Going up into my attic for the first time in nearly 12 months since my roof was reshingled, I discovered three very badly damaged boards. One of the holes is bigger than that which a large dinner plate could not hope to cover.
When facing east in my attic, this is what I saw (click on the image below for a real close-up view):
Then, of course, I started looking around… and in the east-south corner, here is a picture of the hole in another board… the one I described as being bigger than a dinner plate could cover (click on the image below for a real close-up view):
Needless to say, I telephoned the contractor whose men did the work for me… almost 12 months ago. I was sure the business owner would not have been told about this damage done, as there was never any note of damages made on my invoice.
After a long, fret-filled weekend worrying… and several new attempts to contact the contractor by telephone… and, he finally came to my home to view the damages.
At first look, I was told the holes weren’t big enough to ever worry about. Sorry, but I argued that one. He’s right, I am no roofer… but then I am not stupid enough to think that a few feet of snow in this area on the roof wouldn’t crack and break through what looked to be a layer of shingles, either.
Upon a close-up inspection, the contractor himself realized that this hole had been patched over with a sheet metal by his men, before they tacked on the new shingles last year.
Once he told me this, I suggested that from now on the contractor’s men should make note of damages like this that were done and how they were repaired so not to cause a homeowner panic, like this incident did for me.
All weekend I kept thinking… what if we had of had a REAL winter with our usual quantity of snow last year… or…. what if someone were to have walked on my roof (your know, to install an antenna or clean the eaves out last fall)… or worse… what if I had HAD to put my home up for sale and had to of had it inspected? Wouldn’t a home inspector have made note this damage and… Heaven forbid… notified my mortgage holder? Wouldn’t that have been a fine mess to explain my way out of?
The roofing contractor told me I should trust him… but you know what? What IF any of the above had of happened?
Moral of this posting: No matter WHO you hire to reshingle your roof, make sure you go up in your attic and inspect for ANY damages BEFORE you pay for your next roofing job. I know I will!
And, don’t forget to ALWAYS check with homestars.com first, for a quality contractor to help you with your next renovation!
UPDATE 21 February 2017: As of the summer of 2016, it was discovered that my roof has been leaking into my kitchen, damaging even more of the drywall under the bulkhead. It wasn’t until I spotted water appearing on my kitchen counter that I realized what was going on. Upon my NEW roofing company (Berkhof’s Roofing, they’re the BEST!) inspecting the roof, it was noted the flashing around the chimney was never installed properly. Wow! What a price I paid, trusting a business man to hire the right people to do the job properly.
NOTE: It truly pays to check out your local contractors by visiting homestars.com and reading through the many comments, of that I am certain. (That’s how I found Berkhof’s!)
Perfect point, Its very important to inspect your roof from inside,
great tip! thanx!
You're welcome Albina!
good idea, thanks!
You're welcome Ceasar!
Nice post.thank you for share ~ kenny
You're welcome Kenny!
You have a very good article warning us all about what to inspect after hiring a roofer. Regards for sharing.
Thanks Andrew!
thanks for your suggestion. would never have thought to inspect my attic for this sort of damage to my roof.
You're welcome Chauane!
This helps 🙂 Thank you!
You're welcome!
I’m glad to be among those who are fortunate enough to come upon this web page. This is an exceptional website. Many thanks for posting this suggestion!
And thank YOU Michael for such kind words about my personal blog. Comments like yours help to inspire me to continue my variety of topics.
Excellent post. Thank you and good luck.
Thanks Charles… best wishes to you too!
Thanks for this suggestion. Cheers
You're welcome Freda!
Most what i read online is trash and copy paste but i think you offer something different. Bravo.
I just recently had my roof redone by a local contractor. We have a small cape with a finished attic space. This was told to the roofing contractors before they installed the roof. They put grace ice and water shield on the entire roof. I like the idea of having the water shield on the entire roof but my concern is there is no ventilation at the eaves or the ridge. If there is no ventilation ,and having grace ice and water shield on the entire roof, won’t I end up having a mold problem in a few years? How would the vapors escape? Please share your advice. Thanks.
I'm no roofing specialist Victor, but I have to admit you offer two very GOOD questions. Please seek answers from a qualified roofer in your area.
Thanks Paul!
So true Trish… great TIP to offer anyone thinking of hiring their roof fixed. Thanks!
Thanks Keygen!
Bravo. Well stated post Trish… THANKS!
Rubber EPDM roofing is the only way to go. The old hot tar and gravel roofs were notorious for leaking, and very difficult to fix. The rubber roofs are available in various thicknesses that translate into various warranty periods. If you intend to stay in the house for the long term, buy the best you can afford. A twenty year residential warranty is minimal with the norm being thirty years or longer. Have the roof installed by a reputable contractor and save all of your warranty documents as many of them are transferable to a new owner should you decide to sell your home. Good luck with your roofing project.
Hot tar and gravel roofs are found on commercial buildings not homes… least not where I live. And I agree with you Misak… ALWAYS hire a reputable contractor for ANY renovation project for your home.