The shaded parts of the roof were getting moss/lichen collection and that will accelerate deterioration faster than anything. I had consulted some friends in home construction and they advised against the following steps. Don't power wash, don't go up on the roof in the summer [dry shakes crack and add to leaks] and only use Hi pressure air to clean the moss/lichen. They suggested a 3 stage process to help the roof reach it's full life.
- Hi pressure air clean.
- Apply anti-moss formula to the roof shakes [spray on].
- after 6 months re-clean and apply an oil for shakes.
- Repeat in 5-7 years.
I have had a leak over a small roof over the kitchen area in the back but this roof has a very shallow slope and therefore drainage is slower and stay wet in winter.
My advice is don't talk yourself into a new roof unless clear global failure is evident. Get advice from several sources and let them know what your goals are for your roof. If you want it to last you likely will hear feedback that involves maintenance but if you ask "do you think it needs replacement" you will likely only hear about replacement. I think it all depends on what you want to do. Anyone out there able to tell us what a new roof costs these days and who's a good contractor?
-ted
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Wayne Hillard writes:
ReplyDeleteFind below a list of 9 roofers and prices to re-roof with heavy CCA cedar shakes for about a 4000 sqft roof. I have an Excel spread sheet with more info and Angie's List and Consumer's Checkbook ratings. You can contact me at catewayneafrica@yahoo.com.
Century $28,392
http://www.centuryroofing.biz/
North Creek Roofing $28,485
http://www.northcreekroofing.com/
Platinum $30,725
http://www.platinumroof.com/
Cornerstone Roofing $32,646
http://www.cornerstoneroofing.com/
Redmond Roofing $36,119
http://www.redmondroofing.com/
Legacy $40,696
http://www.legacyroofing.com/
Element Smart Roofing $42,482
http://www.elementsmartroofing.com/
State Roofing $44,453
http://www.stateroofing.com/
Jorve $52,165
http://www.jorve.com/
Thanks Wayne for the information. With a $24,000 swing in pricing I think the game is on to find high quality job with fair price. I recall an article in The Sammamish Review a couple of years [perhaps less]ago looking at quality of work for the money. I do remember Legacy being in the running but not the top dog for sure. I'm not sure the article is findable but I'll try to find it.
ReplyDeleteToday, talking to a neighbor, he noted that several of the new roof's going on may not have as many vents as they had, when these homes were built. I'm not a housing code expert but I would guess that roofers may be tempted to eliminate some vents to lower their costs. This presents some ventilation issues and ultimately heating/cooling problems. I don't believe that any building permit is needed for a re-roof and this represents an opportunity for a change that would benefit your roofer, lowering his labor cost.
ReplyDeleteI think it's good to be sure that if your contractor roof's your home that all vents are present.
Today I'm looking at a flyer left at my house from B&J Roofing. They are giving me a picture of my roof with a check list of problems. They have "high-lited", on this report, broken, raised and warped shakes and further note in capital letters that the roof should be repaired or replaced before leaking occurs causing interior damage. They firther rate my roof as Poor. Really?
ReplyDeleteAgain I'm not surprised at the focus of this flyer. They are on the business of replacing roofs and therefore the ends justify the means. Roofer's view of your roof is always going to be in their favor. They said, do it before leaking causes interior damage... will this be in a month or 10 years? Again, in my opinion NW cedar roof's are not pretty when they are 20 years old. They are, however, functional and usuaslly, not in need of replacement.
I used North Creek Roofing and am pleased with the results. It took a little longer than expetd (4 guys for 2 weeks) but all other expectatioins were met. I noticed a couple extra narrow shakes being used one day, but they quickly corrected that when I pointed it out. As for vents, they put in 13 where there used to be 10. Some roofers use ridge vents - which are hard to see. None of my 9 roofer quotes tried to reduce the number of vents.
ReplyDeleteWe just had a roof installed by North Creek Roofing; they did an excellent job and were easy to work with; we had a minor problem with a piece of siding that was removed during the shingle removal process and they fixed it without any problems. They also shingled our firewood shed gratis! They replaced the skylight for us and did a good job cleaning up the yard area every evening! They worked hard and were done when they said; they did quality work. They were willing to listen to any concerns or questions we had. One difference from some other local companies is that they use the standard roof vents instead of the newer ridge cap venting. There is some a controversy as to which is best (just google it and you will see!);They were a good value;when we asked for best and final offers from our "final two" companies, North Creek gave us the best deal up front. The other company immediately lowered their bid by $5000 when told we had picked the other company! It hasn't rained yet...so we will let you know if there are any updates. So far, we are happy! If you have any questions, call us!
ReplyDeleteLinda and Tom Henderson