofing contractors have a potential and likely conflict of interest. Objectivity is not always profitable...I know you know what I mean. Frequently on these jobs a roofer will come in and say a new roof was needed yesterday then I show up and say there are still years left, sometimes many years. Reminds me of that line in a Dire Straits song : "2 men say they're Jesus, one of them must be wrong".
 

This the C E Farrell building circa 1924 in downtown Camas Washington. I met the owner and we surveyed the roof.

As you can see from the photos the roof was/is in terrible condition.

ORC recently inspected this newer roof, as the house was being sold and a roof certification was required. We are the only independent inspection company that does certifications. We have done hundreds and have not had one certification rejected.

The client here is a national relocation company that helps transferred professionals sell their homes and help find homes for transferees in their new locale. We have two regular clients that relocate folks. This company is based in Pennsylvania and the other one is based in Illinois.

Roof Inspections   January 2018

These are recent jobs we did for a regular client. This client is a property management company based in California that buys, fixes, sells houses in Oregon and Washington and other western states. I do all their jobs in Oregon and Washington. I inspect the roof, advise on necessary repairs if any, say how long the roof should last, then send a certification if I can. If a new roof is necessary I provide a spec list and an accurate idea of what a reasonable cost for replacement should be.

Here is some interesting architecture recently found next to a job done in NE Portland. Quite creative! These are in NE Portland close to our areas best BBQ place - Matt's BBQ. Outstanding! The Food Network popular TV show 'Diners-Drive ins-and Dives' did a show here and my son and I participated in the 3 day filming and got a good amount of screen time! It was fun to compare what's on TV to the actual filming of the show.