There are several ways a certified, quality roofing contractor can bring value to your home; new roof, new gutters, upgraded ridge vent, better quality material used to reroof, the list goes on. But there are even more ways that a cheap or “affordable,” and inexperienced roofing contractor can devalue your home and make it the eyesore of the neighborhood. It is common in the Dallas area that once an area gets hit with a hail storm unskilled individuals who have zero experience come out of the woodwork with a fresh ladder rack and door magnet on their truck.

Homeowners might feel that taking a chance on a new company is worth keeping a few hundred dollars in their pockets but the reality is that more often then not several corners are being cut and its at the expense of the homeowner’s roof.

Ways an Unexperienced Contractor can Destroy Your Roof

  1. Shingle over existing shingle-This is probably the worst one of all because now you have two roofs on your house instead of one. Many people think “what is so bad about having two roofs on your house?” For one, you have double the weight on the decking and the foundation, considering that the North Texas area is notorious for shifting foundations in a matter of a couple of years you could be paying for expensive foundation repair due to an unexperienced roofer. Secondly, by removing existing shingle a experienced roofing contractor will be able to see and recognize existing problems that the eye cannot see. Is there rotted decking or a development of black mold from a leak? Without removing the old shingle the roofing contractor is ignorant to the hazards that will be left on your home.
  2. Not Replacing the Old Felt– This goes along with shingling over existing shingle. If the old felt is never remove then there is never a proper inspection done of the decking. Remember, the exterior portion that you see from outside of your home is only part of your roof; the felt and decking is a fundamental portion that supports the roof structure and provides protection from the elements. Without a proper, nailable surface the weight of the shingle can cause a collapse and/or leak. Your insurance company needs to know that the replaced roof on your home can withstand the weight needed to protect you and your belongings otherwise your home can become uninsurable until there is a proper roof on your home.
  3. Ignoring Mold or Damaged Decking– When a cheaper inexperience roofer is contracted to reroof your home the roofer is usually not the one taking the pay cut. It is often at the expense of your home, that can mean leaving decking on the home that is old and rotting or even worse molding. Molded wood typically impacts the structure of the decking but is also associated with toxic spores that can cause a variety of illnesses like lung infections, allergic reactions hypersensitivity pneumoniti(a condition similar to pneumonia) and mold-induced asthma. The only way to control the mold is to replace the affected plywood so that the level of moisture coming into the attic space is eliminated.
  4. Hiring Inexperienced Labor– Roofing a home is a hazardous job and comes with liability to the roofing contractor and a price. A good roofing contractor has made sure that the labor on your roof has been trained to not only properly instal the roof but is also trained to be safe. This is an investment to a good roofing contractor and is looked over quite often when a homeowner is bid shopping. If an negligent roofer is allowing inexperienced labor to be hazardous on the job it is likely that once a laborer becomes injured during a fall that they will most likely sue the roofing contractor. A inexperienced roofer will usually fail to purchase liability insurance because they provide a discounted roof for sub par labor and materials. Once the roofing contractor has been sued they will not be able to operate as a business and the warranty you received from that roofer is no longer in business and means nothing.
  5. Using Left Over or Cheap Material– A responsible roofing contractor will invest in material that will withstand the elements and carry a warranty. It is a common occurrence that left over material from a job will fail to match other shingle that is applied to your home, this is because shingle is manufactured in lots and can vary in shade with the different lots. When a roofer uses left over shingle from a a previous job he is risking not buying from an existing lot, you will not be able to tell if the shingle matches until the damage has been done and the shingle color is inconsistent on your home. It is also common that cheap roofing contractors are buying materials from surplus stores, these store mix and match different brands to hopefully get a consistent color on your roof.  Because these will usually consist of several different shingle brands the roof will not carry a warranty from the manufacturer like a roof that has been correctly replaced from a responsible roofing contractor.

If you or someone you know is seeking the guidance of an award winning roofing contractor call 972-730-2594 before someone makes the mistake of contracting with a storm chaser that only has his bank account in mind.