Help with flat roof in New York

amynewbie · 04-14-2010, 10:48 AM

Hi all, hope everyone is well,

My roof is leaking bad and I had two guys give me estimates. I live in queens, New York.

Guy 1-- Cost $4,500. He want to tear everything off and replace with Liberty SBS self-adhering roofing systym Low slpe membranes. GAF/ELK. Replace up to 3 pieces of wood deck. I lost the scope of work paper he gave me

Guy 2-- Cost $6,700. Want to tear everything off and replace any damage roof deck if necessary. Clean the roof deck surface, apply insulation all over the roof deck. Then apply base sheet on top of insulation with Karnac trowel grade adhesive. Will cut and take out old flashing from the parapet wall, then make cement stucco with galvanized wire mesh. After that apply Firestone APP 160 torch-down roof on the roof deck. Apply fabric with bull dog flashing cement all around the roof. Finally they will apply bull dog aluminum coating all over the new installed roof. ( I dont know if any of this is good, sounds good)

From what I been reading I believe i read not to use SBS, I also read that its Illegal in New York to use Torch-Down because of a lot of fires reported. I read the best is IBS which is lifetime warranted .

So as you can see I read a lot and still know nothing

so Please help me,

Thanks in advance,

Amy

Oh, and what should I ask and check from the guys as far as contract, license, insurance ?

What should I get in writing to protect myself from a disaster or future leaks.

Jim F · 04-14-2010, 03:59 PM

I won't speculate on the roofing materials or techniques, I'll leave that to the experts but if roofer number one is only incluting 3 sheets of roof decking in his estimate, it may be worthwhile to find out what he will charge for additional sheets if necessary. It's hard to tell what he will find once the old roof is torn off. I had my roof torn off to discover that it was covered with old barn boards. Although they were in pretty good shape, some were warped, cracked of had holes. They could have laid the new roofing over them but I decided to have all new 5/8" CDX installed at an additional cost of $1500.00 to make sure the new roof would come out looking good and last longer.

amynewbie · 04-14-2010, 06:35 PM

Thanks jim for the reply. I need to know about the materials and if what they are describing is accurate. Does any roofing professional here have any opinion on these products?? Any one please comment on what ever you know.

Can anyone guide me to a website were there are professional roofers that can answer questions?

Thanks,

Amy

AaronB · 04-16-2010, 02:03 PM

I gave you a response over ther...

seeyou · 04-16-2010, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amynewbie

I also read that its Illegal in New York to use Torch-Down because of a lot of fires reported.

I don't do torch down for that reason, but I was just working on a roof in Manhattan and all I could see was torch down for blocks, so if it's a law, it must be a new one.

There are new modified systems (I think SBS may be one) that use a heat welder rather than an open flame. I would quiz contestant #2 a little further concerning his methods.

AaronB · 04-16-2010, 06:29 PM

you can use, heat guns on APP as well. I just have never seen the guns for it.

seeyou · 04-16-2010, 06:39 PM

I've seen the same gun we use for TPO used. Just never done it, myself.