Photograph of GAF shingles improperly applied on a domed roof

Advice About Choosing a GAF Master Elite^TM Roofing Contractor
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Choosing a GAF Master Elite^TM Roofing Contractor
Roof shingle manufacturer certification programs for roofing contractors
How to get the best roofing job on your home
Questions & answers about choosing a roofing contractor and the GAF Master Elite roofing contractor certification & warranty program

This website discusses how to get the best roofing job.We give an example of a "bad" roofing contractor, discuss roofing contractor certifications such as the GAF Master EliteTM roofing contractor certification program, and we give some simple tips on how to get a good roofing job.

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Choosing a Reliable, Qualified, Good Roofing Contractor

The photograph above shows a laminate-type roof shingle installed improperly on an irregular dome-shaped roof. (This was job was not done by a GAF Master Elite^TM or Other Certified Roofing Contractor. The roofer who put these shingles in place probably lacked proper training - something which some roof contractor certification programs are trying to address. But don't assume that every "certified" roofer is one you want to do business with.

Photograph of GAF shingles lost from a steep roof

Questions and Answers about GAF Master Elite Roofers or Other Roofing Contractor Certification Programs - How to Get a Good Roofing Job

The following opinion based on both having worked as a roofing installer as well as having inspected more than 5,000 residential & commercial roofs for defects. Additional comments and opinions from readers about roofing warranties, contractors, and the GAF Master Elite or similar programs may be posted below.

OPINION: The roofing contractor training requirement and contractor certification is a great idea and we applaud the example set by the apparent intent of this program.

Watch out: remember that there can certainly be fully competent roofers who can do a great job but who do not have that title, and a roofer who is NOT a GAF Master Elite^TM contractor may prefer to use a different and equally good or even better roofing product.

And conversely, there are contractors in and outside certification programs whose work has been the subject of reader complaints. The GAF Master Elite^TM roofing contractor designation seems to be a marketing program that recommends a specific GAF roof shingle product line and which features the requirement for some training by GAF.

The GAF Master Elite^TM name sounds great. What does it actually mean?

the roofing contractor is licensed [if your state requires licensing]
the roofing contractor carries insurance [most likely as required by your state]
the roofing contractor has a "proven reputation" [I consider this marketing language since the details of what this means are not specified]
the roofer will recommend GAF's "Weather Stopper(R) 5-part roofing system - this roofing choice may offer a more extensive warranty than some other products. For example, as some roofers report, some [not all reported] roofs may be covered for labor and materials, without pro-rating. (This subtlety may mean that your roofer is specifically pushing GAF products which are easily available at local building supply stores like Home Depot or Loews rather than trekking to an independent building supplier where prices for competing products (Bird/Certainteed™) may be a bit higher).
the roofer has taken one or more training courses in roofing from GAF - this is potentially a valuable claim. Some people in construction have not even read the instructions on the package (of shingles in this case).

Watch out: Some roofing contractors are simply folks who own a pickup truck and a hammer, and who view construction more or less like making a sandwich - you go to the store, buy peanut butter, and come to the job and spread the peanut butter (in this case building materials or shingles) over the surface of the building. It's "on there" by hook or crook, with no effort to apply the materials according to the best practices of the industry or according to the specifications of the manufacturer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) & reader comments about roofing contractor certification programs and roof product & installation warranties

Choosing a GAF Master Elite^TM or Other Certified Roofing Contractor - reader OPINION

In response to the homeowner question just below, we reply with comments about roofer "certification programs" offered by GAF or other roof shingle manufacturers, about shingle life, about shingle warranties, and about how to get the best roofing job for your home.

As a homeowner here in Michigan, my home now needs a new roof. Well after searching the internet for different brands of shingles we have found that GAF had a class action lawsuit against them for a long period of time involving almost all of their product line. We are in this early failure period.

We had GAF Timberline 30 laminated shingles installed on my roof back in 1994. The cause, premature thermal splitting that was determined in the court of law. Well at this point there is nothing we can do to correct the problem. So much for this part!

Our main concern is that we are currently working with a roofing company on an estimate for a replacement roof.

They are a certified Master Elite roofing contractor through GAF. Home building talk show hosts such as Tom Silva, Joanne Liebeler and Ron Hazelton all talked about the quality of GAF products and the importance of having a Master Elite contractor installing them.

Our question is this: To your knowledge, would you possibly choose GAF as a shingle of choice for your home? Have they worked out the problem from the past? What is your opinion on GAF products? If you could please email me back with a personal opinion, It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

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ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR

CERTIFICATIONS for ROOFING CONTRACTORS
  Questions and Answers about GAF Master Elite
  Anecdote of a "Bad" Roofing Contractor
  The GAF Master Elite^TM roofing program
  How to Get the Best Roofing Job

GAF Corporation: www.gaf.com/General/GAFintro_MAIN.asp is the company's website.
GAF Corporation history and derivation of the GAF name: www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/GAF-Corporation-Company-History.html you can read the history of the company and see the derivation of its name - General Analine and Film - though we doubt it's important in understanding modern roofing materials.
Consumers shopping for a roofing contractor should not be confused between marketing promise and contractor competence in any building field.

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop. The Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ^® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.

Asphalt Roofing Residential Manual,
Built-Up Roof Systems, Manual, C.W. Griffin, Mcgraw-Hill (Tx); 2nd edition (July 1982), ISBN-10: 0070247838, ISBN-13: 978-0070247833
Concrete Folded Plate Roofs, C. Wilby PhD BSc CEng FICE FIStructE (Author), Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998, ISBN-10: 0340662662, ISBN-13: 978-0340662663
Concrete Shell Roofs, C. Wilby PhD BSc CEng FICE FIStructE (Author),
Concrete Dome Roofs (Longman Concrete Design and Construction Series),
Concrete Roofing Tile, History of the, Batsford, 1959, AISN B000HLLOUC (availble used)
Copper Roofing, by CDA
Copper Roofing, Master specifications for copper roofing and sheet metal work in building construction: Institutional, commercial, industrial, I.E. Anderson, 1961 (hard to find)
Corrugated Iron, Building on the Frontier, Simon Holloway
Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide, Edmund C. Snodgrass, Lucie L. Snodgrass, Timber Press, Incorporated, 2006, ISBN-10: 0881927872, ISBN-13: 978-0881927870. The text covers moisture needs, heat tolerance, hardiness, bloom color, foliage characteristics, and height of 350 species and cultivars.
Green Roof Construction and Maintenance, Kelley Luckett, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2009, ISBN-10: 007160880X, ISBN-13: 978-0071608800, quoting: Key questions to ask at each stage of the green building process Tested tips and techniques for successful structural design Construction methods for new and existing buildings Information on insulation, drainage, detailing, irrigation, and plant selection Details on optimal soil formulation Illustrations featuring various stages of construction Best practices for green roof maintenance A survey of environmental benefits, including evapo-transpiration, storm-water management, habitat restoration, and improvement of air quality Tips on the LEED design and certification process Considerations for assessing return on investment Color photographs of successfully installed green roofs Useful checklists, tables, and charts
Historic Slate Roofs : With How-to Info and Specifications, Tina Skinner (Ed), Schiffer Publishing, 2008, ISBN-10: 0764330012 , ISBN-13: 978-0764330018
Low Slope Roofing, Manual of, 4th Ed., C.W. Griffin, Richard Fricklas, McGraw-Hill Professional; 4 edition, 2006, ISBN-10: 007145828X, ISBN-13: 978-0071458283
- Roof failure causes in depth (and specific methods for avoiding them)
- Roof design fundamentals and flourishes, based on voluminous industry research and experience
- New technologies and materials -- using them safely and correctly
- Comprehensive coverage of all major roofing systems pecifications, inspection, and maintenance tools for roofing work
Metal Roofing, an Illustrated Guide, R.A. Knowlton , [metal shingle roofs],
Patio Roofs, how to build, Sunset Books
Problems in Roofing Design, B. Harrison McCampbell, Butterworth Heineman, 1991 ISBN 0-7506-9162-X (available used)
Roofing The Right Way, Steven Bolt, McGraw-Hill Professional; 3rd Ed (1996), ISBN-10: 0070066507, ISBN-13: 978-0070066502
Slate Roofs, National Slate Association, 1926, reprinted 1977 by Vermont Structural Slate Co., Inc., Fair Haven, VT 05743, 802-265-4933/34. (We recommend this book if you can find it. It has gone in and out of print on occasion.)
Roof Tiling & Slating, a Practical Guide, Kevin Taylor, Crowood Press (2008), ISBN 978-1847970237,
If you have never fixed a roof tile or slate before but have wondered how to go about repairing or replacing them, then this is the book for you.Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â Many of the technical books about roof tiling and slating are rather vague and conveniently ignore some of the trickier problems and how they can be resolved.Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â In Roof Tiling and Slating, the author rejects this cautious approach.Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â Kevin Taylor uses both his extensive knowledge of the trade and his ability to explain the subject in easily understandable terms, to demonstrate how to carry out the work safely to a high standard, using tried and tested methods.Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â
This clay roof tile guide considers the various types of tiles, slates, and roofing materials on the marketÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â as well asÃƒâ€šÃ‚Â their uses, how to estimate the required quantities, and where to buy them. It also discusses how to check and assess a roof and how to identify and rectify problems; describes how to efficiently "set out" roofs from small, simple jobs to larger and more complicated projects, thus making the work quicker, simpler, and neater; examines the correct and the incorrect ways of installing background materials such as underlay, battens, and valley liners; explains how to install interlocking tiles, plain tiles, and artificial and natural slates; covers both modern and traditional methods and skills, including cutting materials by hand without the assistance of power tools; and provides invaluable guidance on repairs and maintenance issues, and highlights common mistakes and how they can be avoided. The author, Kevin Taylor, works for the National Federation of Roofing Contractors as a technical manager presenting technical advice and providing education and training for young roofers.
The Slate Roof Bible, Joseph Jenkins, www.jenkinsslate.com, 143 Forest Lane, PO Box 607, Grove City, PA 16127 - 866-641-7141 (We recommend this book).
Slate Roofing in Canada (Studi4es in archaeology, architecture, and history),
Smart Guide: Roofing: Step-by-Step Projects, Creative Homeowner (Ed), 2004, ISBN-10: 1580111491, ISBN-13: 978-1580111492
Solar heating, radiative cooling and thermal movement: Their effects on built-up roofing (United States. National Bureau of Standards. Technical note), William C Cullen, Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govt. Print. Off (1963), ASIN: B0007FTV2Q
Tile Roofs of Alfred: A Clay Tradition in Alfred NY
"Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
Wood Shingle Roofs, Care and Maintenance of wood shingle and shake roofs (EC), Stanley S. Niemiec (out of print)
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Choosing a Reliable, Qualified, Good Roofing Contractor

The GAF Master EliteTM name sounds great. What does it actually mean?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) & reader comments about roofing contractor certification programs and roof product & installation warranties

Choosing a GAF Master EliteTM or Other Certified Roofing Contractor - reader OPINION

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

The GAF Master Elite^TM name sounds great. What does it actually mean?

Choosing a GAF Master Elite^TM or Other Certified Roofing Contractor - reader OPINION