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Old 03-21-2011, 04:17 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
1,454 posts, read 2,479,124 times
Reputation: 1982

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We are considering purchasing a property but I have concerns over a section of the roof. We will be getting a full survey but I wanted to get the thoughts of the group.

There is evidence of a water leak starting from above the top of the downstairs window, and from the outside it looks like the shake planks above that window are in bad shape. The upstairs roof in question is just in front of and below the window. On the inside of the house, in the crawl space, the wood is wet and starting to go rotten & grow fungus. Finally you'll notice that the shakes in this area appear to have nails through them, whereas the rest of the roof doesn't have nails protruding to such a degree, which makes me think someone has botched a repair.

Since the property is bank owned, we are unlikely to be successful in asking the bank to fix the roof, so it will most likely be on my dime. Any ideas how much it costs to replace part of a roof like the part pictured?

I've not owned a house with cedar shakes before, anything else I should watch out for?

Thanks in advance

- Tim
Attached Thumbnails
Water leaking through cedar shake roof-p1020437-custom-.jpg   Water leaking through cedar shake roof-p1020520-custom-.jpg   Water leaking through cedar shake roof-p1020522-custom-.jpg   Water leaking through cedar shake roof-p1020525-custom-.jpg  
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Old 03-21-2011, 04:33 PM
 
23,510 posts, read 69,890,838 times
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I hate it when there is no overview to be able to place images within proper relation mentally. IF pictures 2 & 3 are showing the back of picture 4 then the real problem is not the shakes, but water entering down the wall and flashing above the shakes. Is that window at the top of picture four a window above the window in picture one?
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Old 03-21-2011, 05:16 PM
 
Location: Beautiful Niagara Falls ON.
10,016 posts, read 12,517,382 times
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First off, I don't like cedar shake roofs. They have a lot of problems. If they are dry and a spark lands on the roof. goodby house. Bugs like to get into them and can get into the house through them. If the house is in the shade they rot big time. They typically do not last as long as the shake people claim. Most times in 20 years they are done. Now, having said all of that it looks to me that the roof has some minor issues. If you put up better pics I could tell you exactly what the problem is. It looks like water is getting in where the shakes are up against the wall flashing and at the eave. These are both easily fixed things. Post some pics of the entire roof so we can see the overall condition of it. I have torn off many shake roofs and replaced them with far better materials. I really can't understand the use of them at all. They were a good roof when there was nothing else available but now that there is a wide variety of modern excellent roofing materials I would never put on shakes.
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Old 03-21-2011, 05:26 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
1,454 posts, read 2,479,124 times
Reputation: 1982
Quote:
Originally Posted by harry chickpea View Post
I hate it when there is no overview to be able to place images within proper relation mentally. IF pictures 2 & 3 are showing the back of picture 4 then the real problem is not the shakes, but water entering down the wall and flashing above the shakes. Is that window at the top of picture four a window above the window in picture one?
You've got it, 2&3 are the back of 4. The window in 4 is above the window in 1. What you are saying makes perfect sense, it probably is higher up the roof and then the water is running down the interior wood and then onto the top of the window underneath. The water looks very brown and has stained the metal surrnound on the downstairs window as well as the window sill. I think the color is due due to the rot and dirt coming off the roof.

Thanks

- Tim
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Old 03-21-2011, 07:14 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
1,454 posts, read 2,479,124 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lucknow View Post
First off, I don't like cedar shake roofs. They have a lot of problems. If they are dry and a spark lands on the roof. goodby house. Bugs like to get into them and can get into the house through them. If the house is in the shade they rot big time. They typically do not last as long as the shake people claim. Most times in 20 years they are done. Now, having said all of that it looks to me that the roof has some minor issues. If you put up better pics I could tell you exactly what the problem is. It looks like water is getting in where the shakes are up against the wall flashing and at the eave. These are both easily fixed things. Post some pics of the entire roof so we can see the overall condition of it. I have torn off many shake roofs and replaced them with far better materials. I really can't understand the use of them at all. They were a good roof when there was nothing else available but now that there is a wide variety of modern excellent roofing materials I would never put on shakes.
Me neither, but that is what is there. If I have to replace I'll probably go with either composite shingle or even a lightweight ceramic tile.
As a point of reference, I had a house in the UK that needed new roof trusses and perlings after 120 years (this house was built in 1884). We took the slates off the roof, proceeded to replace the rotten trusses and put the slates back on the roof, good for another 120 years. Why builders put degradable material on roofs is beyond me, but that is the modern world I suppose. Here's a pick of the entire house.

- Tim
Attached Thumbnails
Water leaking through cedar shake roof-3_11454589_0.jpg  
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Old 03-21-2011, 09:11 PM
 
23,510 posts, read 69,890,838 times
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Wow. With water coming in from a gable end or eyebrow, something unusual is happening. Perhaps one of those dormer windows was left open for an extended period. If wind was coming from that quarter, it could explain the damage.
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Old 03-21-2011, 10:10 PM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,063 posts, read 80,100,596 times
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We replaced ours in 1999 and it was $10,000. The real problem is that
they no longer use old growth cedar that lasted forever, our new shingles came from Canada and had to be treated at the factory, and again every few years to last. If not maintained the elements weaken them. I too would suggest a high quality composition roof replacement, repairs might last a while but you might consider offering more for the house with the new roof in the price so you finance it, if it will appraise.
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Old 03-21-2011, 10:49 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
1,454 posts, read 2,479,124 times
Reputation: 1982
Quote:
Originally Posted by harry chickpea View Post
Wow. With water coming in from a gable end or eyebrow, something unusual is happening. Perhaps one of those dormer windows was left open for an extended period. If wind was coming from that quarter, it could explain the damage.
House has been empty since Oct and winterized. I'm pretty sure it is coming through the roof as we have had a lot of rain lately (well this is Portland after all). At first I though it might have been a window left open but the drips on the downstairs windows are clearly from above and the roof trusses are wet on the inside above the upstairs window - QED it must be the roof. Attached is a pic of the downstairs window looking up, see the dirty marks that witness where the water has come from above....
Attached Thumbnails
Water leaking through cedar shake roof-water-leaking-down-window-office.jpg  

Last edited by timfountain; 03-21-2011 at 11:08 PM..
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Old 03-22-2011, 12:13 AM
 
Location: Beautiful Niagara Falls ON.
10,016 posts, read 12,517,382 times
Reputation: 9025
A cedar roofing expert should be able to tepair the problem for you at no huge cost. By the way, Nice house!
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Old 03-22-2011, 08:35 AM
 
Location: Johns Creek, GA
17,403 posts, read 65,528,173 times
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If the rest of the roof looks pretty much like it does in photo 4, it's shot! (As in- That's some hot mess you got there!)
That roof has deteriorated beyond repair. If you were to purchase the house and obviously it would need a new roof consider this; if the home is in a development that has an HOA you maybe stuck with a "shake roof" and composite maybe out of the question and would require decking, more $$$.
I emphasized shake roof and not cedar shake because there are alternatives like metal shake. It would be the last roof ever installed on the house because wind, hail, and heat exposure do nothing to it. And some are even EnergyStar compliant. Like this one-
ArrowLine Roofing Permanent Metal Shake | EDCO Products
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