Roof, Roof!

Peter, we had our roof replaced about five years ago. We should be good for a while. Those roofing guys earn their money.

Peter, in Florida when homeowner put on a new roof, make sure your roof is up to code to qualify for wind mitigation discount on your Windstorm Insurance. 

A roof is something we probably rare think about day to day even though it is utterly important. At least your good for  a while, your getting yours done!

I have a rental that is 18 years old, so my turn is coming. I am not looking forward to the cost as there is a lot of oil in the shingles.

Good for you! I think that a new roof is one of the best things a homeowner can add to the property's curb appeal. It is certainly an expensive item, but a good roof will last 30 years and it certainly looks great from the street when the shingles are fresh and in good repair.

I had roofing work done and it was two stoires up. How do I know you are doing a good job...says I. The guy says, go up and check....Not for me....I changed subjects and talked about the warranty instead...

Didn't you put down tar paper or some kind of barrier between the roof and the shingles? My husband and a built a garage once, and that entailed putting on a roof. Roofing is pretty easy to do as long as you start from the right spot, which is the bottom edge and not the ridge. There is a reason, I think, that roofers are about the lowest paid construction workers out there. I mean, who really, given all the choices of things to do in construction, would choose to be on top of a hot roof in the middle of the summer?

I've looked at allot of roof and have even done some myself. It's something I prefer to hire out. I've seen new roofs leak and old ones in really bad shape not. Roofing is a hard job but some good money can be made. If you get the job done fast you get to go home or move on to the next job. Not having all the shingle they needed cost them some time and money. The key to a good roof in my opinion is in the details and making sure the flashings, chimneys, and roof penetrations are taken care of. Make sure you pop you head up in the attic after the next big storm just to check.

Peter, 

It's funny how as we age, new roof's become exciting things:-)  We got one two years ago.  Huge crew came in at 7:30 and by 2:30 in the afternoon they were on cleanup.  Impressive beyond belief.    The happy excitement this year was a steam washer and dryer.  I am really showing my age and motherhood here!

All the best, Michelle

Just did the same two years ago our 45 square roof.  Hard work, big money.

Peter:

Putting on anew roof is a process.  Our home is two stories with gables.  You couldn't pay me to get up on the roof.  Thank goodness that there are good roofers to do the job for us.

Hi Peter,  The life expectancy for roofs in our part of Florida is substantially les than other parts of the country.  The constant sun beating down onthe roof takes quite a toll.

Hi Peter,  So glad the first leak thru the house happened in the garage area.  They sure are expensive but certainly the first line of defense from the outside elements.  I had a former neighbor whose umbrella had flown over her house into the street from a huge storm......several months later a leak occurred on her roof......when the roof guys came out they found a single puncture in the roof where they think the umbrella first hit before finishing its' ride into the street......try explaining that to the insurance company.......

We redid our roof 18 months ago. We'd had a tar and gravel roof, which isn't great for Utah snow, and it only has a life expectancy of 10 years. We'd lived in the house almost 5 years, and the previous owners couldn't remember how old the roof was. We wanted to get a traditional shingle roof, which meant we had to order new trusses.

We're also crazy DIY people, so we had the trusses made and delivered, but we did everything else ourselves. It was an epic journey, and we finished the roof literally FOUR DAYS before snow flew. It really is a beautiful thing though, and every time I come home, I sigh happily as I see my beautiful new roof that still has a good 28 years of life in it.

Having a reputable licensed roofing contractor is a must for any roof repair, or construction. Many builders have been known to take short cuts. 

Peter - after much deliberation we joined the new roof generation but failed to pursue IKO's guarantee on our 25 year shingles.  They lasted less than half of the time they should have and the only way they would even consider it was if we used their shingles again

When we had to have out roof replaced we found that the builder has cut a lot of corners... Some of the board were missing... amazing...

Peter - I too wouldn't want to climb around on a roof daily as a living.

Peter, I'm not a roofer, but if there was bare wood under the shingles, I think something is wrong there.  An underlayment should be present.