This Is What I Have To Bid Against?
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 09-22-2009, 05:22 PM   #1
Bah Humbug!
 
Grumpy's Avatar
 
Trade: Roofing and Gutter Specialist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Chicago
Posts: 8,574
Send a message via AIM to Grumpy

This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

It's hard to compete with this kind of quality. Sheesh What is this load of manure we are looking at?

It's a modified bitumen roof. I think self adhering, I wasn't able to actually get on the roof and check, the photos were taken from the roof edge. Take a look at the fancy termination bar holding the roof to the wall. Oh and the real straight seams. The customer wanted me to repair it since it's less than a year old. I told them the only repair was to start over. They no doubt hired someone else since I didn't get the job and probably got the same low level of quality.

I mean I wonder why I lose jobs and this is the answer. Unlicensed, unprofesional hacks trying their hand at roofing. Folks reading this thread, roofing is a skilled trade, and when you screw up the roof will leak.

It makes me want to laugh, and makes me sick to my stomach at the same time.
Attached Thumbnails
This is what I have to bid against?-109083514.jpg   This is what I have to bid against?-109083515.jpg  

Last edited by Grumpy; 01-31-2010 at 04:32 PM.
Grumpy is offline  
Warning: The topics covered on this site include activities in which there exists the potential for serious injury or death. ContractorTalk.com DOES NOT guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained on this site. Always use proper safety precaution and reference reliable outside sources before attempting any construction or remodeling task!

Old 09-22-2009, 05:24 PM   #2
Bah Humbug!
 
Grumpy's Avatar
 
Trade: Roofing and Gutter Specialist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Chicago
Posts: 8,574
Send a message via AIM to Grumpy

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

By the way this roof is in a very high end neighborhood known as Highland Park, IL this job is just off of greenbay road which is a ritzy street to live on or near to. You should never see this kind of work in the North Shore, ever. This is what I'd expect to see in the ghettos of Chicago.
Grumpy is offline  
Old 09-22-2009, 05:36 PM   #3
Chief Toilet Mover
 
Mike Finley's Avatar
 
Trade: Bathroom Remodeling
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Littleton, Colorado
Posts: 14,078

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

What the heck man, that looks good from the ground. Shouldn't going the extra mile to add that strapping on there be kudos? You can still see the UPC symbol where he bought it at Home Depot on his 4th trip there that day.
Mike Finley is offline  
The Following User Says Thank You to Mike Finley For This Useful Post:
ampman (09-29-2009)
Old 09-22-2009, 05:37 PM   #4
Smart phone? Scan me!
 
nEighter's Avatar
 
Trade: Painting/Framing/Drywall
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: tWiliGht zOne
Posts: 2,118

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grumpy View Post
It's hard to compete with this kind of quality.
Take a look at the fancy termination bar holding the roof to the wall.

so... what you are saying is that they should have taken the barcode off right?!

I hear you on the low cost high expectancy/low quality that for some reason snares most HO'ers. If it is too good to be true.. it probably is..
nEighter is offline  
Old 09-30-2009, 08:23 AM   #5
Bah Humbug!
 
Grumpy's Avatar
 
Trade: Roofing and Gutter Specialist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Chicago
Posts: 8,574
Send a message via AIM to Grumpy

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

I was looking at the photos again and just realized at least one seam is "bucking water" place in the wrong direction against the flow of water instead of with the flow.
Grumpy is offline  
Old 01-11-2010, 11:22 PM   #6
Pro
 
Burns-Built's Avatar
 
Trade: Residential Construction & Masonry
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Central PA
Posts: 190

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

I'm not a low slope roofer Grumpy but that says HACK to me!! How ignorant do you need to be as a homeowner to not know you are being sold a pile of crap? That guy was probly finishing the job up thinking i need to get out of here with my check before they crawl up here and see my fantastic work!!
__________________
There will always be a market for quality.
Burns-Built is offline  
Old 01-12-2010, 07:41 AM   #7
Don't Eat Yellow Snow!
 
English Roofer's Avatar
 
Trade: Pro Slater and Roofer
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Warrington England
Posts: 392

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Burns-Built View Post
I'm not a low slope roofer Grumpy but that says HACK to me!! How ignorant do you need to be as a homeowner to not know you are being sold a pile of crap? That guy was probly finishing the job up thinking i need to get out of here with my check before they crawl up here and see my fantastic work!!
The trouble is the H/O doesnt go up there to see the handy work,ignorance is bliss to them!
Cheers
Dave
__________________
' I can resist anything but temptation' Oscar Wilde

www.drroofing.co.uk
English Roofer is offline  
Old 01-12-2010, 08:17 AM   #8
Project Superintendent
 
mudpad's Avatar
 
Trade: General Contractor
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Middle Tennessee
Posts: 1,674

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Quote:
Originally Posted by English Roofer View Post
The trouble is the H/O doesnt go up there to see the handy work,ignorance is bliss to them!
Cheers
Dave
Many HO aren't physically able to go up on a roof, and have to trust the contractor. Which is another good reason to find one that you trust, and pay the price required to use him.
mudpad is online now  
Old 01-12-2010, 09:40 AM   #9
Pro
 
BamBamm5144's Avatar
 
Trade: Exterior Remodeling.
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,682

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Smart man Mudpad.

Only problem is, no one pays the price.
BamBamm5144 is online now  
Old 01-12-2010, 11:50 AM   #10
Designer/Contractor
 
Rio's Avatar
 
Trade: General Contractor
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: San Diego city/County, Cali
Posts: 382

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

They're paying the price now though, aren't they? These photos would be good to show in a presentation to reinforce the old saying "You get what you pay for / good things aren't cheap and cheap things aren't good, etc."

One thing on the "termination bar". If they ever have a roof deck party they could tie off helium balloons on the perforations; oh wait, if they did that the bar would probably pull out with just a couple of 'em tugging on it.
Rio is offline  
Old 01-12-2010, 08:03 PM   #11
Project Superintendent
 
mudpad's Avatar
 
Trade: General Contractor
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Middle Tennessee
Posts: 1,674

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grumpy View Post
I was looking at the photos again and just realized at least one seam is "bucking water" place in the wrong direction against the flow of water instead of with the flow.
I noticed that too. I'll have to say that is a pitiful installation. Definitely one to keep as a record of what not to do.
mudpad is online now  
Old 01-17-2010, 09:29 AM   #12
Pro
 
FlashingMaster5's Avatar
 
Trade: i
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Battle Creek, MI
Posts: 134

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grumpy View Post
It's hard to compete with this kind of quality. Sheesh What is this load of manure we are looking at?

It's a modified bitumen roof. I think self adhering, I wasn't able to actually get on the roof and check, the photos were taken from the roof edge. Take a look at the fancy termination bar holding the roof to the wall. Oh and the real straight seams. The customer wanted me to repair it since it's less than a year old. I told them the only repair was to start over. They no doubt hired someone else since I didn't get the job and probably got the same low level of quality.

I mean I wonder why I lose jobs and this is the answer. Unlicensed, unprofesional hacks trying their hand at roofing. Folks reading this thread, roofing is a skilled trade, and when you screw up the roof will leak.

It makes me want to laugh, and makes me sick to my stomach at the same time.
We are in the same boat here Grumpy. This is an addition to the house and was installed by a Licensed Residential Builer.
Attached Thumbnails
This is what I have to bid against?-picture-992.jpg   This is what I have to bid against?-picture-993.jpg   This is what I have to bid against?-picture-994.jpg  
FlashingMaster5 is offline  
Old 01-17-2010, 09:34 AM   #13
Pro
 
Tom Struble's Avatar
 
Trade: siding
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: west milford n.j.
Posts: 8,862

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

what the...
__________________
Tom
Tom Struble is online now  
Old 01-17-2010, 09:36 AM   #14
Pro
 
tcleve4911's Avatar
 
Trade: Remodeling contractor
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,247

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Once again it just proves that Licensing is not necessarily the answer to getting rid of hacks. Nice posts.
__________________
Back in Maine
Dubbin' Around
Doin' good stuff ......
tcleve4911 is offline  
Old 01-17-2010, 09:42 AM   #15
Pro
 
FlashingMaster5's Avatar
 
Trade: i
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Battle Creek, MI
Posts: 134

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Quote:
Originally Posted by FlashingMaster5 View Post
We are in the same boat here Grumpy. This is an addition to the house and was installed by a Licensed Residential Builer.
The fix was simple. The builder was a hack. The home owner is a retired Nam Vet in a wheel chair. We see carpenters that can't roof, roofers that think they can frame, brick layers that can't flash a chimney, plumbers that think they are roofers and it just goes on.

This is what we did to fix the problem.
Attached Thumbnails
This is what I have to bid against?-picture-106.jpg   This is what I have to bid against?-picture-108.jpg   This is what I have to bid against?-picture-109.jpg  
FlashingMaster5 is offline  
Old 01-17-2010, 09:52 AM   #16
Pro
 
FlashingMaster5's Avatar
 
Trade: i
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Battle Creek, MI
Posts: 134

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Quote:
Originally Posted by FlashingMaster5 View Post
The fix was simple. The builder was a hack. The home owner is a retired Nam Vet in a wheel chair. We see carpenters that can't roof, roofers that think they can frame, brick layers that can't flash a chimney, plumbers that think they are roofers and it just goes on.

This is what we did to fix the problem.
When you think you've seen it all. The roofer left this roof just like this, with TAR. When the tar broke down two years later, it flooded.
Attached Thumbnails
This is what I have to bid against?-picture-647.jpg   This is what I have to bid against?-picture-648.jpg   This is what I have to bid against?-picture-649.jpg  
FlashingMaster5 is offline  
Old 01-17-2010, 10:04 AM   #17
Pro
 
FlashingMaster5's Avatar
 
Trade: i
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Battle Creek, MI
Posts: 134

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Quote:
Originally Posted by FlashingMaster5 View Post
When you think you've seen it all. The roofer left this roof just like this, with TAR. When the tar broke down two years later, it flooded.
This is what we did to fix this one. It is all I/W with peel & stick Modi. Installed on a nice hot day.
Attached Thumbnails
This is what I have to bid against?-picture-727.jpg   This is what I have to bid against?-picture-728.jpg   This is what I have to bid against?-picture-730.jpg  
FlashingMaster5 is offline  
Old 01-17-2010, 10:39 AM   #18
I like Green things
 
WarnerConstInc.'s Avatar
 
Trade: Custom Carpentry Services
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: In a van, down by the river. Auburn, IN
Posts: 11,667

Re: This Is What I Have To Bid Against?

Who ever designed that roof is the one that should be beaten.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leo G View Post
Thanks for that tidbit of information Darcy.
Warner Remodeling ll Auburn Indiana Remodeling ll Dekalb County Remodeling ll Custom Woodworking Auburn Indiana
Warner Remodeling Facebook
WarnerConstInc. is online now  
The Following User Says Thank You to WarnerConstInc. For This Useful Post:
Rio (01-17-2010)


« Previous Thread | Top of Page | What's New | Next Thread »
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Linear Mode
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

Join Now... It's Fast and FREE!

Privacy Badge
I am a professional contractor
I am a DIY Homeowner
ContractorTalk.com is for
PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTORS ONLY!

At ContractorTalk.com we cater exlusivly to professional contractors who make their living as a contractor. Knowing that many homeowners and DIYers are looking for a community to call home, we've created www.DIYChatroom.com DIY Chatroom is full of helpful advices and perfect for DIY homeowners.

Redirecing in 10 seconds
No Thanks
terms of service

Already Have an Account?