Contractor Installed Black&White Roof!

11145 Views 79 Replies 11 Participants Last post by AaronB., Jan 8, 2005

gotjacked?

Discussion Starter · Dec 15, 2004

We hired a lisc. bonded contractor to put a roof on our home.

The home is an 1800 square feet ranch home, plus has a two car garage. Is not steep.

His crew of 7 guys tore off two layers of roof, laid plywood, and laid new roof all in 11 hours. This seems like an awfully short time to do a good job. What do you think?

More important though, is the fac that our roof is not BLACK AND WHITE. The roofer put slate grey roofing on most of the house, which we picked from a catalog that he gave us. BUT he put this ugly white looking stuff on our patio, and the white stuff goes up along the roof a bit too. It makes our house look like a shack!

We contacted the contractor and asked why our roof is two colors. His response was that with the roofing material we picked that white was his onlin option.

We said, look you told us to pick a color. We picked slate grey. You NEVER told us that our roof would be slate grey and white! We told you at the start that the house was being reroofed so that we can sell it. And, we told you that we wanted the patio to look nice - not with any ugly rubber or unmatching roofing.

His answer was that the contract did not specify that our roof would be one color - so basically tough crap for us.

I think that he should either:
A) Make our roof all matching AND make sure that our 30 year warantee still stands per our contract.
OR
B) Refund our money so that we can get another contractor to do the job right.

My Dad told me to call the contractors board.

What is your opinion on this. Is it reasonable for us as homeowners to expect one color roof? Does this guy have a leg to stand one? Is it reasonable for him to give us two different colors for our roof?

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PipeGuy

· #21 · Dec 17, 2004

gotjacked? said:
Says he will not pay his suppliers or his workers. That he will pay no one and that he will lien our property. I wonder what he did with the $4500 we paid him?

Judging by his irriational reaction to your concerns, I'm guessing that there are nuances to this situation that we will not learn by hearing only your side of the story. I fully understand the contractor's refusal to 'work with' you given what I am guessing is your combative attitude. He probably figures he's going to get screwed wether he fixes it or not...so why fix it? I'm also guessing that the other 1/2 of the "we" that hired the roofer doesn't feel the same way you do. Admittedly, I'm taking the liberty of reading between the lines of your post in that regard.

It sounds like you got an appropriately spec'd and properly installed roof system. It also sounds like you didn't have a proper roof on the patio before -given that all the roofing materials were the same color and given what seemed to be your infamiliarity with the bitumen product that was installed. So I don't think anyone's trying to 'pull something over' on you by using a product they otherwise wouldn't.

Grumpy

· #22 · Dec 17, 2004

There are collection laws in regards to how often he can call/contact you in regards to colelcting a debt. I think it's something like twice a week.

Hammer time I would think that a judge would side with the verbage of the contract. For example saying the "Shingle" would be black, doesn't mean the flat roof on the porch is going to be black because it doesn't have shingles. Now saying the "Roof" will be black means the whole roof will be black. See my point?

Also you said wintin reason, and colors are so different... I'd still like to see pics, which I understand Jacked is trying to get us... I am not making any decisions until I see some pics. I know that slate gray is a medium to dark gray color and I know that modified bitumen comes in varying ranges of grays as well.

Grumpy

· #23 · Dec 17, 2004

PipeGuy said:
Judging by his irriational reaction to your concerns, I'm guessing that there are nuances to this situation that we will not learn by hearing only your side of the story.

That's my point as well.

I am not saying Jacked is lying but there are always three sides tot he story. My side, your side, and the truth.

The pictures will be the truth. After seeing the pictures if the contractor is a moron I will say so. If jacked is being unreasonable I will say so... but not until I see pics.

Mike Finley

· #24 · Dec 17, 2004

What was the original colors of the roof? Were the porch and the house roof the same color before? That could be an important factor in the decision.

I would start digging into this guys history and see if he has other complaints or judgements.

PipeGuy

· #25 · Dec 17, 2004

2

Grumpy said:
The pictures will be the truth.

Based on the posts so far, I'm expecting the 'before' picture to look something like this

and the after picture to be something along these lines

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gotjacked?

Discussion Starter · #26 · Dec 17, 2004 (Edited)

Pics

The entire original roof was white. We asked that our new entire roof be estate grey.

The "we" consists of my hubby and I. He is not happy either - in fact I would say that he is more upset than I because rather than talking to my husband 'man to man' (per my husbands attempts at negotiation)- the contractor keeps having his wife and secretary call us with threats. My husband is an extremely educated and reasonable person - the type of guy who always seeks resolution and tries to avoid confrontation.

All the contractor would have to do is offer to make the color discrepancy unapparent from the street and to honor his warantee. Instead he has hurled excuses/lies and threats at us. He threatened to 'foreclose' on our house and put liens on our house 6 times within two days of 'completing' the work. One day after 'completing' the work he sent us a bill with over $100 in late fees. It would take him less time to fix the roof than it is taking him to hassle us.

He promised us a 10 year labor warantee and 30 year materials. As someone mentioned I doubt that he would honor the labor warantee - and he still has not provided it in writing. However, I do have a voice mail in with this statement from him. As well as other voice mails with him freaking out and threatening us.

My attorney feels that his actions are irrational and indicative of someone who has financial problems completely unrelated to this project. The attoreny says that even if we do pay him the guy may not pay his suppliers/contractors and they could put a lien our house. Therefore he says that the guy must calm down, honor his commitment and sign lien releases.

BTW - is it typical to leave debris on the job site? in the garage, attic, etc.?

BTW - the house is blue/white now. But as we told the contractor, the reason we wanted the neutral grey roof was because that we plan to have the house repainted new colors once the roof is complete.

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PipeGuy

· #27 · Dec 17, 2004

gotjacked? said:
My attorney feels that his actions are irrational and indicative of someone who has financial problems completely unrelated to this project. The attoreny says that even if we do pay him the guy may not pay his suppliers/contractors and they could put a lien our house. Therefore he says that the guy must calm down, honor his commitment and sign lien releases.

I think you have a well informed and experienced attorney.
Your pictures speak volumes. I certainly wouldn't accept that as the finished product. Good luck in the days ahead.

Mike Finley

· #28 · Dec 17, 2004

Well, I think the fact that both original roofs were the same color is a big plus for you.

On the flip side after looking at your pictures, the white roof on the porch doesn't look offensive to me at all, at least not at the distance they were taken in the picture. I have seen many, many houses that look identical to that. I don't see it taking any value or appeal away from your house when it comes to selling it.

gotjacked?

Discussion Starter · #29 · Dec 17, 2004 (Edited)

It's important to remember that we ordered a slate grey roof, and that when we repainting the house (to put on market) that it will not be blue and white. That means no white trim. That means the white roof will look really strange. Contractor knew that we were fixing the house up (reroofing/painting) in order to sell it.

Glasshousebltr

· #30 · Dec 18, 2004

For cryin out loud, the flat roof being white looks fine.

The way he steped down from shingle to rubber looks a little funky. But there is a possitive side to that also. It looks like it provides an excelent water channel from the valley.

I think your contractors biggest problem is he has no hands and has to calk with his feet!

Bob

Hammertime

· #31 · Dec 18, 2004

No offense to anyone else's opinion, but if that were my house and I wasn't in the profession that I'm in that I wouldn't be doing it myself and have to hire someone...I'D BE KICKING SOMEBODYS A$$ if they left my roof like that. I think it looks like crap. I can understand the difference in color cause it doesn't look that bad with the other roof. However, just doesn't look like a professional did it. Looks like the keystone cops did the lower part of that roof...or perhaps the 3 stooges and got shep and joe to help them as well as Laurel and hardy. THat's where the 7 guys came in. or perhaps the 7 guys that were there left and second shift did that part.

Neil_K

· #32 · Dec 18, 2004

Gee, if I were a prospective buyer, I ask to fix the roof. When I clicked on the link above, the FIRST thing that caught my eye was the white roof over the porch. It should be closer to the shingle color, if not the same.

Neil_K

· #33 · Dec 18, 2004

Me again. Looking closer, I speculate that the guy picked a *really* light gray speckled like the shingles, although its a longshot.

Hammertime, I looked at the hip shingles that overlap the bitumen, is that where you were referring to the keystone kop work? Flashing that sticks out 3", too? Any other lousy work? Just trying to better educate myself. thanks.

AaronB.

· #34 · Dec 18, 2004

Hmmmm.

1. There is a modified bitumen sheet that will almost exactly match your shingle color, or at least the main color of the shingle granule blend.

2. This installation IS sloppy.

3. I do not beleive in witholding monies on a job complete due to asthetic issues which were not resolved beforehand. You should always check customer REFERENCES before hiring a contractor.

4. This is a very sloppy installation.

5. The so called roofer does not know how to properly flash a chimney or lay a low slope to shingle roof tie in.

6. I have been in this situation before, and the customer DID approve the color of the flat roof on the front of the house, and still tried to get out of paying.

7. This is a sloppy installation. Was this job performed by his crew or a sub crew? If it was a sub crew, you shoulda checked the guy's references beforehand. Most subs don't profit from the work they do unless it is done as quickly as possible, which most times results in this kind of sloppy craftsmanship.

8. Was this guy the lowest price? Cuz if he was, then he will make his money quality or not, you will simply be left with a sloppy hurried job.

9. If it was the low priced guy, remember something in business...You cannot give a lot for a little. It is not possible.

10. This is a sloppy installation

11. You shoulda checked the guy's references.

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AaronB.

· #35 · Dec 18, 2004

oh yeah, these problems, except for the chimney can be easily remedied by dis-assembling the shingle roofing at the low slope-to-steep slope tie-in, installing an ice barrier (ice is most likely the reason he did not want to bring the shingle courses any lower into the mod. bit. valley), installing a couple of lower courses correctly, filling in at the jagged (unfinished) valley, and trimming everything up really nicely. I would estimate the cost to do it for the contractor around $500.00 and the cost to have another contractor do it around $1000.00. This will, however void the original installer warranty. If you think your roofing guy wouldn't honor his warranty, that is a decisin for you to make. This is just my OPINION.

gotjacked?

Discussion Starter · #36 · Dec 18, 2004

1. We did not approve the white.
2. He just told us that his crew would do it. Only after the fact did I find out it was what you are referring to as a 'sub crew'
3. He was not the lowest price, but was competitively price at $8500
4. We did check out his work We drove around town and looked at roofs he had done. None looked like ours does now.

AaronB.

· #37 · Dec 18, 2004

Did any have the low slope on the front?

GAF makes a color match line of modified bitumen APP and SA products to complement their shingle lines.

What area of the country are you in?

gotjacked?

Discussion Starter · #38 · Dec 18, 2004 (Edited)

I'm in the Northwest. No - none of them had a low slope roof.

I have to admit that we were extremely naive. We trusted the guy. He's been in business for 6 years - lisc - bonded - runs lots of advertising - and has a clean record with the contractors board. He was very nice to deal with during the sales process. It never occurred to us that things would turn out this way.

But, what I have learned is that's where it stopped. After he got me to sign - he passed the job off to shoddy subs - did not give me what I ordered - bla bla bla.

Can you tell me more about the matching color line of bitumen?

I too thought that the installtion looked 'sloppy', but I'm not a roofer. So the only thing that I could be certain that was not acceptable was that he used a color we did approve.

You mention how bad the flashing is (my hubby is upset about that too). Is it bad as in ugly/sloppy? Or bad as in may cause problems? Overall does this look like a sloppy, but properly installed roof? Or does it look like a poorly installed roof that will leak and/or violate code?

The reason I ask this is because since he has forced us to hire an attorney I would like to know whether we just make him fix the color problem. Or should we demand a proper roof installtion? In my state contractors that do bad work have to fix it or the contractors board yanks their bond.

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AaronB.

· #39 · Dec 18, 2004

Remeber, the bond is in place to protect YOU. If they summon the bond, then the amount of the bond is what their insurance company will have to pay to fix your work. I beleive this is a court battle item, though. What are you doing up so late?

GAF's Color Match line that closely matches their shingle lines.

Northwest? Too far for me, since I am in the Chicago suburbs.

gotjacked?

Discussion Starter · #40 · Dec 18, 2004

Do you think that this is a court battle because he is trying to lien our house? Or is it because you think that the contractors board/bond co will not agree with our position?

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