WOT...I need to replace the roof on my house

[Death by Uberschall]

Only advise I have is that if you are staying in that house for more than 15 years then have the roof ripped of because then in 15-20 years you can throw new shingles over the old ones.

Bad idea to put new shingles on top of old shingles and here's why:

1. Weight. Shingles are heavy and most decking won't support the added weight of a second layer without sagging between the rafters. Then when it's time to do the next roof, you'll be doing the decking along with it. Drive around and look at roofs, you'll see what I mean. Some decks are thin enough that one layer will cause the deck to sag.

2. Nail penetration. Adding another layer of shingles reduces the depth at which the nails penetrate the deck. The old shingles will not add any grip to the nails. Also, the second layer acts as a cushion when the nail goes in and gives a false level of clamping force. So your new shingles are more liking to come off in high winds.

3. Heat absorption. Most people don't realize that the decking and attic is what cools the singles down. Go in your attic mid summer and you'll know exactly what I mean. You have to get the hot temps out of the shingles, the only way is through the deck and out the attic. So you want good attic ventilation for the same reason. By adding another layer of shingles in between, you cause your new shingles to overheat and deteriorate rapidly. This will void any lifespan warranty you get with the shingles. Trust me, you make a claim 5 yrs in on a 20 yr shingle and the shingle manufacturer will come inspect the roof. If they find a second layer of shingles or poor attic ventilation, warranty is voided and you're on your own. If anybody ever says "X" brand of shingles were shit because they didn't last long, take a look and see how well they were cooled by the attic. Most homes don't have enough attic ventilation. This added heat will also soften your decking causing it to sag between the rafters.

4. Moisture barrier. You need to replace the asphalt felt that's under the shingles. The shingles are not water tight, they only rely on the basic principles of gravity for water run off. But they do not stop moisture. The asphalt felt does that. It is the vapor/moisture barrier for your decking and it deteriorates just like your shingles do.

 

[kannibul]

...stuff...

So, are you saying you've got someone local to do an estimate, or, are you just offering advice?

I'll welcome another bidder at the table. Especially with someone who knows what a Bogner is (include a 101B and we'll have a deal - lol). ;0

From what I gather how the process works...

Bidder gives me an estimate to give to the insurance company. (done, 1 of 3 so far)
Insurance does it's own estimate, cuts me a check. (done)
I take bid to insurance and say they need to adjust their estimate because it's unrealistic. I know one company said that singles are about $230/square, insurance has them on the sheet at $185/square. That'd make a big difference...
Insurance cuts me a check (either a supplimental or a replacement check)
Roofer does work
Pay the roofer...

Am I on the right track?

 

[Death by Uberschall]

...stuff...

So, are you saying you've got someone local to do an estimate, or, are you just offering advice?

I'll welcome another bidder at the table. Especially with someone who knows what a Bogner is (include a 101B and we'll have a deal - lol). ;0

From what I gather how the process works...

Bidder gives me an estimate to give to the insurance company. (done, 1 of 3 so far)
Insurance does it's own estimate, cuts me a check. (done)
I take bid to insurance and say they need to adjust their estimate because it's unrealistic. I know one company said that singles are about $230/square, insurance has them on the sheet at $185/square. That'd make a big difference...
Insurance cuts me a check (either a supplimental or a replacement check)
Roofer does work
Pay the roofer...

Am I on the right track?

What I'm offering is both, help and the ability to handle everything for you. The point you're missing is that since your insurance is paying for the roof, you want to find the best roofing company to do the work. Price is not the issue, using a quality roofing company is. Your insurance will pay the bill, no matter who does the work. By getting multiple estimates all you're doing is the leg work for your insurance company and offering to go with the lowest bidder, because that is what they will force you to do. You do not have to get 3 bids, that's an old insurance company trick to save money. If you go with a substandard company and the roof has problems later, your insurance company will tell you, "We paid you for the roof, it's not our fault you chose a bad roofing company. So these problems you are having now are between you and your roofer." You as the home owner has final say in who does the work, period. Your insurance can not force you to use a certain company, it's always your choice. But they can and will pay the lowest bid. Your insurance company will pay up to the market value for your roof, period, regardless of who does the work. What they have you in is the "run around" circle jerk right now. Which is getting you now where. If you pick a roofer to do the work, whether it's one I work with or any other, at that point the ball will get rolling and you will get the roof. It's in your best interest to have the roofer of choice settle the claim amount, trust me on this.

This is my job and I have no reason to b.s. you. I don't get paid, the roofers don't get paid, the roofing company doesn't get paid until the roof cost is settled between me and your insurance company, the roof is done and final payment is collected from you. So I only get paid when it's all said and done. And these services I'm telling you about and offering to handle for you don't cost you a dime, it's just part of how we do business. How cool is that?

 

[kannibul]

...stuff...

So, are you saying you've got someone local to do an estimate, or, are you just offering advice?

I'll welcome another bidder at the table. Especially with someone who knows what a Bogner is (include a 101B and we'll have a deal - lol). ;0

From what I gather how the process works...

Bidder gives me an estimate to give to the insurance company. (done, 1 of 3 so far)
Insurance does it's own estimate, cuts me a check. (done)
I take bid to insurance and say they need to adjust their estimate because it's unrealistic. I know one company said that singles are about $230/square, insurance has them on the sheet at $185/square. That'd make a big difference...
Insurance cuts me a check (either a supplimental or a replacement check)
Roofer does work
Pay the roofer...

Am I on the right track?

What I'm offering is both, help and the ability to handle everything for you. The point you're missing is that since your insurance is paying for the roof, you want to find the best roofing company to do the work. Price is not the issue, using a quality roofing company is. Your insurance will pay the bill, no matter who does the work. By getting multiple estimates all you're doing is the leg work for your insurance company and offering to go with the lowest bidder, because that is what they will force you to do. You do not have to get 3 bids, that's an old insurance company trick to save money. If you go with a substandard company and the roof has problems later, your insurance company will tell you, "We paid you for the roof, it's not our fault you chose a bad roofing company. So these problems you are having now are between you and your roofer." You as the home owner has final say in who does the work, period. Your insurance can not force you to use a certain company, it's always your choice. But they can and will pay the lowest bid. Your insurance company will pay up to the market value for your roof, period, regardless of who does the work. What they have you in is the "run around" circle jerk right now. Which is getting you now where. If you pick a roofer to do the work, whether it's one I work with or any other, at that point the ball will get rolling and you will get the roof. It's in your best interest to have the roofer of choice settle the claim amount, trust me on this.

This is my job and I have no reason to b.s. you. I don't get paid, the roofers don't get paid, the roofing company doesn't get paid until the roof cost is settled between me and your insurance company, the roof is done and final payment is collected from you. So I only get paid when it's all said and done. And these services I'm telling you about and offering to handle for you don't cost you a dime, it's just part of how we do business. How cool is that?

I'll send you a PM

 

[JTyson]

After the last bad hurricane, I saw a ton of roofs being put on and the guys were not even peeling off the clear strips so the shingles could bond together

The clear plastic is not made to come off. If you look at the back of a shingle it will even say that on the plastic strip. It's for manufacturing and shipping purposes while they are stacked on top of each other. Once you stagger them out across a roof, they will seal down as designed.

This is why I fix appliances

 

[Death by Uberschall]

After the last bad hurricane, I saw a ton of roofs being put on and the guys were not even peeling off the clear strips so the shingles could bond together

The clear plastic is not made to come off. If you look at the back of a shingle it will even say that on the plastic strip. It's for manufacturing and shipping purposes while they are stacked on top of each other. Once you stagger them out across a roof, they will seal down as designed.

This is why I fix appliances

 

[zuel69]

get a friend who roofs and have other friends come over and buy some beer and go at it, you might have some leaks but it was cheap

Hell ya this is what we did for a friend of mine's garage. Got so smashed we put the roll roof on upside down and had to tar the shit out of it.

 

[Riddick]

OK, so here's an update.

Insurance company is cutting me a check, based on the replacement value minus depreciation (50%) of my roof according to them.

The odd part is that I've yet to get a quote from any roofing company that is as low as what the insurance company is saying should be my replacement cost (depreciation and the amount I receive from insurance is a based on this replacement cost amount...so if they (insurance) "lowballs" the replacement cost number, then they pay out less for the claim...)

I guess this is where I should go back to the insurance company and say they need to cut me a bigger check based on my bids?

STOP!!! Don't do anything else right now, I can help.

WOW, sorry I missed this thread, but I can help you. This is what I do for a living.

I'm a Haag certified roofing inspector/estimator and I can help you. I and the companies I work for come in after the storms and repairs roofs. We have offices in Huntsville, AL and Atlanta, GA areas because it seems to be storm central. We work directly with the insurance companies on the home owners behalf, because they can b.s. you, but they can't b.s. us.

In case I missed it, what insurance company are you with?

Here's how it works for most insurance companies:
They come out and inspect the damage.
If there is damage that they are willing to cover, they cut you a check based on your policies provisions. But they don't give you all the money up front. In most cases they give you cost of replacement, minus depreciation. It will always be lower than you actually have coming to you. They do this on purpose for two reasons; 1) they don't want to hand you a $10k check for you to blow the money on new guitars and amps, they have to protect the mortgage company and themselves, 2) they hope you will find somebody to do it at the amount of the first check, then they save money. But the reality is that you won't find a licensed and insured roofer who can do it for that low balled check. Also your home owners policy states you must use licensed and insured contractors or your home owners insurance will not cover injury of anybody on your property doing the work. You are the only person who can do repairs to your home and be covered without those requirements. What we do is create our own estimate using Xactimate software. This is the industry standard that is accepted by most insurance companies. Think of it as the Motor Manual you see in automotive repair shops that tell them what it cost to repair your car. Xactimate is the same thing for contractors and 99% of insurance companies accept it.

One thing that would have helped you in the beginning would to have been signed up on a Contingency Contract with a roofer before the adjuster showed up. Then the insurance company wouldn't have held back the depreciation because you would have been contracted to have the roof replaced once the insurance company agreed to pay for it.

What we do is negotiate your claim with your insurance company, on your behalf, using our estimate. Once we come to a finalized agreement with your insurance company, they cut you a 2nd check to make up the difference, but they normally don't release the 2nd check until the work is done and we invoice them. At that point you give us the 1st check and your deductible (which I may be able to help you with depending on what we can settle the roof replacement for) as a down payment/deposit to do the work. We do the work, you then pay us the balance due once you receive your final check from the insurance company. But you as the home owner will always have control of the final funds until the work is completed. Stay away from any roofer that will not start the work for the amount of the first check, 50% or less of the total. If they require more than that to do the work, find somebody else. My company can handle all the leg work from handling the claim with your insurance to doing the work. All you do is sit back and watch it happen.

Damm Public Adjusters

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Damm Public Adjusters

What's that supposed to mean? I'm trying to help a forum member and it won't cost him a dime. What's wrong with that? I know the business because it's what I do, why shouldn't I offer my help?

 

[Riddick]

Damm Public Adjusters

What's that supposed to mean? I'm trying to help a forum member and it won't cost him a dime. What's wrong with that? I know the business because it's what I do, why shouldn't I offer my help?

Chill out I just messing with you. I have been an Insurance Adjuster for 25 years, and yes I do have an Oklahoma Licensee along with Lousiana, TX. and New Mexico. Carry on.

 

[Riddick]

O, and watch out as those OKLA ISO policies have a lot of ACV only policies with no Replacement Cost. I saw a lot of those during that Hail storm in '08. Kinda sucks not having full RCC coverage.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Damm Public Adjusters

What's that supposed to mean? I'm trying to help a forum member and it won't cost him a dime. What's wrong with that? I know the business because it's what I do, why shouldn't I offer my help?

Chill out I just messing with you. I have been an Insurance Adjuster for 25 years, and yes I do have an Oklahoma Licensee along with Lousiana, TX. and New Mexico. Carry on.

Oh, you're the enemy!!

 

[Riddick]

Damm Public Adjusters

What's that supposed to mean? I'm trying to help a forum member and it won't cost him a dime. What's wrong with that? I know the business because it's what I do, why shouldn't I offer my help?

Chill out I just messing with you. I have been an Insurance Adjuster for 25 years, and yes I do have an Oklahoma Licensee along with Lousiana, TX. and New Mexico. Carry on.

Oh, you're the enemy!!

Na, I pay off like a slot machine

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Damm Public Adjusters

What's that supposed to mean? I'm trying to help a forum member and it won't cost him a dime. What's wrong with that? I know the business because it's what I do, why shouldn't I offer my help?

Chill out I just messing with you. I have been an Insurance Adjuster for 25 years, and yes I do have an Oklahoma Licensee along with Lousiana, TX. and New Mexico. Carry on.

Oh, you're the enemy!!

Na, I pay off like a slot machine

send me your business card!!

 

[kannibul]

O, and watch out as those OKLA ISO policies have a lot of ACV only policies with no Replacement Cost. I saw a lot of those during that Hail storm in '08. Kinda sucks not having full RCC coverage.

Mine is an ACV policy, however, once my roof is replaced, it's full replacement cost.