Roof Replacement Recommendations

[Starglow]

Originally Posted by danielbmartin

Ask questions, lots of questions. Ask "what makes your roof job worth more than those of your competitors?"

The lower-cost firms may use power nailers; the higher-cost firms boast of hand nailing. Ask them to explain why hand nailing is better. What type of underlayment (sometimes called "felt" or "tar paper") will be used? Is a ridge vent really better than a gable vent? Is that included in their price? How do they handle shingling in the valleys and crickets? What kind of flashing do they use? What kind of vent stack boots?

A good estimator will patiently explain all of these things, and more. A "free estimate" should provide a "free education."

When the old roofing material is stripped off they may discover hidden damage. Deteriorated sections of roof sheathing, rotten rafter tips, crumbling fascia. How much do they charge for such repairs?


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All of those things would be nice in a perfect dream world, but good luck finding a contractor like that around here. They have so much work available they're just not going to spend an hour making a long sales pitch presentation because they don't have to. Many companies do quote estimates based on satellite photos of the home and never physically inspect the roof condition onsite. They may also use sub-contractors for the actual roof replacement work.

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by Starglow

All of those things would be nice in a perfect dream world, but good luck finding a contractor like that around here. They have so much work available they're just not going to spend an hour making a long sales pitch presentation because they don't have to. Many companies do quote estimates based on satellite photos of the home and never physically inspect the roof condition onsite. They may also use sub-contractors for the actual roof replacement work.

The owner of Artisan spent an hour with me and my wife explaining pretty much everything that was asked in that post, and more.

Nobody hand nails unless you pay extra.

Every company uses satellite imagery because it's more accurate than going up and measuring. They can estimate exactly what materials are needed and it's done quickly by a 3rd party.