I am having my roof redone. Believing in "trust but verify", what are
some of the things I should be looking while they are here and for
awhile after they have left to make sure the job is being done properly.

What kind of roofing material on what kind of roof?

Poor chimney flashing is common, not using good material or cutting it
into the mortar. Pull a permit, then you get a free inspection and dont
pay till its inspected. Unless you know roofs, get someone that does.

In article . com,
"MDT at Paragon Home Inspections, LLC"
wrote:

What kind of roofing material on what kind of roof?

Dimensional shingles on a home's roof. Do you need more information?
If so, what?

Kurt Ullman wrote:
In article . com,
"MDT at Paragon Home Inspections, LLC"
wrote:

What kind of roofing material on what kind of roof?

Dimensional shingles on a home's roof. Do you need more information?
If so, what?

I just had a new roof put on. I wanted dimensional shingles but the
roofer ruled them out because he said my roof did not have a steep
enough pitch which could result in water damage eventually. Apparently
water won't drain off the roof well enough with dimensional without a
steeper pitch. He said lots of companies will use dimensional if
customers ask for them even if their roofs lack the necessary pitch,
but he won't. So you may want to look into that.

If you're in a hurricane affected area, as I am, where roofers are very
nearly overwhelmed with business, you may also want to pay close
attention to each step of the job they do because they are having a
hard time keeping laborers and many of the workers lack experience.
Also, the guys that did mine failed to replace some rotted fascia even
though the contract specified an amount that would have allowed for it.
When they came back to check it, the first piece they checked broke
off in the guys hand, so they went ahead and did that whole side of the
house. They had to pry up the new drip edge they'd installed, then
reinstalled that same stuff, which they had to come back, again, to
replace. So they're really trying to cut costs because the cost of
materials are rising. There's more, but I won't bore you with any more
details. Just keep an eye on things.

Kurt Ullman wrote:
I am having my roof redone. Believing in "trust but verify", what are
some of the things I should be looking while they are here and for
awhile after they have left to make sure the job is being done properly.

Get details of how and where they'll use drip edge and flashing.

Make sure they are 'certified' installers for the brand roofing they
want to use.

Make sure they follow that manufacturers guidelines- download the
instructions for that partic. type roofing (brand and make/model) so
you are familiar with how it should 'look' when installed properly.

Make sure you get a wind warranty that matches your area.

If your roof needs ventilation improvements, make sure they do this
(not for free, but if it needs doing, pay 'em to do it).

If you have any current problems, make sure they know in advance.

Dave

Kurt, get a GAF factory certified roofer and have them put it on they have
an excellent warrantee program.
Muff


"Kurt Ullman" wrote in message
...
I am having my roof redone. Believing in "trust but verify", what are
some of the things I should be looking while they are here and for
awhile after they have left to make sure the job is being done properly.

Kurt Ullman wrote:
I am having my roof redone. Believing in "trust but verify", what are
some of the things I should be looking while they are here and for
awhile after they have left to make sure the job is being done properly.

All this has been said before.
Before the work is done:
Check recent clients for satisfaction.
Have a written contract.
Include unit prices for replacing sheathing & fascia.
Include specifications for replacement deck, roofing felt, shingles,
drip edge=s, and flashing.
Include - as noted by others - quality of flashing installation.
Include standards for clean-up both daily and at job end.
Include remediation for damaged shrubs and lawn.

When the job begins, keep a wrapper from the various materials and any
instructions that might be included. Check the manufacturer's web site
for installation instructions.
Don't allow installation over a wet deck.
TB

In article .com,
"al" wrote:

Kurt Ullman wrote:
In article . com,
"MDT at Paragon Home Inspections, LLC"
wrote:

What kind of roofing material on what kind of roof?

Dimensional shingles on a home's roof. Do you need more information?
If so, what?

I just had a new roof put on. I wanted dimensional shingles but the
roofer ruled them out because he said my roof did not have a steep
enough pitch which could result in water damage eventually. Apparently
water won't drain off the roof well enough with dimensional without a
steeper pitch. He said lots of companies will use dimensional if
customers ask for them even if their roofs lack the necessary pitch,
but he won't. So you may want to look into that.

This is a redo and we are replacing dimensional with dimensional.
After 20 years, I think I would have noted any problems like that (g).
BTW: Being replaces because of hail damage.

Thanks for the reply.

wrote:
Kurt Ullman wrote:
I am having my roof redone. Believing in "trust but verify", what are
some of the things I should be looking while they are here and for
awhile after they have left to make sure the job is being done properly.

All this has been said before.
Before the work is done:
Check recent clients for satisfaction.
Have a written contract.
Include unit prices for replacing sheathing & fascia.
Include specifications for replacement deck, roofing felt, shingles,
drip edge=s, and flashing.
Include - as noted by others - quality of flashing installation.
Include standards for clean-up both daily and at job end.
Include remediation for damaged shrubs and lawn.

When the job begins, keep a wrapper from the various materials and any
instructions that might be included. Check the manufacturer's web site
for installation instructions.
Don't allow installation over a wet deck.
TB

What he said, and I'll repeat.......cleanup. Nails can reak havoc on
lawn mower and vehicle tires. Make sure they run a magnetic sweep over
the areas around your house each day and it wouldn't hurt to buy a
magentic sweep for yourself. The $20 you spend on it will be worth it
before you replace or repair a $100 tire on your vehilce. Besides they
are a handy tool to have around. Tarps don't catch everything.

Main thing to remember is YOU are the SUPERVISOR. If you don't like it,
don't be afarid to tell them to redo it. As I tell my customers, I'm
going home at the end of the day, if there is something about the job
you don't like, let me know and I'll fix it.Most reputable contractors
feel the same way, but we aren't mind readers. Most aren't afraid of
questions and don't get hurt feelings if you question what they are
doing and why they are doing it a certain way. If they do get hurt
feelings about it, it might be a sign they are covering up shoddy work
and don't like the fact you called them on it. I recommend you
supervise regularly and have contractor give you progress reports
regularly.

Your local home improvement stores can serve as good information spots
for who to and not to hire for jobs. They see these contractors on a
daily basis and they hear all the gossip about who can and cannot do
the job right.

Good Luck,
JD

Lots of excellent suggestions above.

A few I'd add:

In my experience, 90% or more of "roof" leaks are actually flashing
problems - it's pretty hard to screw up shingle application (not that
some people don't manage):

http://www.homeevaluationservices.com/sliproof.JPG

but it can be quite difficult to flash intersections between the roof
and something else properly.

For starters, are you doing a "tear off", or re-roofing over the
original shingles?

IMO you may get satisfactory results with a re-roof if it's a
"simple" roof, but in my experience if there is any intersection
with a vertical surface (such as the side of a dormer) it can be VERY
difficult to (re)flash such intersections properly during a re-roof.
And even on a "simple" re-roof you want to pay close attention to
the flashing at all roof penetrations - for example many of the
vent-stack flashings that depend on a rubber collar around the stack
for water seal are old enough so that the "rubber" seal may have
deteriorated:

http://www.montanahomeinspections.co...g_flashing.jpg

and such penetrations which will require re-flashing, not just a dab
of roofer's cement to seal cracks.

Other frequent problems I see on both tear-offs and re-roofs include:

- Chimney problems not corrected before roofing. Have the chimney
inspected *before* roofing, and coordinate any repairs with both the
mason and roofer - you don't want end up seeing something like this:

http://www.joehallroofing.com/info/infofiles/cheap.jpg

which will require both masonry work (which can damage roofing) and
re-flashing (which will mean removing some newly installed shingles).

- Incorrect chimney flashings to masonry chimneys. In most areas of the
country the accepted industry best practice is "step flashing", a
series of individual flashings which extend underneath the shingles and
up the side of the chimney and are then covered with a "counter
flashing" that is set ("let in") to the mortar joints.

http://www.copper.org/applications/a.../images/57.gif

There are other ways to properly flash a chimney, but what you do NOT
want to see is roofer's cement slobbered over a "flashing", it will
start cracking, often within a year:

http://www.homeevaluationservices.com/27.jpg

or worse yet, no flashing at all:

http://www.realestateinspectorsgroup...eyflashing.jpg

- Incorrect flashing at dormer sides - generally if done properly
this is a step flashing (in this case, as seen before siding is
installed):

http://www.gfsprague.com/house_pics/...tersection.jpg

junctions with other materials, such conventional stucco or EIFS, have
somewhat different flashing methods.

As you can see this flashing is difficult to inspect during a re-roof,
and one way to save money on a tear-off is to re-use instead of
replacing it.

- No kickouts on "blind" gutter ends. Big potential damage on this
one as you may be directing water into walls. "Easier to show you
than tell you":

http://www.nachi.org/forum/attachmen...8&d=1151175817

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...o1/Stucco3.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...StoDetail2.jpg

- Gutters and downspouts not properly (re) installed and wetting
foundation. Use common sense he the water should flow off the roof
and into the gutters, not overshoot them or flow between the gutter and
the structure, once in the gutters it should flow toward the downspouts
without over flowing the sides at any point, and once in the downspouts
it should exit at least 5' from the foundation at a location graded
such that the water does not flow back toward the foundation. If you
have any doubts, have the roofer direct a garden hose onto the roof
area in question, and watch the results.

Michael Thomas
Paragon Home Inspection, LLC
Chicago, IL
mdtATparagoninspectsDOTcom
eight47-721-0776

be sure any rotten or bowed wood is replaced . if you got bad wood
the roof wont last.if it all looks bad,get all new wood on it. specify
30 year shingles by good manufacturer like corning .. around here they
stick on the cheepest tamco shingles because people just dont know the
difference. there is also a thick and thin tar paper , i go with the
thick. make sure the nails used are long enough to go all the way thru
the wood . get drip edge installed so the edges of the wood so it wont
rot on the edges. get new vents for the furnace, bathroom vent ect
installed.be sure to get enough roof vents put in,its a good time to add
more if they are needed..lucas

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

have the old shingles and tar paper removed. a roof will last
alot longer by not putting shingles over old ones.if you have a v in the
roof,have metal flashing put there,then the shingles,ive seen roovers
just put tar paper in the v and later it leaks.

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 15:34:50 -0500, (m Ransley) wrote:

:Poor chimney flashing is common, not using good material or cutting it
:into the mortar. Pull a permit, then you get a free inspection and dont
ay till its inspected. Unless you know roofs, get someone that does.

If your town is like mine, the "free inspection" won't be worth a
goddamn. The local municipal inspector didn't want to get up on my roof.
Too steep for them. I myself have been on my roof well over 100 times.
The people who reroofed my house thought nothing of climbing all over
it.

I tried to get a 3rd party to inspect my roof after the job, but it was
a waste of time. The simple fact is you better educate yourself on how
it's done right and inspect it yourself. To find that out get a lot of
estimates and ASK QUESTIONS. It's probably worth your while to get a
good book first.

My advice to you is to get recommendations. If you are in the least bit
uncertain, talk to people who have recently used the roofer you choose.
Prices vary widely, and don't necessarily reflect the quality of the job
you will get.

I also heartily recommend you not hire a company that has several crews.
I would say one or two crews, maximum. If they have 12 crews like the
company that did my roof, there's no way in the world they will have
enough supervision to make sure some of the guys aren't cutting corners.

Dan

On 11 Jul 2006 14:58:18 -0700, "
wrote:

:
:Kurt Ullman wrote:
: I am having my roof redone. Believing in "trust but verify", what are
: some of the things I should be looking while they are here and for
: awhile after they have left to make sure the job is being done properly.
:
:All this has been said before.
:Before the work is done:
:Check recent clients for satisfaction.
:Have a written contract.
:Include unit prices for replacing sheathing & fascia.
:Include specifications for replacement deck, roofing felt, shingles,
:drip edge=s, and flashing.
:Include - as noted by others - quality of flashing installation.
:Include standards for clean-up both daily and at job end.
:Include remediation for damaged shrubs and lawn.
:
:When the job begins, keep a wrapper from the various materials and any
:instructions that might be included. Check the manufacturer's web site
:for installation instructions.
on't allow installation over a wet deck.
:TB

You might want to ask them for some extra shingles - 3 packages is what
I got, in case at some future time I need to make changes on the roof,
install a vent, remove one, replace shingles, etc. That way you will
have the instructions right on the package. As stated, instructions for
installation should be at the shingle manufacturer's website as well.

Read the contract before you sign, and have them make any additions or
explanations that you need.

Get at least 3 estimates (and contracts) before you choose anyone. I'd
get several more, myself. Once they inspect your roof, they go back to
the office and work up a contract and send it to you. You should read
each contract carefully. They vary considerably.

Inspect the work as it's done and observe what they do. Don't accept
exposed nails after the shingles are installed. My roofer had literally
well over 100 exposed nails. I made them remove those shingles and
replace them with properly installed shingles before they were paid.

If there is any chance of rain whatsoever (WHATSOEVER!), make sure they
tarp at least until underlayment is in place.

Dan

On 11 Jul 2006 18:14:23 -0700, "JD" wrote:

:Main thing to remember is YOU are the SUPERVISOR. If you don't like it,
:don't be afarid to tell them to redo it.

One portion of my roof was 3/12, meaning 3 feet of rise per 12 feet of
run. The shingle install instructions stated that this required double
underlayment, and I pointed this out to the project manager. He insisted
firstly that it was 4/12, which was the minimal slope for single
underlayment. I insisted it was indeed 3/12 and made him get his
measuring instrument from his truck and he confirmed that I was right.
He said he still wouldn't fix this, that it wasn't necessary, but later
in the day he called to say he was sending a couple of guys out next day
(a Saturday) to remove the shingles and underlayment on that portion of
the roof and reinstall with double underlayment.

Getting this guy to fix all the exposed nails was a big big hassle, and
I was the guy who had to find them all. All in all it took around a
month to get them to fix the problems, and there may well be others that
I wasn't able to spot. I couldn't find someone to give me an impartial
and professional inspection, and I really did try.

I went with this company because they seemed to have the best ideas for
repairing certain problems I had. Also, their quote was relatively
reasonable. Another factor was that winter was bearing down on me and I
had to make a decision quickly. It would have been better if I'd gotten
all over the situation a couple of months earlier.

It might be OK, but I'm not sure.

Good luck!

Dan

wrote:
Kurt Ullman wrote:

I am having my roof redone. Believing in "trust but verify", what are
some of the things I should be looking while they are here and for
awhile after they have left to make sure the job is being done properly.


All this has been said before.
Before the work is done:
Check recent clients for satisfaction.
Have a written contract.
Include unit prices for replacing sheathing & fascia.
Include specifications for replacement deck, roofing felt, shingles,
drip edge=s, and flashing.
Include - as noted by others - quality of flashing installation.
Include standards for clean-up both daily and at job end.
Include remediation for damaged shrubs and lawn.

When the job begins, keep a wrapper from the various materials and any
instructions that might be included. Check the manufacturer's web site
for installation instructions.
Don't allow installation over a wet deck.
TB

I don't like the recommendations contractors furnish - much rather have
a contractor who has worked for someone I know and whose work I have
seen and speaks for itself.

For any contracting job, I feel one is miles ahead by deciding on a
product ahead of time, researching it to know the standards and methods,
and asking educated questions. You are much better prepared to filter
out the cut-and-run contractors.

After a bad roofing job, with a poor choice of product, done on our
condo, I would add to the advice above:

BE THERE when the work is being done. No staples. Nailing is a
critical issue, so make sure it is done right, right number, size and
placement.

Underlayment will be right dimension plywood, not particle board, etc.

Commencement and completion dates.

Disposal of old roofing.

The roofer claims he'll put 6 nails in each shingle with nail guns.
Are nail guns acceptable for a good roof job?