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Roof problems - please help

5K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  Peter Curtis 
#1 ·
First I want to thank you for your time in answering my questions.

I live in Florida and had major damage to my house from the Hurricanes. The contractor is finally getting around to working on my roof. They were supposed to replace the entire roof, but when I went to check their progress the other day, they only replaced 1/4 of the roof (where the major damage was), and tried to match the shingles. When I called the supervisor to complain, he said it was miscommunication, and would advise them to take the roof off.

The workers then took off small sections at a time and reshingled those areas before moving to the next section. What I am left with is misaligned shingles.

Also, they shingled over a hole without bracing the deck underneath it and now I have soft spots there.

Additionally, the flashings for my pipes coming out of the roof have the aluminum sticking out over top of the shingles (it was not this way on my last new roof just 1 year ago). The shingles were over the flashings.

My husband then noticed that they shingled over rotten plywood on the corner of the house and also that they did not even replace broken and missing fascia (?) (the wood behind the metal flashing on the edges of the roof).

I stopped the workers (sub-contractors) until I could talk with the actual contractor. (They have the back side of the house done, not the front).

Do you think that I am being reasonable by requiring that they remove the entire roof and start over?

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
Michelle said:
They were supposed to replace the entire roof, but when I went to check their progress the other day, they only replaced 1/4 of the roof... the supervisor said it was miscommunication
Michelle, do you have a contract? What does it say they are supposed to do?

Michelle said:
The workers then took off small sections at a time and reshingled those areas before moving to the next section. What I am left with is misaligned shingles.Also, they shingled over a hole, the flashings for my pipes coming out of the roof have the aluminum sticking out over top of the shingles and they shingled over rotten plywood on the corner.Do you think that I am being reasonable by requiring that they remove the entire roof and start over?
I don't see why you'd want them back on your property.,
 
#3 ·
pipeguy said:
Michelle, do you have a contract? What does it say they are supposed to do?


I don't see why you'd want them back on your property.,
The contract is about 40 pages long of work to be done. (I had major damage from Hurricane Frances). The roof was to be replaced in its entirety, including any rotted or damaged wood, fascia, etc. No, I told the main contractor today that I did not want those roofers back on my property and that I wanted the roof torn off completely and replaced properly.

I also contacted the original roofer that I used in March of 2004 to put that roof on. They are going to come out sometime this week to see what they can do for me. I had been extremely pleased with their work.

The contractor was supposed to call me when he was on his way to my house today (I am relocated due to the damage) so that I could meet him there. He has yet to call me, so I will be calling him again tomorrow.
 
#4 ·
Michelle,

No you are not wrong to expect that the entire roof be torn off and replaced.

I would simply tell the contractor "either you come back and do the job that you contracted to do or I will contact the prosecutors office and file a compliaint.....period!"

I waste your time pussy-footin' around with this guy
. He agreed to do the job so it is his responsibility to do the job.

I am so sick and tired of these contractors who don't do the job that they are supposed to do. It only serves to make those of us who are responsible and legitimate contractors look bad. It really torques me when they do that!
 
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#5 ·
The contractor has assumed responsibility for the subcontractor he hired. They agreed that the roof job was definitely poor workmanship, and they themselves would not accept it. They should be re-doing it this week.


After I had posted, I also noticed that on the 1/4 of my roof that was damaged by the falling tree, the subcontractors replaced the plywood but neglected to place clips in about 8 places, along with broken and bent clips in other places.

It was also pointed out to me by another roofer that this subcontractor used spruce wood for the fascia/soffit and that it should be pressure treated wood.

I am happy that the contractor did not try to make me think that this roof job was ok. They admitted right off the bat that they thought the job was poor also, and are taking responsibility to have it done right.

Thanks for responding!

Michelle
 
#8 ·
Michelle, you were misinformed. Most common, structural wodds are accepted here. Most may not be the best but they are legal. I just went back with cedar on one of my homes, I figured that if the (original) garbage install lasted 30 yrs., then a good install should last much longer.
 
#9 ·
It sounds like you have been scammed by a storm chaser. ALL damaged, rotten, or "soft" wood must be replaced, including fascia. Whenever any vent, pipe, skylight, or any other object which penetrates the roof is removed, the hole must be plugged in a way that will insure it is as strong as the surrounding wood.
I recommend hiring a qualified, licensed inspector to look at this mess. Then, take the report to the agency which issues permits, inspects jobs, and licenses contractors - along with a copy of the contract. If you took pictures, have them with you.
Don't let this guy walk away from his mess. Make him pay for a competent roofer to do it the right way.
 
#12 ·
It sounds like you have a lot of real problems, but re the flashing around a roof penetration, the downside HALF of some of the aluminum flange should be on top of the shingles. Think of the flat part of the flashing as just another shingle, it goes under the one above it and over the one below it.

It's possible that the old one was black plastic or painted and so you didn't notice it.
 
#13 ·
Cedar shakes can offer long life. However, they do age very quickly, often becoming warped and ugly in the process. In addition, they are loved by insects and critters, most of which are inedible or simply "taste like chicken." P&B!
Finally, they are a huge fire hazard when compared to nearly every other roofing material available - except thatch.
 
#15 ·
Liquid rubber is not a good option for any sloped roof.
The best option on a roof of 3/12 pitch or steeper is a good, strong, deck without warping or damage, covered by ice & water barrier per Code requirements plus around all roof deck penetrations and along all roof/wall junctions. Then covering the entire roof with a top quality synthetic underlayment (replacing the old felt-tar paper). I recommend Titanium UDL 30.
Now you can choose your roof material. If going with asphalt shingles, I would recommend the Malarkey Legacy first. After that, the Grand Sequoia by GAF.
If going with painted, standing seam steel, I recommend 24 ga. "snap lock." Another excellent steel product is the Almet (Gerrard) stone-coated panel. This is one of the most wind-resistant steel roofing systems I have ever seen. There are two possible drawbacks - $$$ and washing off leaves, and pine needles.
 
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