roof leaking / bad contractor

c8871 · 06-21-2006, 01:27 AM

I hired a roofing contractor Nov. 2005 to tear off my old roof and install a new one.
I hired this company based on a positive referral. I just recently found out the company was sold to someone else before I had the work done, and I was never given this information.
I got my new roof installed at the end of Nov. 2005. Ever since (now going on 8 months later) I still have a water leak every time it rains. It is impossible to get this guy to return my repeated phone calls. When I first noticed the leak, (within days of the install, and after full payment was given) I called the guy and left voice mail messages for him to call me. I would call 1-2 times a day until he would call me back. This usually would take somewhere between a week or two before he would contact me. After all this time, he has come back to do repairs aprox 6-8 times. He still has not fixed the leak. He will not return my calls now. I have tried for the past 3 weeks. No call back from him. I reported his company to Better Business Bureau. I later found out BBB is basically useless. Going back over my paper work I found out the permit was pulled by a different company.
I contact the other company and they said they would try to help me out by contact the original company and have them contact me. This has not happen yet.
I have water damage to my ceiling; the popcorn finish has fallen off. I am unsure at this time to the damage in my attic and possible wall due to the water coming in. There also may be some mold and mildew due to this water intrusion.
Can someone please offer some good advice to solve this problem?
I do not have the resources to hire another company to come out and fix the leak then seek damages from the original company.
If I have to file a lawsuit against the roofing company should I also file against the company who pulled the permit?

**joasis** · 06-21-2006, 07:32 AM

L*A*W*Y*E*R........take your paperwork in for a lawyer to look at. Yes, you go after the roofing contractor that pulled the permit. You might want to call the city building inspector since this was a permit job, NOT DONE CORRECTLY, and see if he can pressure the guy. One thing you need to be really aware of is long term damage from continually being wet. Mold is no laughing matter...

Bonus · 06-21-2006, 11:00 AM

Yep, lawyer up. The building inspector could help too, like Joasis says.

redline · 06-21-2006, 05:04 PM

Take photos of all damage. Interior and exterior.
Send a certified letter to the roofer indicating that the job is of poor quality and that the roof has now leaked and damaged the interior of the house.

The roofer is now responsible for the cost of th repair of the roof and the repair of the interior if it his fault.

Get estimates for repair of the roof.
Get estimates for repair of the water damage to the interior.

MrNoMaintenance · 06-23-2006, 03:46 PM

Another thing to keep in mind --- if you will be pursuing this in court, there may be a legal requirement for you to take all reasonable action to mitigate any further damage. Somehow, you should try to find a way to stop the leakage even if it’s only a temporary “band aid” type of measure.

As stated by other posts, document every little detail you can, including what you did to avoid further damage. It can make all the difference between winning and loosing.

06-21-2006, 01:27 AM	#1
c8871 Newbie Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1	roof leaking / bad contractor I hired a roofing contractor Nov. 2005 to tear off my old roof and install a new one. I hired this company based on a positive referral. I just recently found out the company was sold to someone else before I had the work done, and I was never given this information. I got my new roof installed at the end of Nov. 2005. Ever since (now going on 8 months later) I still have a water leak every time it rains. It is impossible to get this guy to return my repeated phone calls. When I first noticed the leak, (within days of the install, and after full payment was given) I called the guy and left voice mail messages for him to call me. I would call 1-2 times a day until he would call me back. This usually would take somewhere between a week or two before he would contact me. After all this time, he has come back to do repairs aprox 6-8 times. He still has not fixed the leak. He will not return my calls now. I have tried for the past 3 weeks. No call back from him. I reported his company to Better Business Bureau. I later found out BBB is basically useless. Going back over my paper work I found out the permit was pulled by a different company. I contact the other company and they said they would try to help me out by contact the original company and have them contact me. This has not happen yet. I have water damage to my ceiling; the popcorn finish has fallen off. I am unsure at this time to the damage in my attic and possible wall due to the water coming in. There also may be some mold and mildew due to this water intrusion. Can someone please offer some good advice to solve this problem? I do not have the resources to hire another company to come out and fix the leak then seek damages from the original company. If I have to file a lawsuit against the roofing company should I also file against the company who pulled the permit?

06-21-2006, 07:32 AM	#2
joasis General Contractor Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 868	roof leaking / bad contractor LAWYE*R........take your paperwork in for a lawyer to look at. Yes, you go after the roofing contractor that pulled the permit. You might want to call the city building inspector since this was a permit job, NOT DONE CORRECTLY, and see if he can pressure the guy. One thing you need to be really aware of is long term damage from continually being wet. Mold is no laughing matter...

06-21-2006, 11:00 AM	#3
Bonus renovations Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 430	roof leaking / bad contractor Yep, lawyer up. The building inspector could help too, like Joasis says.

06-21-2006, 05:04 PM	#4
redline Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,083	roof leaking / bad contractor Take photos of all damage. Interior and exterior. Send a certified letter to the roofer indicating that the job is of poor quality and that the roof has now leaked and damaged the interior of the house. The roofer is now responsible for the cost of th repair of the roof and the repair of the interior if it his fault. Get estimates for repair of the roof. Get estimates for repair of the water damage to the interior.

06-23-2006, 03:46 PM	#5
MrNoMaintenance Property Manager Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 35	roof leaking / bad contractor Another thing to keep in mind --- if you will be pursuing this in court, there may be a legal requirement for you to take all reasonable action to mitigate any further damage. Somehow, you should try to find a way to stop the leakage even if it’s only a temporary “band aid” type of measure. As stated by other posts, document every little detail you can, including what you did to avoid further damage. It can make all the difference between winning and loosing. Last edited by MrNoMaintenance; 06-24-2006 at 12:10 PM.

roof leaking / bad contractor