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Need Advice ASAP. New home, seller is paying to replace roof

5K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  Slyfox 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi all,

I have the great fortune to be buying a house in the DFW area from a seller that is willing to replace the roof. I'm supposed to go in tomorrow morning to discuss the brand and color of the shingle that I'm getting.

After reading some of the threads here, I'm a bit disconcerted about the process. I've read that it's advisable to wait until the weather warms up, so that the tar strip will melt, and the shingles will soften to adjust to the roof's shape. I don't have the luxury of time, and there is a good chance that it will be high 40s, with lows in the 30s when they do replace the roof. What can I, or the roofer, do to minimize the impact of this, and what can the repercussions be? I imagine that there might be issues with water wicking underneath the shingles if they don't adjust to the contour of the roof?

I'm going to copy the estimate that they provided:

Joe Hall Roofing said:
Remove (1) layer of existing 3-Tab shingles. Install 15# ASTM D4869 (code required) asphalt felt underlayment.
Install a new 3-Tab fiberglass shingle roof (manufacturer's warranty is 20 years).
Replace all existing vent boots with new lead vent flashings (4). Reuse HVAC vents and flashings. Paint vent flashings to match new roof.
Reset and seal chimney flashings.
Install new 24" (code required) metal closed in valleys.
Reuse existing 1½" x 1½" pre-painted metal edge.
Install standard 3-tab ridge product on all hips and ridges.
Install (4) new heavy-duty Lomanco lifetime warranty wind turbines and (2) new low profile vents 5in a pre-finished color to match new roof.
Seal all penetrations. Hand nail only with 1¼" nails.
Clean up roof related debris outside of house and magnetically roll yard.
Color: Owner's choice. Please visit our showroom to select a shingle style and color to best match your home.
New shingle: TAMKO Glass Seal, CertainTeed CT20, Owens Corning Classic or customer's choice of equal.
Project bid to use 24 squares. Pitch: 5:12 & 8:12
Three year contractor watertight warranty. Lifetime annual inspection for maintaining roof integrity at homeowner's request.

Notes:
**The roof is showing excessive signs of granular loss, hail may have hit home at one time, however, it is difficult to see due to the condition of
the shingle, seller may want to consult with insurance company. A buyers insurance company may not accept the roof in its current as insurable
~Homeowner should have a HVAC contractor inspect the gas burn-off stack for safety after roof is installed.
~Bid does not include any deck replacement or repair. Deck replacement is $2.25 per square foot (if needed).
~Customer is responsible for retuning of roof mounted satellite dish unless noted otherwise.
~Structural integrity of substrate will not be corrected with reroofing process.
Are there any issues with this process? The roofer came highly recommended, and they appear to have a lot of good/educational information on their site. The roofer's website is http://www.joehallroofing.com/

I'm thinking of going with the CertainTeed CT20 shingle, however, I discussed impact-resistant roofing with them, and they will work up a quote that would have me paying the difference if I decided on any upgrades.

Please, any advice would be appreciated, as I feel completely overwhelmed.
 
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#2 ·
I would upgrade atleast' to a 25 yr 3-tab, 30 yr dimensional if possible.

Most contractors steer away from reusing flashing's, vents, etc., but it can be done assuming the existing is in good enough condition.

I have installed shingles in both 3-tab and dimensional style from each of the manufacturers they listed with out having problems.

Daily highs in the 40's is acceptable temps for installing shingles.

Ridge vent is better than turbine vents, but the turbine do work if installed properly.

Depending on your location, ice & water shield may be something worth asking about.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the response.

We chose the OC Classic. He had mentioned that if we went with CertainTeed and the color was only covered with the XT25, that they would eat the cost and allow the free upgrade. However, he seemed to prefer the way that the granules were embedded into the shingle on the OC, making it feel a bit more durable, so we decided to go with that because we liked the color better. He also told us that he felt the tack down(?) strip at the bottom of each shingle was better on the OC, which, to us, did appear to be the truth (the CT was about half as wide/tall as the OC tar strip).

It's worth noting that he talked us out of impact resistant and dimensional shingles once he explained the warranties and found out that my insurance company wouldn't give me a discount for either, as well as the penchant for really nasty hail/wind storms that destroy roofs every 7-10 years, regardless of quality.

Apparently the 4 Lomanco turbines was a mistake by their receptionist, but because they had a signed contract he said that they would honor it. Instead of the overkill that 4 turbines would be on that house, we decided on two turbines and two low profiles on the second story, and they would add three low profile vents to the garage attic on the first floor (the only part of the first floor with a roof).

I did notice that the front of our house doesn't have ANY eave vents, and he told me that he will swing by today or tomorrow to look at it and determine what course of action we should take there.

I do feel remiss in not asking about the ridge vent, but unfortunately it slipped my mind until after we had left.

Is there anything that I should still be concerned about? I am terribly concerned about proper ventilation, and obtaining an equal, or slightly higher, intake level. What is the best way to test for this?

Again, thank you for your quick response.
 
#4 ·
I should also add that he mentioned a lot of the issues with shingle loss stems from improper installation methods, such as using staples instead of hand nails. He seems to swear by hand nailing.

It's unfortunate that this thing has to move at such a quick pace, because I'd love to be able to take the time to perform proper due diligence. However, no matter how I cut it, it does appear that I'm at least getting a reputable roofing company to install a brand new roof on my home, so maybe I shouldn't complain too much. :)
 
#5 ·
The majority of roofers do use nails nowadays, most use nail guns but hand nailing is fine, I prefer hand nailing also.

To get an idea of roof ventilation needed you can use a ventilation calculator.

Proper ventilation for your roof comes in three (3) steps,
1. Intake
2. Unobstructed Flow
3. Exhaust
Neither of the three steps will perform fully with out the other.
 
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