Roof replacement process/strategies

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skor99
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Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by skor99 »

I think I might need to replace the roof of my home in the near future. I just want to share my questions on how to go about it and if there are better ways to get good pricing/warranty etc.

Is it better to go with a big box store or just work with a small local company directly ? The big box store will in all probability contact the work out to a local shop, but the labor/material warranty would still be honored by the big box store. Is this Assumption correct ?

What happens if the small local company that somebody works with directly goes out of business in the next few years? Do they usually transfer the warranty to some other company?

Is it worth going through insurance if there is some wind damage etc. on the roof? How much would the insurance actually cover and would it be worth it after deductible ? ( $1500 in my case )

For a shingle roof, is it worth spending more to get ‘better’ shingles that supposedly last longer ? Do the 30 year shingles actually last for 10 more years as opposed to 20 year shingles ?
Lalamimi
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Lalamimi »

How old is the roof? Have there been storms lately? Talk to neighbors, get names of 2 or 3 reputable roofing companies and get a free quote from each. They use drones now. Review your insurance policy - probably 1% deductible. If the roofer is good, he will advise if there is hail or wind damage and can arrange to meet with insurance adjustor. Pick the one you feel will do the best job. We did this, and the roof was $29,000. Allstate paid all but the $3200 dedc.If insurance declines the claim, then decide which quote to go with. The warranty is thru the roof product, not the roofing company. GAF actually sent out an inspector after the job was done to confirm it was done properly for the 50 yr warranty. Go with a quality product.
almost forgot - within a week of Allstate paying, we got a call from our agent - our premium was lowered $300 since we now had a new roof and not a 23 yr old one, so they refund it to us. Some roofers will pad the bill to cover your deductible - not a reputable thing to do if you ask me.
Last edited by Lalamimi on Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Californiastate
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Californiastate »

I will spend extra next time for a good wrap (underlayment). I have a 50 year roof. The underlayment isn't so stout.
Topic Author
skor99
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by skor99 »

Lalamimi wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:37 am How old is the roof? Have there been storms lately? Talk to neighbors, get names of 2 or 3 reputable roofing companies and get a free quote from each. They use drones now. Review your insurance policy - probably 1% deductible. If the roofer is good, he will advise if there is hail or wind damage and can arrange to meet with insurance adjustor. Pick the one you feel will do the best job. We did this, and the roof was $29,000. Allstate paid all but the $3200 dedc.If insurance declines the claim, then decide which quote to go with. The warranty is thru the roof product, not the roofing company. GAF actually sent out an inspector after the job was done to confirm it was done properly for the 50 yr warranty. Go with a quality product.
almost forgot - within a week of Allstate paying, we got a call from our agent - our premium was lowered $300 since we now had a new roof and not a 23 yr old one, so they refund it to us. Some roofers will pad the bill to cover your deductible - not a reputable thing to do if you ask me.
Thanks - couple of questions

Was the damage on your roof substantial for Allstate to pay all of it ? I don’t think they would cover normal wear by age.

What is GAF ? And would the roof product company cover the labor as well for the warranty ?
Topic Author
skor99
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by skor99 »

Lalamimi wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:37 am How old is the roof? Have there been storms lately? Talk to neighbors, get names of 2 or 3 reputable roofing companies and get a free quote from each. They use drones now. Review your insurance policy - probably 1% deductible. If the roofer is good, he will advise if there is hail or wind damage and can arrange to meet with insurance adjustor. Pick the one you feel will do the best job. We did this, and the roof was $29,000. Allstate paid all but the $3200 dedc.If insurance declines the claim, then decide which quote to go with. The warranty is thru the roof product, not the roofing company. GAF actually sent out an inspector after the job was done to confirm it was done properly for the 50 yr warranty. Go with a quality product.
almost forgot - within a week of Allstate paying, we got a call from our agent - our premium was lowered $300 since we now had a new roof and not a 23 yr old one, so they refund it to us. Some roofers will pad the bill to cover your deductible - not a reputable thing to do if you ask me.
Thanks - couple of questions

Was the damage on your roof substantial for Allstate to pay all of it ? I don’t think they would cover normal wear by age.

What is GAF ? And would the roof product company cover the labor as well for the warranty ?
exodusNH
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by exodusNH »

skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:28 am I think I might need to replace the roof of my home in the near future. I just want to share my questions on how to go about it and if there are better ways to get good pricing/warranty etc.

Is it better to go with a big box store or just work with a small local company directly ? The big box store will in all probability contact the work out to a local shop, but the labor/material warranty would still be honored by the big box store. Is this Assumption correct ?

What happens if the small local company that somebody works with directly goes out of business in the next few years? Do they usually transfer the warranty to some other company?

Is it worth going through insurance if there is some wind damage etc. on the roof? How much would the insurance actually cover and would it be worth it after deductible ? ( $1500 in my case )

For a shingle roof, is it worth spending more to get ‘better’ shingles that supposedly last longer ? Do the 30 year shingles actually last for 10 more years as opposed to 20 year shingles ?
If you can delay roof repair for a year, I'd recommend doing that.

I had mine replaced two weeks ago. Due to COVID-related manufacturing / supply issues, materials cost as of August was 25% higher than January. The roofer was expecting another 5% or so increase in October. Out of the dozen or so colors that GAF shingles usually have, only three were in stock in the entire country.

I had called 4 different roofing companies. Only two of them called me back. One came in at $19,800. The other was $16,800. A friend of mine had his roof replaced 2-3 years ago. Roughly the same size, though mine has some mansard washes that are a bit more difficult. He spent $8,000. The sheathing did NOT need any replacement. There was only one layer of roofing. When I went to do the final payment, they told me they just quoted out a metal roof for $58,000 that would have cost $36,000 two years ago.
Big Dog
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Big Dog »

Would NOT go with big box stores. As suggested above, ask neighbors who they used. Since you seem to have some time, I'd get at least 5+ quotes. Major manufacturers will warrant the shingles (for xx years), but the labor is the expensive part. And since roofing is a tough, dirty job, it's an industry with a lot of turnover. So I just assume that even a 15-year old business (today, from whom I have just received a quote) will be gone when I made need repairs in 10+ years, i.e., don't plan on a labor warranty beyond a year or two.

btw: since you may sell at some point at least inquire if any warranty will transfer to a buyer. (many will not)
Last edited by Big Dog on Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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illumination
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by illumination »

This is definitely a job you want to put off right now if you don't currently have an issue.

Get lots of quotes and ask for recommendations from friends and neighbors. Roofing is a sort of shady business in my opinion, lots of fly by night operations. Lots of roofers actually pay big bucks for their online marketing, so be careful just relying on that.

A big box store will just take a commission and contract it out, they will just be a middle man you pay extra for.
Mr. Rumples
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Mr. Rumples »

I replaced my shingle roof in April 2020. I would never go to a big box store for this, not ever.

There are only a handful of shingle manufactures in the US. GAF is who I went with. I went to their site and used one of their trained installation companies. I checked them against every resource I could (BBB, google, yelp, home advisor types sites, the state licensing board and so forth).

Its not cheap. The GAF website will go over the different levels of warranty.

Be sure to include wood replacement, changes to attic ventilation if needed and if they have a mason to use in case they run into an issue around the chimney.

GAF shingle roofs can't be replaced when it's below 40F outside. The adhesive they use won't stick as well.

Get multiple bids, read the fine print and don't get snookered. As noted above, it can be a shady business, but it need not be; an honest installer will not pressure. I liked the fact that the owner gave me his personal cell phone number; they also ate the cost of a mistake the estimator overlooked without a blink of the eye.

Keep in mind its very messy and very loud. Thus, cover or remove everything in the attic. The amount of dust and debris that falls is phenomenal. They should also be clear about how they will clean up the yard which will have nails and debris - it can't be helped. Mine came back without asking several times to look for them.
Last edited by Mr. Rumples on Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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carolinaman
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by carolinaman »

One other thing to consider. Do you remove the existing shingles or lay the new roof over them? I have always had my old roof shingles removed. My son and I did this but I am now too old to do that. They say you can lay one set of shingles over your existing roof but I have never been comfortable with that and will pay to have the old roof removed first.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Mr. Rumples »

carolinaman wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:09 am One other thing to consider. Do you remove the existing shingles or lay the new roof over them? I have always had my old roof shingles removed. My son and I did this but I am now too old to do that. They say you can lay one set of shingles over your existing roof but I have never been comfortable with that and will pay to have the old roof removed first.
I could have done this, but there would not have been a warranty and they would not have been able to remove the bad decking and the old valley. By removing the old roof, it was brought up to current code with the valley and eaves.
"History is the memory of time, the life of the dead and the happiness of the living." Captain John Smith 1580-1631
tibbitts
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by tibbitts »

carolinaman wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:09 am One other thing to consider. Do you remove the existing shingles or lay the new roof over them? I have always had my old roof shingles removed. My son and I did this but I am now too old to do that. They say you can lay one set of shingles over your existing roof but I have never been comfortable with that and will pay to have the old roof removed first.
As far as I know everybody in the roofing business now replaces shingles vs. leaving the old ones, although in a couple of weeks I'm having a layer of decking over my existing decking, which seems like not the best idea too. I'm not willing to pay to have the old decking removed and insurance is paying for the additional decking. The weight of additional decking would be compounded by covering existing shingles.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by tibbitts »

skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:28 am I think I might need to replace the roof of my home in the near future. I just want to share my questions on how to go about it and if there are better ways to get good pricing/warranty etc.

Is it better to go with a big box store or just work with a small local company directly ? The big box store will in all probability contact the work out to a local shop, but the labor/material warranty would still be honored by the big box store. Is this Assumption correct ?

What happens if the small local company that somebody works with directly goes out of business in the next few years? Do they usually transfer the warranty to some other company?

Is it worth going through insurance if there is some wind damage etc. on the roof? How much would the insurance actually cover and would it be worth it after deductible ? ( $1500 in my case )

For a shingle roof, is it worth spending more to get ‘better’ shingles that supposedly last longer ? Do the 30 year shingles actually last for 10 more years as opposed to 20 year shingles ?
I don't understand your approach of wondering if there is damage with seemingly no reason there would be, other than old age. Generally you'll know it if you've experienced an event that would damage your roof to the extent that insurance would be involved.

Everything about roofing is local, such as what kinds of products you should consider (example: you only need hail resistance - and get a reduction on your insurance if you have it - if your area gets hail.)

Beware there are some shortages of products and colors currently. I was unable to get the light-colored (for reflectance and lower cooling costs) color I wanted with the style and features I wanted in asphalt shingles.

I'm not that excited by roof warranties, other than hoping the roofer will be around long enough to address any problems for a year or two (through one of every season at least if you have seasons.) Beware that many warranties are extra-cost. And manufacturers can usually find some way out of warranty coverage (wrong ventilation, or underlayment, or installation or something.) Asphalt roofs don't last forever. Metal lasts longer but costs more. If I had a more expensive house I might go for metal shingles. In any case if you're concerned about a warranty you'll get a good feeling from some providers and less so from others - it will be obvious.
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skor99
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by skor99 »

tibbitts wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:45 am
skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:28 am I think I might need to replace the roof of my home in the near future. I just want to share my questions on how to go about it and if there are better ways to get good pricing/warranty etc.

Is it better to go with a big box store or just work with a small local company directly ? The big box store will in all probability contact the work out to a local shop, but the labor/material warranty would still be honored by the big box store. Is this Assumption correct ?

What happens if the small local company that somebody works with directly goes out of business in the next few years? Do they usually transfer the warranty to some other company?

Is it worth going through insurance if there is some wind damage etc. on the roof? How much would the insurance actually cover and would it be worth it after deductible ? ( $1500 in my case )

For a shingle roof, is it worth spending more to get ‘better’ shingles that supposedly last longer ? Do the 30 year shingles actually last for 10 more years as opposed to 20 year shingles ?
I don't understand your approach of wondering if there is damage with seemingly no reason there would be, other than old age. Generally you'll know it if you've experienced an event that would damage your roof to the extent that insurance would be involved.

Everything about roofing is local, such as what kinds of products you should consider (example: you only need hail resistance - and get a reduction on your insurance if you have it - if your area gets hail.)

Beware there are some shortages of products and colors currently. I was unable to get the light-colored (for reflectance and lower cooling costs) color I wanted with the style and features I wanted in asphalt shingles.

I'm not that excited by roof warranties, other than hoping the roofer will be around long enough to address any problems for a year or two (through one of every season at least if you have seasons.) Beware that many warranties are extra-cost. And manufacturers can usually find some way out of warranty coverage (wrong ventilation, or underlayment, or installation or something.) Asphalt roofs don't last forever. Metal lasts longer but costs more. If I had a more expensive house I might go for metal shingles. In any case if you're concerned about a warranty you'll get a good feeling from some providers and less so from others - it will be obvious.

A roofing guy working in a nearby house came by and said that he can see some damage and will help work through insurance. Not sure how accurate he was as I don’t see anything from below and we did not experience any extra ordinary events in our area this year apart from some of the regular severe summer thunderstorms.
jharkin
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by jharkin »

skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:28 am Is it better to go with a big box store or just work with a small local company directly ? The big box store will in all probability contact the work out to a local shop, but the labor/material warranty would still be honored by the big box store. Is this Assumption correct ?
I wouldn't touch a box store with a 10 foot pole for a job like this. They contract out to the lowest bidder. Find a local outfit that gets good reviews and neighbor referrals. Find a few and get multiple bids.
skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:28 am Is it worth going through insurance if there is some wind damage etc. on the roof? How much would the insurance actually cover and would it be worth it after deductible ? ( $1500 in my case )
Generally insurance depreciates the value of the roof, so if its a "30 year" roof that is 25 years old they are not going to pay out much, even IF you can prove to the adjuster that hail caused it to fail.
skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:28 am For a shingle roof, is it worth spending more to get ‘better’ shingles that supposedly last longer ? Do the 30 year shingles actually last for 10 more years as opposed to 20 year shingles ?
This is complicated question and there is no one size fits all. The same shingle can last longer or less than the warrantied age based on how well its installed, the underlayment and roof decking, how sunny or shaded the roof is, your local climate/weather, how well the roof is insulated, etc. I generally buy the longest warranty I can afford and I strongly recommend paying the small premium to install an architectural shingle vs. 3-tab. It makes a big difference in curb appeal.
skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:43 am What is GAF ? And would the roof product company cover the labor as well for the warranty ?
GAF is one of the major asphalt shingle manufacturers. Certainteed is another. Ive lived in homes with both and did a full re-roofing with GAF lifetime architectural shingles ~ 5 years ago.

Generally the installer will give you just a 1-5 year warranty on the labor. The shingle warranty (anything from 20 years to lifetime) is backed by the manufacturer and covers the cost of materials to replace the roof - that in theory can be honored by any contractor if you keep documentation to prove purchase.

Just as important is the shingle you choose is the rest of the install:
* Are they putting in proper ridge vents if required?
* What underlayment do they use? (good installers now use hi tech synthetics rather than 15lb felt tar paper)
* If you are in a cold region are they installing ice and water shield appropriately?
* Do the y do a full tear off and inspect the roof deck and repair/replace any questionable wood?
* Do they properly flash all penetrations - vent stacks, skylights, etc
* Do they use a good quality drip edge?

Lalamimi wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:37 am They use drones now.
I hope not.

First off, any roofer worth your time should actually walk the roof to identify if there are multiple layers to remove and look for soft spots or water damage that may indicate some of the wood structure and decking needs repair (this will save you from expensive surprises after they start)

Also, if they are "using drones" for business to be legal they need a Part 107 FAA commercial certificate and registration. They may need LAANC authorization depending on local airspace rules. And if they are flying low over any other property than yours they may need landowner permission in a lot of jurisdicitons. I seriously doubt your average contractor driving a beat up F150 is doing all that. At most they may look at google map to get a rough dimensional measurement and quote off that, but I would dismiss such a quote out of hand as it will probably be wildly inaccurate based on all the factors discussed above.
Last edited by jharkin on Thu Oct 21, 2021 3:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
RetiredAL
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by RetiredAL »

skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:20 pm
A roofing guy working in a nearby house came by and said that he can see some damage and will help work through insurance. Not sure how accurate he was as I don’t see anything from below and we did not experience any extra ordinary events in our area this year apart from some of the regular severe summer thunderstorms.
Red flag about this roofer! He's trying to scare up business.
tibbitts
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by tibbitts »

RetiredAL wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:27 pm
skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:20 pm
A roofing guy working in a nearby house came by and said that he can see some damage and will help work through insurance. Not sure how accurate he was as I don’t see anything from below and we did not experience any extra ordinary events in our area this year apart from some of the regular severe summer thunderstorms.
Red flag about this roofer! He's trying to scare up business.
Well, virtually all the most legitimate roofers do this too. It's just part of the business, so I don't think it says much.

The issue is when in the process you need to sign your life away. After a storm the vast majority of roofers won't even provide estimates until you've signed an agreement to pay everything you get from insurance to them. That's just how it works. But if you haven't had a storm, then you can get actual estimates. I would say if you have a bunch of roofers say that insurance will replace your roof, you probably have a good chance that's true. There's no harm in having them examine the roof. Just don't sign anything.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by tibbitts »

jharkin wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:21 pm
Lalamimi wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:37 am They use drones now.
I hope not.

First off, any roofer worth your time should actually walk the roof to identify if there are multiple layers to remove and look for soft spots or water damage that may indicate some of the wood structure and decking needs repair (this will save you from expensive surprises after they start)

Also, if they are "using drones" to be legal they need a Part 107 FAA commercial certificate, registration and LAANC authorization for the flight. And if they are flying low over any other property than yours they need landowner permission. I seriously doubt your average contractor driving a beat up F150 is doing all that. At most they may look at google map to get a rough dimensional measurement and quote off that, but I would dismiss such a quote out of hand as it will probably be wildly inaccurate based on all the factors discussed above.
I think what he means is that all roofers now use a service like Eagleview to provide the roof measurements. I haven't seen any roofers flying drones, and almost every house in my area has had a roof replacement in the past few months.
exodusNH
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by exodusNH »

jharkin wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:21 pm
Lalamimi wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:37 am They use drones now.
I hope not.

First off, any roofer worth your time should actually walk the roof to identify if there are multiple layers to remove and look for soft spots or water damage that may indicate some of the wood structure and decking needs repair (this will save you from expensive surprises after they start)

Also, if they are "using drones" to be legal they need a Part 107 FAA commercial certificate, registration and LAANC authorization for the flight. And if they are flying low over any other property than yours they need landowner permission. I seriously doubt your average contractor driving a beat up F150 is doing all that. At most they may look at google map to get a rough dimensional measurement and quote off that, but I would dismiss such a quote out of hand as it will probably be wildly inaccurate based on all the factors discussed above.
One of the people that did a quote ordered satellite photos of my house.

The other person that actually returned my call, from a company that's been in business for 20 years, took some rough measurements and printed the quote right in the driveway.
harrychan
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by harrychan »

My strategy is to combine it with a solar install and get tax credit for the roof replacement.
This is not legal or certified financial advice but you know that already.
tibbitts
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by tibbitts »

exodusNH wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:51 pm
jharkin wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:21 pm
Lalamimi wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:37 am They use drones now.
I hope not.

First off, any roofer worth your time should actually walk the roof to identify if there are multiple layers to remove and look for soft spots or water damage that may indicate some of the wood structure and decking needs repair (this will save you from expensive surprises after they start)

Also, if they are "using drones" to be legal they need a Part 107 FAA commercial certificate, registration and LAANC authorization for the flight. And if they are flying low over any other property than yours they need landowner permission. I seriously doubt your average contractor driving a beat up F150 is doing all that. At most they may look at google map to get a rough dimensional measurement and quote off that, but I would dismiss such a quote out of hand as it will probably be wildly inaccurate based on all the factors discussed above.
One of the people that did a quote ordered satellite photos of my house.

The other person that actually returned my call, from a company that's been in business for 20 years, took some rough measurements and printed the quote right in the driveway.
But the question is whether you asked for a quote to replace the roof or whether you asked for an inspection to evaluate damage/condition. I don't think anyone would use a satellite photo to evaluate damage... now that would be a red flag. But if you just want a quote, the services are more accurate than they used to be. My roof shrank since my last re-roofing 12 years ago by about 10%. I argued (since insurance adjustments are based on size), but measuring proved that Eagleview (the newer estimate) got it right.
exodusNH
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by exodusNH »

tibbitts wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:13 pm
exodusNH wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:51 pm
jharkin wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:21 pm
Lalamimi wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:37 am They use drones now.
I hope not.

First off, any roofer worth your time should actually walk the roof to identify if there are multiple layers to remove and look for soft spots or water damage that may indicate some of the wood structure and decking needs repair (this will save you from expensive surprises after they start)

Also, if they are "using drones" to be legal they need a Part 107 FAA commercial certificate, registration and LAANC authorization for the flight. And if they are flying low over any other property than yours they need landowner permission. I seriously doubt your average contractor driving a beat up F150 is doing all that. At most they may look at google map to get a rough dimensional measurement and quote off that, but I would dismiss such a quote out of hand as it will probably be wildly inaccurate based on all the factors discussed above.
One of the people that did a quote ordered satellite photos of my house.

The other person that actually returned my call, from a company that's been in business for 20 years, took some rough measurements and printed the quote right in the driveway.
But the question is whether you asked for a quote to replace the roof or whether you asked for an inspection to evaluate damage/condition. I don't think anyone would use a satellite photo to evaluate damage... now that would be a red flag. But if you just want a quote, the services are more accurate than they used to be. My roof shrank since my last re-roofing 12 years ago by about 10%. I argued (since insurance adjustments are based on size), but measuring proved that Eagleview (the newer estimate) got it right.
I'm not the OP. Just posting my experience. I needed a new roof since I had two different leaks as a result of the 12" of rain we got in July. I've been in the house for 16 years. The roof was a few years older than that. (My guess is it's from 1999.) I was hoping to get through the COVID-supply nonsense, but luck was not on my side.
tibbitts
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by tibbitts »

exodusNH wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:16 pm I'm not the OP. Just posting my experience. I needed a new roof since I had two different leaks as a result of the 12" of rain we got in July. I've been in the house for 16 years. The roof was a few years older than that. (My guess is it's from 1999.) I was hoping to get through the COVID-supply nonsense, but luck was not on my side.
I'm just saying that providing an estimate based on imaging is okay, so if you had asked "how much to reroof?", then these days it would be common for nobody to show up (especially during a pandemic) and simply provide an estimate based on imaging. If you had asked "do I need a new roof?", then in-person inspection would be required.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Sandtrap »

Go to a roofing contractors supple center and talk to their customers service rep to get contractor referrals.
Be sure the roofing contractor is licensed, bonded, and insured.
Avoid other sources.
Avoid big box stores.
Avoid helpful Harry
Avoid handyman and unlicensed companies.

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skor99
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by skor99 »

Thanks for all the responses. Couple of follow on questions

Based on what exodus said ( wait a year if possible), is there a certain age by which a roof should be replaced or does it only have to be when you see damage on the roof? My roof is
18 years old and is the original one from the builder.
Are original builder roofs generally of a lower quality that absolutely need to be replaced by a certain time ?

I also see things like ridge vents/flashing etc mentioned here. Are those things always a part of a roof replacement or is that something extra that one has to pay for ? Also, since all this is not visible from the ground, how would somebody verify that all this has been done properly?
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Sandtrap
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Sandtrap »

skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 2:47 pm Thanks for all the responses. Couple of follow on questions

Based on what exodus said ( wait a year if possible), is there a certain age by which a roof should be replaced or does it only have to be when you see damage on the roof? My roof is
18 years old and is the original one from the builder.
Are original builder roofs generally of a lower quality that absolutely need to be replaced by a certain time ?

I also see things like ridge vents/flashing etc mentioned here. Are those things always a part of a roof replacement or is that something extra that one has to pay for ? Also, since all this is not visible from the ground, how would somebody verify that all this has been done properly?
Just have several licensed roofing contractors inspect your roof.
They will replace flashing as needed also attention to any fascia or other damage.
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Last edited by Sandtrap on Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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exodusNH
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by exodusNH »

skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 2:47 pm Thanks for all the responses. Couple of follow on questions

Based on what exodus said ( wait a year if possible), is there a certain age by which a roof should be replaced or does it only have to be when you see damage on the roof? My roof is
18 years old and is the original one from the builder.
Are original builder roofs generally of a lower quality that absolutely need to be replaced by a certain time ?

I also see things like ridge vents/flashing etc mentioned here. Are those things always a part of a roof replacement or is that something extra that one has to pay for ? Also, since all this is not visible from the ground, how would somebody verify that all this has been done properly?
Usually you get a "20-year" roof. How long it lasts is difficult to guess since it depends on how well it was installed, your weather, and your "local climate", meaning are you shaded, or do you get no sun on one side of the house, lots of leaves in the fall, etc.

I've had a couple of smaller leaks over the years because I lost a shingle in a wind storm. Over the last two years, I have noticed the "shingle sand" in my gutters as well as small bits and pieces of shingles periodically scattered in the yard. I had the house power washed in 2019, and that guy said that I was going to need one soon based on what he saw. The death knell was the history-setting rain we had in July. Lots of sustained rain leaked through a very shallowly-sloped portion of the roof. Driving rain came in via the flashing on the chimney.

If you pay for for an inspection by an independent home inspector (like you'd do before you bought a house), they should be able to give you a good idea of the shape of your roof.

As for verifying whether the work was done correctly, that's more difficult. You need to go by the reputation of the builder. I suppose you could pay for an after-installation inspection, too.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Bass4 »

The quality of the roofing job is based upon the crew that you get. A roofing company may have multiple crews (and they are probably 1099) and some will be better than others.
Four years ago we had our roof replaced by a reputable company because of hail damage.
This spring, we had a contractor replacing some rotted facia and when he pulled off the wood, he saw that the roof had no underlay eat in that area.
We called our roofer contact and he went up and verified the problem.
He had a crew come out to fix it immediately and they ended up having to pull back and redo 1/3 of the work. Thankfully they stood behind their work, but we could have had a bunch of future problems if this had not been discovered.

We didn’t have a chance to inspect it as it was being initially installed, and likely would not have realized it anyway.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Misenplace »

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (how we spend our money as a consumer).

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Tubes
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Tubes »

tibbitts wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:42 pm
RetiredAL wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:27 pm
skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:20 pm
A roofing guy working in a nearby house came by and said that he can see some damage and will help work through insurance. Not sure how accurate he was as I don’t see anything from below and we did not experience any extra ordinary events in our area this year apart from some of the regular severe summer thunderstorms.
Red flag about this roofer! He's trying to scare up business.
Well, virtually all the most legitimate roofers do this too. It's just part of the business, so I don't think it says much.

The issue is when in the process you need to sign your life away. After a storm the vast majority of roofers won't even provide estimates until you've signed an agreement to pay everything you get from insurance to them. That's just how it works. But if you haven't had a storm, then you can get actual estimates. I would say if you have a bunch of roofers say that insurance will replace your roof, you probably have a good chance that's true. There's no harm in having them examine the roof. Just don't sign anything.
This right here!!!!

We had a storm last spring with pea sized hail. Seriously, it did zero damage. But we had all kinds of "roofers" come through wanting to work with insurance. They all had the same shtick, which was to sign an exclusive contract with them to work with your insurance to fix the roof. Basically, sign your life away before they would do anything. Exclusively bind you to them only.

I would never do this. I had to literally chase some of these bozos off my property. One set a telescoping ladder up against my house without my permission and he had it at bad angle that was dangerous. He was creating liability without my permission. Terribly bad.

It is not right to sign something to say "I'll only work with you bind myself to your negotiations with my insurance." Sorry. Nope. Not going to do that.

In the end, my 26 year old roof is going to have to last a few more years until this pandemic madness ends. I will not bow down to these scammers. Will I use insurance? Probably not, but if I do, it will be my negotiation, not some third party. And in the end, I'm not sure I want to make a claim for what is simply an old roof. It is no wonder our home insurance rates are going through the roof. (No pun intended.)

BTW, I have a friend who signed one of these and the company made him engage in a three way phone call with insurance where he was coached in how to lie what to say. Does this sound right? No, it does not.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by brian91480 »

Lalamimi wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:37 am If the roofer is good, he will advise if there is hail or wind damage and can arrange to meet with insurance adjustor.
This happened to me several years ago. I needed a new roof. It was old, past its expected replacement date, and shingles were starting to peel up. I called a few roofers for estimates.

Only 1 roofer out of the 3 said I had hail damage, and promised me a $1,000-ish rebate. And he had the lowest bid of the 3... even without the rebate.

I went with him. I got a new roof... and a completely unexpected (and ridiculous) $1,000 rebate to boot.

I can't understand how that happened... all these years later.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Sandtrap »

Bass4 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 4:26 pm The quality of the roofing job is based upon the crew that you get. A roofing company may have multiple crews (and they are probably 1099) and some will be better than others.
Four years ago we had our roof replaced by a reputable company because of hail damage.
This spring, we had a contractor replacing some rotted facia and when he pulled off the wood, he saw that the roof had no underlay eat in that area.
We called our roofer contact and he went up and verified the problem.
He had a crew come out to fix it immediately and they ended up having to pull back and redo 1/3 of the work. Thankfully they stood behind their work, but we could have had a bunch of future problems if this had not been discovered.

We didn’t have a chance to inspect it as it was being initially installed, and likely would not have realized it anyway.
Very true.
I’ve met contractors and other trades that avoid found work on my personal home when they find out I’m a Licensed (old timer) General Contractor and journeyman in several trades. OTOH reputable contractors welcome it because they have nothing to hide, have confidence in their crews, and enjoy relating to a peer vs inexperienced homeowner.

Every homeowner should inspect job progress frequently on any project.

When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
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StevieG72
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by StevieG72 »

As another poster suggested, talk with neighbors.

I got a good recommendation and had my roof and siding done.

30 yr shingles are the way to go.
Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by firebirdparts »

I can't really help you. I'll say this;
1. The house either requires attention to detail or it doesn't. It makes a huge difference. You may or may not need skillful and conscientious roofers. The difference here is the degree to which your house deviates from two simple planes intersecting at the top. The way houses are built now, they're difficult to roof adequately. You need lots of flashing done properly. On the other hand, a ranch house could be adequately roofed by a middle school class.
2. It's all local. Nobody knows if they're going to get a good job until they get it. You'll just have to ask around.
This time is the same
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Tubes
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Tubes »

It is local, until it isn't. The storm damage chasers frequently come from out of town. Avoid them.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Toons »

Lowes


:happy
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Capsu78
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Capsu78 »

skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 12:20 pm
tibbitts wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:45 am
skor99 wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:28 am I think I might need to replace the roof of my home in the near future. I just want to share my questions on how to go about it and if there are better ways to get good pricing/warranty etc.

Is it better to go with a big box store or just work with a small local company directly ? The big box store will in all probability contact the work out to a local shop, but the labor/material warranty would still be honored by the big box store. Is this Assumption correct ?

What happens if the small local company that somebody works with directly goes out of business in the next few years? Do they usually transfer the warranty to some other company?

Is it worth going through insurance if there is some wind damage etc. on the roof? How much would the insurance actually cover and would it be worth it after deductible ? ( $1500 in my case )

For a shingle roof, is it worth spending more to get ‘better’ shingles that supposedly last longer ? Do the 30 year shingles actually last for 10 more years as opposed to 20 year shingles ?
I don't understand your approach of wondering if there is damage with seemingly no reason there would be, other than old age. Generally you'll know it if you've experienced an event that would damage your roof to the extent that insurance would be involved.

Everything about roofing is local, such as what kinds of products you should consider (example: you only need hail resistance - and get a reduction on your insurance if you have it - if your area gets hail.)

Beware there are some shortages of products and colors currently. I was unable to get the light-colored (for reflectance and lower cooling costs) color I wanted with the style and features I wanted in asphalt shingles.

I'm not that excited by roof warranties, other than hoping the roofer will be around long enough to address any problems for a year or two (through one of every season at least if you have seasons.) Beware that many warranties are extra-cost. And manufacturers can usually find some way out of warranty coverage (wrong ventilation, or underlayment, or installation or something.) Asphalt roofs don't last forever. Metal lasts longer but costs more. If I had a more expensive house I might go for metal shingles. In any case if you're concerned about a warranty you'll get a good feeling from some providers and less so from others - it will be obvious.

A roofing guy working in a nearby house came by and said that he can see some damage and will help work through insurance. Not sure how accurate he was as I don’t see anything from below and we did not experience any extra ordinary events in our area this year apart from some of the regular severe summer thunderstorms.
I am in the middle of an insurance claim as I type this. The "magic", so to speak, is a specific storm event in your area in the last 180 days. I had the 20 year old roof checked last year by a restoration company who found damage, but he didn't have an event to use in the claim. Cue up the day after Labor Day and we had a storm line that rolled on through that actually pulled a shingle off. The same company reached out to me and said let's inspect...got the drone and guy on the roof inspection, he submitted the claim for me, arranged the meet up with the insurance company adjustor and the claim sailed through- minus the deductible and $2000 for depreciation... Includeds new covered gutters and oversized downspouts. I didn't even have to notify my agent although they called me to see if everything else was ok.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by carolinaman »

tibbitts wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:32 am
carolinaman wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:09 am One other thing to consider. Do you remove the existing shingles or lay the new roof over them? I have always had my old roof shingles removed. My son and I did this but I am now too old to do that. They say you can lay one set of shingles over your existing roof but I have never been comfortable with that and will pay to have the old roof removed first.
As far as I know everybody in the roofing business now replaces shingles vs. leaving the old ones, although in a couple of weeks I'm having a layer of decking over my existing decking, which seems like not the best idea too. I'm not willing to pay to have the old decking removed and insurance is paying for the additional decking. The weight of additional decking would be compounded by covering existing shingles.
Thanks Tibbitts. My son, a remodeler, said to always replace the shingles because not removing the old shingles may hide roof problems plus the added weight on a roof cannot be good. I am convinced. Pay to replace the old shingles.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Tubes »

carolinaman wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 7:07 am Thanks Tibbitts. My son, a remodeler, said to always replace the shingles because not removing the old shingles may hide roof problems plus the added weight on a roof cannot be good. I am convinced. Pay to replace the old shingles.
Extra layers also make it harder to repair. Or add a new penetration. And so on.

Start with a clean, clear deck.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by andypanda »

"I wouldn't touch a box store with a 10 foot pole for a job like this. They contract out to the lowest bidder."

The Lowe's my father used when he was 83 only required that a contractor be able to pass the simple contractor's test in order to get on the list and wait for their turn to come up.

Halfway through the job a large predicted storm blew through and flooded 1/3 of the house because the clowns didn't properly cover the roof. Oh, guess what, it was their first job - they lied about their experience to my father's face.
The Lowe's manager called in emergency crews to dry it, brought 3 new dehumidifiers that were free gifts, called in flooring, carpeting, drywall crews, etc. My father hired an inspector who documented that the new shingles that were left were not nailed properly and weren't even straight, etc.

Lowe's had another company cover the roof and brought in a huge regional company that was just finishing up a new high school and got the entire mess straightened out at no additional cost to my parents. Pain in the butt though.

Did I mention that my father paid a lawyer to send the inspector's report to Lowe's? If he had been younger and more agile, my father would have been up on the roof after the first day to check out the work. Fwiw, I lived hours away and didn't know he was doing the roof until it was started.
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by tibbitts »

Tubes wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 7:09 am Extra layers also make it harder to repair. Or add a new penetration. And so on.

Start with a clean, clear deck.
When I first read this I read "extra lawyers" and was about to reply that I agreed. But yes extra layers can be an impediment too.
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Tubes
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by Tubes »

tibbitts wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 10:27 am
Tubes wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 7:09 am Extra layers also make it harder to repair. Or add a new penetration. And so on.

Start with a clean, clear deck.
When I first read this I read "extra lawyers" and was about to reply that I agreed. But yes extra layers can be an impediment too.
Ha ha! You were still shocked over the previous post about hiring lawyers. 8-)
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Re: Roof replacement process/strategies

Post by andypanda »

"You were still shocked over the previous post about hiring lawyers."

A small town lawyer, even one with an office on Main Street, doesn't charge very much to have his secretary type two sentences and put it in an envelope with the inspector's report.
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