Roofing In Central MI

J-Peffer

Installing 30 year shingles, on a walkable pitch, you are not going to get much work with those prices unless it's insurance work. there are too many people with less over head that can do the work under $300 a square out here.

If you think 280 a square is "ruff" head down to the pan handle and bid against the migrants who are installing for 180 a square.

All you can really do is get multiple bids, and compare qualified reputable companies to others. Find the difference in materials, guarantee and price on each, so you know what you are getting from each.

Customer references are nice but honestly, no one is going to give you a customer's number that had a bad experience, so IMO they are pointless.

twill59

At least this guy is not selling on price. Hurrah!
That said, here in cloudy NWI, it is hard to get ahead selling easy work @ $300 per sq.. Being fully legal, quality materials and not cutting corners that is. I'd sure like to get $350. The customer would not get a better job, but I would have a better business, and the service level would spike!

And here, the "going rate" (being illegal rate) is between $200-250, closer to $200 a sq.

JamesKB2

I know where you're at.

I live in Kazoo / Portage area. Average tear off, (two layers) with 30 year archs over ice and water (2' on the horizon past heated wall) and felt runs $270 to $300 per. Excessive flashing and detail work is added costs. Ridge vent can be included, or added, depending on the quote. I also give the site consideration, how tight, landscape ect....

Two layers are allowed here, not more. If he has one layer, then he might be able to lay over, but check first. I don't know Mt. Pleasant city codes. Snow loads there are similar to here, I think we might actually have higher loads from lake effect accumulations.

I think 10k for 23 sq. is crazy high, I'll travel up there and do it for him for that!

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I will build you whatever you want, just draw it on the back of a big enough check.

bert0168

Seems like the consensus is this guy may be priced too high (or maybe just high )

I hope the BIL is getting other quotes as I suggested to him.

JamesKB2 , you said 2 layers are allowed. I am curious as to what you guys think about multiple layers (2).

I was always under the impression that as you added a second layer, you reduced the life of the new shingles. I know that many guys do it and alot of customers want it to save on tear off costs but is it smart in the long run?

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www.ddcontractors.net

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCCo. Yep, you guessed, sold by a fancy white guy, installed by the brown army.

JDavis21835

If you dont mind PMing me the contractors name, I may offer some insight. Im about 45 minutes away from Mt Plesant. We have several large sized roofing contractors in the area. One of which will show up in force. He usually has 4-5 shinglers, each has his own helper to get him shingles. Most of the time, They have at least 10 guys doing tear offs, with 3-4 on the ground cleaning up. They all start at the same job in the morning. As soon as the roof is off, usually 9-11 am, the tear off guys do a final clean up, and head off to the next roof. The shinglers usually finish by 12-1 and head to the job where the tear off guys went to. Most of the time, these guys turn around 2-3 houses in a day. They tend not to be the cheapest, but do have a reputation for good work, done quick. That seems to be a selling point of theirs. It usually impresses a customer to see a dumpster show up at 7:30 am, and be gone by the end of the day. The owners dont have the hastle of garbage laying around overnight, ladders, or other supplies laying around.

Slyfox

I installed a second layer on my roof 20 years a go last month and it's never leaked or blown off and the tabs "3-tab shingle" are not curling or buckling yet. It's a 25 yr 3-tab and I have no reason to think it would not last another five years. The only reason I have been talking about replacing it for two years now is because it's stained like crazy even after I cleaned it once five years ago.

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JamesKB2

We have a crew here like that. 10 to 14 people show up. It's a family affair. (I'd say "Kin", and you get the idea.) They are cheap and fast.

You know the old saying? Fast, Cheap, or Good. Pick any two...

They're losing work now....reputation because of workmanship.

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I will build you whatever you want, just draw it on the back of a big enough check.

JamesKB2

I don't have any trouble with two layers. I do a second layer if the first is reasonably sound, not curled badly or rotted to dust.

I think it's a myth about longevity. The shingle manu's allow it, spell out installation instructions right on the wrapper for a second layer.

Code here used to allow three layers, but with some older homes rafter deflection became problematic with heavy snows. Yes, a few collapses on REALLY old houses. Like mine. 2 x 4 rafters with 2 x 4 ceiling joists! No mine didn't collapse, but it has the nice sway back. (It's not that bad but I notice it.)

So, consider the structure before laying 200 lbs. a square up there, with snow loads calcs on top of that.

Use "C" style drip that's wide enough to cover the old "T" style. Also make sure they cut back the rake over hangs (shingles hanging past the drip by 1/2 to 3/4 inches) so the new drip will fit tight.

I have done many second layer jobs. It's fast and clean, better money per day than tear offs, and never a leak yet. Not that I've done thousands, but I've done 20 or 30 of them.

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I will build you whatever you want, just draw it on the back of a big enough check.

PA woodbutcher

Just priced out a roof last week with GAF timberlines, 6' I&W, pro-tech underlayment, timbertex high def caps.....Material price alone was 179 a square. Still have to pay the help, dump bill and it would be really nice to turn a buck on it too. It is what it is. If the BIL wants to spend an extra 3 grand and feels comfortable

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'The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.' - Ronald Reagan