Set #3 of Frequently asked questions and answers about roofing jobs, roof job problems & about how to resolve a disupte between roofing contractor and client:

This roofing job problem resolution article series gives advice to homeowners who have had an unsatisfactory roof repair or "new roof" installation job on their home. We describe hiring a roof inspector, what information to collect, what to report, and what to do with that information in obtaining satisfaction.

Questions & Answers on How to resolve roofing job problems, defects, disputes

These questions & answers about resolving disputes with roofing contractors were posted originally DISPUTE RESOLUTION on ROOF JOB PROBLEMS - be sure to see our advice given there.

On 2016-08-09 by (mod) - how long can building stay wet without a mold problem?

D Lara:

If water-soaked insulation, drywall, wood framing and sheathing all were wet and not dried out in 24-48 hours after the event there's a good chance that there is mold contamination in those materials. You'll need an on-site expert to explore, evaluate, and recommend what cleaning is needed.

The basic steps are:

Find the extent of mold or wet materials that can 't be cleaned and remove them
Fix the cause of the leakage

Waiting while the contractor disputes your claim makes the situation worse and ultimately more costly.

On 2016-08-09 by D Lara

After 3D Roofing Company replaced my roof, a few days later it rained my kitchen ceiling was leaking tons of water my ceiling was swelling I have a cathetral ceiling the water was ruining down my wall, now my wall might have mold 😂 It's been about a month and no call no show:( they took my sky light off and put a board to cover the hole:( omg don't know Wht to do

On 2016-05-12 by RICH WEIR - after charley I had my roof replaced with GAF timberline

after charley I had my roof replaced with GAF timberline. turns out GAF made a lot of love singles and, I got them I have been 6mo trying to resolve this with GAF while my roof is leaking they get no stars

On 2016-04-07 by (mod) - roof leaks up-slope from the gutters

Glends

I'm confused: I've seen gutters back up and cause ice dams and related leaks, but I haven't seen a gutter that prevents leaks up-slope from the gutter. I think you need help from a different roofer or from a roof inspector to give an impartial diagnosis.

Alternatively, a clogged gutter problem or a roof venting problem can cause ice dams or other water backups into the roof above, leading to leaks.

In any event, the absence of gutters would be hard pressed to explain leaks in a roof.

On 2016-04-07 by Glends - absence of gutters blamed for leaks in an existing roof

There is a section where the garage roof and the porch roof join that was initially leaking.

I asked for the rain and ice shield to be used in that location. When the roofers replaced the roof, the same area still leaks like it did before.

The roofer insists I need gutters to stop the leaking on the roof area above the leak. This roof had never had gutters and didn't leak for 16 years. What do I do besides call the roofer back, which I have done several times?

On 2015-10-26 14:47:01.539278 by Bonnie Russell

A so call contractor is putting timberline shingles on my roof. Before he can finish the job,it's leaking and messing up my ceilings. By the way it's been 3 weeks now and he still haven't finish. It's a mobile home. What should I do?

On 2015-08-03 by (mod)

Anon and other readers, Use the "Click to Show or Hide FAQs" link just above to see recently-posted questions, comments, replies, or for recently posted questions and answers see

https://InspectAPedia.com/roof/Roofing_Contract_FAQs.php

Question: Roof from Hell: after a roofing company installed a new roof it leaked badly.

The roofer told me to contact my homeowners insurance company and file a claim but did nothing to fix the problems. Other roofers don't want to get involved. What now?

On or about September 2009 I had a new roof installed on my house in Queens, NY. The house had 3-4 layers of old roofs. I contracted J&B Home Improvements to install a brand new roof, which they did for the sum of $16,000.00. and was paid in full at the termination of the job.

However, the first big rain storm, March 2010 I had water falls coming down the interior walls of my house. I have water stains and ceiling stains and mold from this first episode of rain inside the house.

I called Mr. Jeff Bershad, J&B Home Improvements but he would not come to see the damage and only told me to file a homeowners insurance claim. I have tried many times to contact Mr. Bershad as we have had so much rain this season and the interior of my house continue to get water damage. He disregarded all my contacts.

I finally hired a new contractor to install flashing/step flashing on my new roof, which cost me $400.00 and come to find out due to Mr. Bershad not installing flashing on the roofs that transition from the back and front porch to the main house, he basically left an open gap or black band all around the house that looked very unsightly and unfinished.

He also did not install ice and water shields or drip edge as reported from the new contractor who I had to hire to stop the rainfalls.

The new contractor did install black flashing on the roof to prevent further water damage/waterfalls. However, at this point I am left with an incomplete/unfinished roof, with maybe more faulty issues.

I have filed a complaint with Consumer Affairs and that is in the works. However, I have had other contractors come to assess the roof and I have been told that the best thing to do is request that the new faulty roof be removed and start anew, due to the fact that the flashing, ice and water shield, drip edge all needed to be installed prior to the shingling was put down.

Many of the new contractors have stated they do not want to take on this job/headache and have passed on the job. Between a rock and a rotten roof job,

Help! What can, should I do? Thank you for your attention. [Name witheld]

Reply: use a qualified expert to inspect, interview, review invoices, document the results in writing, and give the roofer one more chance before pursuing legal remedy

You did the right thing to start: you called the original contractor to tell him you had serious problems. In my OPINION it is a very poor contractor and actually a foolish one who won't return to the job site when the customer has a complaint. Refusing to even look at the work misses an opportunity to please the client, learn about mistakes, and protect or even improve one's reputation. Everyone makes mistakes. It's what we do about them that distinguishes the amateurs (or worse) from responsible professionals.

Hire an independent professional roof inspector: At this point you may best be served by hiring an independent and well qualified inspector (perhaps a senior home inspector with roofing background) to inspect the job, review your work invoices and payments, interview you and take a case history, and then write a well organized, photo-documented roof report that is unambiguous and compelling in its clarity.

Where there are specific errors in the roofing job that violate proper roofing practices the report should cite authoritative references such as the roof shingle manufacturer's instructions or roofing details from ARMA (Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers' Association) or NRCA (National Roofing Contractors' Association).

Watch out: There are some construction contractors in every field may have vehement opinions expressed with great confidence, but they may be poorly informed, haven't read the instructions on the package, or sometimes just dead wrong.

Other roofing contractors may be well qualified to tell you what errors or omissions they find in your roof job, but most are not English majors and not inclined to write adequate roof inspection reports. Similarly, many engineers, construction consultants, and home inspectors may be willing to inspect and report as I described, but may lack adequate experience and qualifications specifically for roofing.

A home inspector or a home inspector working with an expert roofer, and one who can cite authoritative sources may be sufficient if s/he works with detail and care and is articulate in writing.

Obtain estimates for repair of the building interior and contents damage due to roof leaks. The work needed now is more than just a roof that doesn't leak. Water damage to the building and its contents need to be evaluated and addressed. If you really had water running down the building walls then wall cavities that have been wet will need to be opened, cleaned, and reinsulated.

Watch out: leaving water in modern building walls and ceilings for more than 48 hours creates a high risk of potentially very costly mold contamination and mold cleanup work would then be needed. Also, your insurance company may take issue with a damage claim if you did not take reasonable steps to protect the home and contents when you observed the leak problem. Leaving things wet for days would be an example of a big mistake.

Contact the original contractor again and give him/her a copy of the report and damage estimates along with your letter asking for satisfaction.

If the roofing contractor still won't respond properly or adequately, your recourse is with either a construction attorney and suit (and perhaps a final settlement), or with a construction arbitration hearing. The American Arbitration Association provides construction arbitrators in most cities in the U.S.

Contact your insurance company because you have had water damate and interior losses. At the very least, for purposes of a claim you will need a statement about what insurance is covering and what is omitted.

Roof from Hell - Follow-up Update

I have been meaning to get back to you with an update. Things seem to be going OK, I think. ( I have a mission/direction) Here is what I did since the last I spoke with you. As soon as I read your last email. I quickly fired off letters/complaint forms to: Consumer Affairs, GAF, BBB, Attorney General office, my homeowners Ins.co. and became a member to Angie's List. I then interviewed 5 different roof contractors and got professional advice and estimates referred from Angie's list.

While I had all these letters/complaints in the works with no assurance or relying on a good outcome, I had to proceed with the next step, which was to get a new roof as best I can relying on the wisdom, knowledge and compassion from these new contractors and knowledge and wisdom of my past experience.

Anyway, during this time, slowly but surely things got even worst, I noticed shingles, hip caps, nails flying off my roof during windy and stormy days, so the statement made by previous contractors regarding other faulty issues with the roof and their reluctance to take on the headache of a roof were probably valid, ( I had a feeling these contractors had seen or experienced this kind of crappy roof work before). I sent those loose shingles and hip caps to GAF for investigation.

As of this date what I can say: is that

• Consumer Affairs after many hearings has ruled in my favor and has ordered J&B Remodeling to pay me restitution of a new roof plus damages.
• GAF is still investigating and I hope that they will supply me with new shingles, and stand behind their product warranty etc. BBB is a joke and consumers should not waste their time nor rely in any way what this BS business has to offer which condones the thievery and outright butchering of innocent, hard working citizens.
• The Attorney General's office as well as Angies' list has been notified, and J&B can count on an F rating from me, for his unprofessional, unethical business tactics and shoddy workmanship.
• My homeowners insurance I hold in reserve, as filing a claim is a double edge sword, which can result in loosing your insurance all together and/or higher rates, as well, not being able to get H/O insurance until the issue is resolved fully anywhere else and then there is the fact that you are in essences paying for this shoddy roof job twice, maybe even three times when its all said and done, which makes J&B an accomplice in filing unscrupulous insurance claims, and thus letting J&B off the hook;
  
  getting paid for a lousy roof job. J&B has no business being in business, he has ruined my house, my home life, caused me unnecessary grief and heartache. I have not seen a penny from any of my efforts above, I can only hope that I will be blessed somewhere down the road.
• My new roof is scheduled to be installed in 2-3 week, we will finally find out what exactly was or wasn't done. So that is the latest I only hope the final ending to this nightmare is near over. Thanks for your support and checking in with me. I will continue to update.

Again thanks . A.S.

Question: roofer covered over a roof vent and over the winter the drywall on the ceiling of the garage fell down

(Sept 9, 2014) Shelly said:
Our roofer covered over a roof vent and over the winter the drywall on the ceiling of the garage fell down (from water build up). The garage is unheated and is uninsullated. The roofer says the covered vent would not cause the condensation build up. Is this true?

Reply:

Shelly

I can't see your building so don't know quite what's what. In general, closing roof exit or intake vents can increase moisture accumulation in the roof cavity.

But a lot of moisture accumulation in a roof over an unheated garage would be odd - unless warm moist air enters that roof space from over the heated portion of the building. That makes me agree - in part - with your roofer.

Why not ask an experienced home inspector to take a look to tell you not only the condition of the roof venting but the moisture sources involved. Finding out where the moisture came from and where else it's making trouble are the first key steps to take.

Question: Is it appropriate to ask the contractor to take pictures to show the job is complete before paying?

(Nov 7, 2014) Douglas Elinson said:

I just had a small $350 job replacing shingles done on an area of my roof I cannot see. I am unable to get up on the roof myself.

I asked the crew if they would take before and after pictures but they just shrugged. Is it appropriate to ask the contractor to take pictures to show the job is complete before paying? And what is the best way to handle any blowback?

Or should i just take i as a lesson learned? Like i said it's a $350 job.

Question: Will water damage an unfinished roof?

(Dec 5, 2014) Kevin said:

Will water damage an unfinished roof?

Reply:

Kevin

Typically not if the roof is allowed to dry thoroughly before installing roof covering.

Provided the rain occurs before "dry in" - so other building components aren't damaged by water, this is not a rare event in construction.

Prolonged wetting might in my OPINION damage plywood sheathing, causing it to delaminate.

Roofing over wet materials such as felt or decking that have not dried can damage the roofing material and might void a warranty. And of course if it rains before a roof is complete and steps were not taken to protect the building interior the damage there could be significant.

Question: The roofing contractor said eventually the lumpy shingles will flatten.

(Jan 10, 2015) Anonymous said:

I just had my roof installed and there are so many ripples and bumps. It looks horrible. The contractor said eventually they will flatten.

The shingles were delivered on jan. 2 and were laying up on the peek of the house for 7 days before being installed. We had a few nites in the teens this week so that must have affected the shape of the shingles. Will they flatten?

Reply:

Ano

It's indeed the case that in cold weather it can take a long time for shingles to seal down - one needs sunlight and higher temperatures.

You want to determine if the ripples are due to poor workmanship, improper nailing, nailing over an uneven substrate, or simply shingle tabs that are slightly lifted or "up" from not sealing.

Ask your roofer if he agrees that if the shingles are not sealed flat on the roof by the end of may he''ll re-roof.

Question: Clarify the scope of work in your roofing contract before signing up

3 August 2015 Anonymous said:

my roofing company that I signed an intent with is telling me that I need to use them for the whole replacement cost (including interior) job. I have my own contractor for the interior. I don't want to use them and I should not have to when it comes to other items than the roof.

Reply:

This sounds worrisome to me too. If the roofing company is a roofer, what "interior" work could we be discussing here? If the company is a general contractor who covers all building surfaces, yes they might be appropriate for interior work. I'm unclear what you're asking about.

But I would be VERY wary about a pushy company if I felt manipulated or forced in any way. If you're not happy during the honeymoon the time later is likely to be far worse.

Question: should I hire this roofer?

(Apr 27, 2015)

Mrs. Jones said:
I have asked family and friends to refer me to “their” roofing contractors and have collected several contact names. I’m doing my online research, but wanted to find out: is it that important to hire one who is licensed, insured and bonded?

All three? I have found one roofer, who has done a lot of roofing jobs, I’ve called his past clients (who are all satisfied with his work), I have even visited a couple of his in-process roofing jobs, and it looks like he is very thorough and diligent.

But, I can’t find him or his business info online.

No registration. I can’t find anything on him/his business.

I’ve asked him directly about it and he said he is a sub-contractor for a big company and that they “handle” all of the necessary credentials. I’ve called several of his past clients and they had nothing but superlatives on him and they never had any problems with him. One even said she had a small leak, but that was due to a severe storm which knocked-down her chimney and he came up and fixed it – no problem.

My questions is: should I hire him? He seems like an alright guy – and knows his stuff about roofing systems. But I don’t know who this “big company” he works for – he will not disclose this. And that’s when a red flag appears. My gut tells me to go with him, but my brain says – steer clear!

[Re-posting without disallowed advertising link included by Mrs. Jones]

Reply:

Mrs.

I don't think I can sort this question out either. Important are your conversations with the roofer's prior clients. The roofer may be competent, honest, reliable, but operating "off the grid" without license, permit, insurance. All of which can be fine until something goes wrong - like a worker falling off of a roof.

Check with your local better business bureau and local building department about the existence of any complaints, legal actions, and about the local requirements for licensing of contractors in your area.

(May 22, 2015) Mrs. Jones said:

I have consulted with a few more people and after reading your reply, I had decided to go with another, but fully credentialed local roofing company.

Just as you suggested, I found them on BBB, checked for complaints, pending lawsuits and online reviews. I even visited our local building department to see if they heard or dealt with this company – all is good.

Reply:

Nice going. Let us know if specific questions come up and we'll do our best.

Comment:

(Aug 24, 2011) Anonymous said:
I will be glad to comment.

This was an excellent article. This gives me the tools to be able to understand and ask important questions to potential roofing contractors. I sincerely appreciate the person or persons responsible for this article.

Reply:

Thanks so much, Anon, for the very nice remarks. We are work hard to make our information as accurate, complete, useful, and unbiased as possible, and to that end we very much welcome critique, questions, or content suggestions for our web articles. Working together and exchanging information makes us better informed than any individual can be working alone.

InspectAPedia is an independent publisher of building, environmental, and forensic inspection, diagnosis, and repair information for the public - we have no business nor financial connection with any manufacturer or service provider discussed at our website.

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Continue reading at RESOLVING ROOF JOB PROBLEMS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see ROOF JOB DISPUTE FAQs-4 - more-recent questions and answers about resolving disputes with a roofing contractor

Or see these

Roofing Contractor Articles

• BEST ROOFING PRACTICES
• ROOFING CONTRACTOR CERTIFICATIONS
• ROOFING CONTRACTOR, FIND & CHOOSE
  • STEP 1: FINDING A ROOFER
  • STEP 2: CHOOSING A ROOFING CONTRACTOR
  • STEP 3: CHOOSING ROOF MATERIAL
  • STEP 4: NEGOTIATE ROOFING CONTRACT
  • STEP 5: LETTING THE ROOFER ROOF
  • STEP 6: RESOLVING ROOF JOB PROBLEMS
• DISPUTE RESOLUTION on ROOF JOB PROBLEMS

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ROOF JOB DISPUTE FAQs-3 at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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