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Are you sure that the roofer didn't add new insulation and created another vapor barrier?
This. The roofer ripped up the original roof, which kept water out but still was breathable enough to let vapors escape from inside. When they put the new roof on, they probably put felt down first which choked your attic which will now need to be re-vented. You need something like this to solve the problem:
The problem with your attic is a combination of lack of proper venting and an inaddiquite vapor barrier. The vapor barrier stops the vapor from going into the attic and the venting removes the vapor that gets into the attic.
When water vapor passes thru the ceiling and goes into the attic on a cold day it condenses and wets the attic area. When it is freezing cold that wetness turns into frost. The venting of the attic most be done so the vapor is carried out before it has a chance to condense on a surface.
When you breath you expell water vapor. During the summer when it is warm you don't see it but its there. When it is cold out you do see you breath in the form of a vapor cloud, that is what is happening in your attic. Water vapor is moving thru your ceiling and into your attic, condensing into frost during the winter.
The reason you are seeing frost only on one side is the frost free side is getting warmed up by the sun and the frost is being turned into liquid water and being absorbed by the wood. Still not a good thing.
To fix the problem you have to do two things. First is to increase venting in the attic to remove the water vapor before it has a chance to condense. The other thing that needs to be done is to stop some of the water vapor from entering the attic to start. Possible solutions are using oil based primers that are rated as vapor retarders on the ceilings, removing the attic insulation and installing a plastic sheeting and than reinstalling the insulation, installing hat channels on the ceiling with blueboard sheet insulation between them sealed with spray foam and the installing new sheet rock for a finished ceiling.
Might also want to check all bath fans are vented outside and not just into the attic. Might have to look at the attic access area and make sure that is sealed.
To blame the contractor that installed a roof 6 years ago seems like you are just looking for someone to blame for what could be a mix of problems that he could of had nothing to do with. If he did take out a bathfan vent and failed to reinstall it then he should be held accountable, but it in was never vented properly why do you think that he should be held accountable for that?
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Attic
