My insurance company tells me I need a new roof by March of next year.
It's at least 25 years old and I realize it's time.
Since it will require a full tear off, I know it's going to be around
$15,000.
So far I've talked to three contracting firms and none have even
bothered to come and give me an estimate. Not even a call back to
reschedule.
Is business /that/ booming?
I'm obviously getting peeved. Guess I will keep trying.
On Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 7:46:55 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
IDK, depends on local conditions. Here in NJ there was no problem
getting quotes 6 months after Sandy, when you would think they would
be extra busy. I had 3 here inside a week I think.
On Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 7:59:12 PM UTC-4, philo wrote:
One thing to think about is venting, if it's adequate, if you want to
change or add. I got rid of a power vent in favor of ridge venting
when I did mine. Another is to take a look if there is any rotting
of any of the fascia boards at the soffits. I had some, I did that
work myself. None of the companies said a word about that, IDK
what happens if they notice it at the time, ie do they offer to fix
it? It would screw up their work cycle that's for sure, they
would have to get the right material, etc. It's certainly better to do
it first, as they will put drip edge over the soffit fascia boards
and the new shingles will extend over it, etc. If you do it first,
you don't have to worry about damaging the old shingles. How about gutters?
They in good shape?
On Thu, 14 Sep 2017 17:11:49 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
+1 on ridge and soffit venting, you can dramatically prolong the life
of your roof by making this simple change.
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The problem is Donald Trump. The solution is impeachment or, the otherwise legal
removal, from office, of the greatest threat to peace the world has ever known.
I have a lead an another roofer, will get more info soon.
The gutters were replaced 25 years ago and still in good shape but there
may be some rotting wood. I will of course have them look for that and
replace as needed.
My days of going up on tall ladders are over.
Also, last time they did add a number of roof vents.
BTW: The bank owned house a few doors away is really a nightmare.
They put new gutters up right over rotted wood.
Houses in my neighborhood usually sell within a few weeks but this one
has been vacant for about a year.
Hard to believe. No absence of contractors around here. I got 4 bids
before accepting one for new deck in a few weeks. If you put your name
on one of the internet in a site like Home Advisor, they will be
contacting you. Not necessarily recommending as they had none of the
good contractors I know around here when I looked at their roofing
contractors. Roof is maybe next inline and I'm going to call the ones I
like in the Spring.
Don't hire just any roofer but make sure they are licensed with workers
comp.
Depends on where you are. About 2 years ago I also used the Home
Advisor for contractors. Sent it out around 8 AM and by lunch I had
either 3 or 4 to call . Four came out and for 28 squares it was from
about 8,000 to 18,000. I did not take the lowest,but then next to the
lowest price of just over 8,000 this was for either 40 or 50 year
shingles. As I was about 65 If they go for 30 years it should be good
enough....
As said, make sure the are insured and bonded. I asked and the
contractor showed me the paper work on that. I told him I did not want
anything to come back on me if they fell off or any other problems. My
roof was almost a 45 deg angle. About 8 men showed up and did not use
any safety equipment at all. I thought for sure some would fall off,
but they walked around the roof as if it was flat ground.
The crew came out about 2 or 3 weeks later as agreed on and was finished
in one day. This was a tear off and replace, plus cover 3 power vents
and install the ridge vent.
They took off the power vents and put in the roof ridge type as per
agreement.
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I was all over the roof in my younger days but not now. I might go up
ladder to 1st level to clean gutters but that's it.
One son that is an insurance company lawyer tells me he has several
cases in front of him where workers fell off roofs with severe injuries
like broken backs or knees that needed replacement and if they don't
have workman's comp can come after the home owner. In getting our new
deck my wife has gotten copies of insurance for not only the contractor
but for his sub that is doing the new deck.
Couple of years ago we had a carpet installer fall and punch a hole in
the wall and hurt his shoulder. PITA to get him to fix it and he did
not complain about sore shoulder.
We called our insurance company to see if we could get a rider on our
homeowners to cover workers and they said they did not sell them
although lawyer son with another company got one.
We found in contracting for our new deck that the contractors readily
supplied the information to assure us. One ditched us when we requested it.
Building permits for roofs are only required here if something like 20%
of underlying boards must be replaced. To get a building permit in this
county the contractor must be licensed, bonded and insured.
We were surprised that our home owners insurance would not cover these
workers and we could not even get a rider.
IMO, your insurance should NOT cover them, but they also should not be
allowed to sue you for injuries. They are the dumb ones getting injured
not using proper equipment or unsafe practices. My opinion does not
always hold up in court though.
Exactly!
When I knew it was time for a new roof, I drove around looking for roofers that actually used safety equipment (ropes and harnesses). I found only one so I hired them. The crew chief told me they wear harnesses because you can't make money laying in a
hospital bed.
On Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 10:13:44 AM UTC-4, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
go
n
d he
uested
n this
+1
That's how it should be, unless the homeowner specifically did something
out of the ordinary to cause the injury, eg the homeowner moved one of
their ladders and hit them in the head while doing it.
I agree with you but my son says sometimes the court will rule in their
favor. These people will appear in court all crippled up in a wheel
chair and a jury or even judge will feel sorry for them and award them
damages.
I think I mentioned elsewhere that my son got a rider from his insurance
company and thought it was about $15/year. My insurer will not sell one
and will only offer a policy for hundreds of dollars.
Bad enough dealing with contractors and we all know it is not a picnic
dealing with insurance companies. My neighbor, Poor Richard who I
mentioned here previously, had this problem when tree fell on his wife
and house last winter. It was a struggle for him to get a contractor
for his new roof at what insurance would pay and while guy he got did a
good job it was done on the weekend with employees from who knows where.
The one I settled on used that Google earth calculator. He was off by
abut 2 squares on a 28 square roof. I tried to tell him he was off,but
he said not so. Roofing crew came out and looked at the number of
shingles and said they thought there was not enough delivered. Sure
enough they setimator was off by about 2 squares, but it did not cost me
any more.
He was probably off due to how steep the roof is,but you know how it is,
can not tell anyone with the computer stuff they are wrong.
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