Rental Property Investor · Member since 2018 · 27 posts · 14 votes
8y
Hey Mike, quick update. I can't thank you enough for your expertise on "all things roofing". After months of screwing around wasted money and time, I took your advice and replaced the sky lights as you suggested. Wow what a difference. No more leaks and the light that comes through the new panels is amazing. You were correct they were never properly installed (never would have stopped leaking no matter what I tried).
Mike, I need to replace the roof on this building (a small apt bldg):
I believe this is what they call a mansard or Dutch roof? My PM, who will be supervising the installation, suggested that we go with metal for longevity. Fair enough - we got some quotes and the price seems reasonable. He also suggested that rather than using metal on the steeper sections, we replace them with siding to save a little money. Do you think this is a good idea? Or should we just go with metal everywhere? Anything else to ask/request from the roofing contractor before they commence work?
Thank you so much for being an active member of the BP community!
That sounds good on paper but there are several reasons why you dont want to do that.
1. Full metal roof will be a discount on your insurance. If you use siding you will likely not get that insurance break.
2. Wood shingles are outlawed in most jurisdictions because of fire spread. Siding on a roof (unless its Hardi) will be a no go probably with your AHJ or inspector.
3. You will find that even on the initial install siding will not be cheaper. It would be more labor intensive and a nightmare to make water tight.
4. Last but not least, you will have to paint the siding. Imagine how much the bill will be in 10 years when your painter is salivating while telling you "It wont be cheap. I'll have to rent a boom lift and scaffold and it will take twice as long as a normal job.
Your PM means well but this time in my opinion he is wrong. Hope this helps and thanks for the shout out. Glad to help.
@Justin Stanfield
What are pros and cons of metal roof on a 2 story rental
Cons are usually more cost initially but you will get that back in two to five years on the insurance break. Some people dont like the noise during a rain.
Pros are it will last longer so capex will be less down the road. Some people love the sound of rain hitting the roof. My metal roof is going on 30 years now with no signs of wear. Its galvalume though so no color.
Clive, IA · Member since 2013 · 141 posts · 89 votes
8y
@Justin Stanfield. Totally disagree regarding GAF. You are getting one opinion from a guy. We have a roofing company installing 600 to 700 roofs a year. We would only install Owens Corning or Malarkey. Depending on the area of the country some areas are big with duration the north half of the area and the south does not use duration they use oakridge
No matter what we never go over top of shingles for our clients or for any of our 200 rentals.
Mike, I need to replace the roof on this building (a small apt bldg):
I believe this is what they call a mansard or Dutch roof? My PM, who will be supervising the installation, suggested that we go with metal for longevity. Fair enough - we got some quotes and the price seems reasonable. He also suggested that rather than using metal on the steeper sections, we replace them with siding to save a little money. Do you think this is a good idea? Or should we just go with metal everywhere? Anything else to ask/request from the roofing contractor before they commence work?
Thank you so much for being an active member of the BP community!
That sounds good on paper but there are several reasons why you dont want to do that.
1. Full metal roof will be a discount on your insurance. If you use siding you will likely not get that insurance break.
2. Wood shingles are outlawed in most jurisdictions because of fire spread. Siding on a roof (unless its Hardi) will be a no go probably with your AHJ or inspector.
3. You will find that even on the initial install siding will not be cheaper. It would be more labor intensive and a nightmare to make water tight.
4. Last but not least, you will have to paint the siding. Imagine how much the bill will be in 10 years when your painter is salivating while telling you "It wont be cheap. I'll have to rent a boom lift and scaffold and it will take twice as long as a normal job.
Your PM means well but this time in my opinion he is wrong. Hope this helps and thanks for the shout out. Glad to help.
Thank you sir! Follow up: what are the pros/cons of installing over the existing asphalt shingle roof without stripping it first?
construction · Nacogdoches, TX · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
8y
@Leonid Sapronov Most metal roof manufactures will allow you to place metal over shingles without voiding the waranty. Check with the salesmen first but it would probably be ok with them. Metal roofs weigh about 1/4 to 1/3 the weight of asphalt shingles. Many states will allow up to 2 layers only per roof.
As to the stripping I would do it. I know some manufacturers will allow you to do it directly on the shingles but you usually have no way of knowing whats underneath. Is the decking rotted? Is it 1/2" OSB or even less? You need a good foundation for your screws. The way your screws and flashing are installed are the lifeblood of a metal roof. Use 1x4 nailed or screwed to the rafters. The cost is not much and you will be happier later on.
Rental Property Investor · Member since 2018 · 27 posts · 14 votes
8y
Hey Mike, quick update. I can't thank you enough for your expertise on "all things roofing". After months of screwing around wasted money and time, I took your advice and replaced the sky lights as you suggested. Wow what a difference. No more leaks and the light that comes through the new panels is amazing. You were correct they were never properly installed (never would have stopped leaking no matter what I tried).
Hey Mike, quick update. I can't thank you enough for your expertise on "all things roofing". After months of screwing around wasted money and time, I took your advice and replaced the sky lights as you suggested. Wow what a difference. No more leaks and the light that comes through the new panels is amazing. You were correct they were never properly installed (never would have stopped leaking no matter what I tried).
Many thanks and appreciation
Now that's a good looking skylight. I'm glad I was able to help. If you need to ask me anything else feel free. If you could just tag me with the @ sign or quote one of my post so I don't miss it and save you a bit of time.
Did you do the skylight yourself or have it done by another?
Carlsbad, CA · Member since 2017 · 3 posts · 1 vote
8y
Looking to upgrade the roof on a twinhome in southern California. It currently has a flat roof with spanish tile and 8' ceilings throughout the home. I'm looking to raise the roof, no pun intended, and as a result make the small square footage feel much larger. The other side o the twinhome is owned by someone else, so I'd only be changing the roof on my side.
I'd like to replace the flat roof throughout the home with a sloped / skillion roof, and have the shorter side of the roof (the detached side of the home) at 9 or 10 feet instead of the current 8' height, and then obviously have the other side of the roof (the adjoining wall of the twinhome) be 15' tall.
So we're essentially going to be raising the walls on all sides of the home by certain amounts, and doing a full roof replacement, changing the flat roof to a sloped roof. I plan to add some skylights and extra windows as well, but we can leave that out of the calculation for these purposes.
Other twinhomes in that area have added on second stories etc, so assuming that it can be permitted what would you estimate the cost at? Thanks in advance!
Looking to upgrade the roof on a twinhome in southern California. It currently has a flat roof with spanish tile and 8' ceilings throughout the home. I'm looking to raise the roof, no pun intended, and as a result make the small square footage feel much larger. The other side o the twinhome is owned by someone else, so I'd only be changing the roof on my side.
I'd like to replace the flat roof throughout the home with a sloped / skillion roof, and have the shorter side of the roof (the detached side of the home) at 9 or 10 feet instead of the current 8' height, and then obviously have the other side of the roof (the adjoining wall of the twinhome) be 15' tall.
So we're essentially going to be raising the walls on all sides of the home by certain amounts, and doing a full roof replacement, changing the flat roof to a sloped roof. I plan to add some skylights and extra windows as well, but we can leave that out of the calculation for these purposes.
Other twinhomes in that area have added on second stories etc, so assuming that it can be permitted what would you estimate the cost at? Thanks in advance!
I would estimate the cost at a lot.You are not only proposing to raise the roof but also the walls. You shouldnt (and most likely couldnt) just add a foot or two on that one wall. They need to be solid so a pony wall wont work. You really need a good architect to look things over. I promise you they will save much more than they would charge.
I have over 30 roofing certificates. I have done roofing for over 10 years. If someone has any roofing questions I would be happy answer.
What is the most feasible and cost effective way to add a rooftop deck on a property that currently has a pitched roof?
Thanks in advance!
Its not a big problem to build one but you need a competent contractor. Find someone who has done them first. Your biggest issue though is what are you putting it on? See, your roof was designed for just that. A roof. Not a deck. So you will need an engineer to look and see if your roof will even support one or not.
Carlsbad, CA · Member since 2017 · 3 posts · 1 vote
8y
Thanks @Mike Reynolds, I got a ballpark estimate from a contractor. The ROI on that project didn't work at all considering the rehab costs. I'm steering clear of homes with low ceilings and flat rooflines moving forward. It's great to know for future reference.
Rental Property Investor · Seattle, WA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
8y
Would it take 48 sheets of CDX to re-sheet an entire 1,800 SF house (including the garage in square footage. They told me they used 48 sheets. I went up in the attic and it looks like they used a lot, but it's difficult to count from that angle. They didn't even replace the whole house, just the pieces that were too soft supposedly.
Also, what is the typical charge to install per sheet?
In all it was 12K for a new roof with Owens Corning Duration shingles including tax.
Would it take 48 sheets of CDX to re-sheet an entire 1,800 SF house (including the garage in square footage. They told me they used 48 sheets. I went up in the attic and it looks like they used a lot, but it's difficult to count from that angle. They didn't even replace the whole house, just the pieces that were too soft supposedly.
Also, what is the typical charge to install per sheet?
In all it was 12K for a new roof with Owens Corning Duration shingles including tax.
Thanks in advance!
No, it would take more than that. A sheet is 32 square feet so if you had a flat roof you would need 57 sheets. Since I am assuming your roof is pitched it would take a lot more. The steeper the pitch the more it would take.
Seattle rates are higher than Texas rates but 12k to redo that size roof and replace anything more than 10 sheets is about average price here in Texas. IE, a friend just had his done about the same size and he paid 9,000. This didnt include and new plywood. He did have bids from 7500 (no insurance folks) to 14,000. Looks like you paid about right. If you are happy with the final product then all should be OK.
Investor · Lakewood, OH · Member since 2015 · 3 posts · 1 vote
7y
Flip I'm doing has a rubber roof. No leaks but nearing end of life. It's a 12/2, could I install asphalt directly over the rubber roof? If so, woult you still need the normal stuff underneath or would the rubber roof under act as an underlayment?
construction · Nacogdoches, TX · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
7y
@Tim Matthews No unless your nails are about 6 inches long. Under your EDPM is a few layers of rigid foam that is fastened to your deck. Or should be anyway. Also, if you only have a 2/12 pitch you cant use shingles. Only asphalt you could think about is roll roofing and that will only get you about ten years. That's a lot of work for only about ten years of use.
If its not leaking just let it go and start planning on a roof in a few years.
My inspector says that a part of the roof is "shot" , and he suggested to replace the roof . What is an educated way to make a decision - replace my roof or fix it . I don't know how old this roof is
I know this is pretty open ended , but if possible you can mention the things that warrant roof replacement , that would be a good starting point for my research.
construction · Nacogdoches, TX · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
7y
@Kumar Tummalapalli Not trying to discount your inspector but the fact is most home inspectors deal in the whole house so its impossible for them to know everything. They deal in generalities and opinion instead. I would call a few roofers to see what they think. If its not leaking you could have anywhere from a year to ten years left.
The most telltale sign is the gravel. If it doesn't have much gravel its nearing the end. If you are unsure of how much there should be look at a sample from the lumber yard. The gravel carries the color so if the color is splotchy there is not much gravel on there. If they are very brittle they are getting old also. If it is brittle it will be very hard to patch it correctly. Its better to just replace it.
Hope this helps. If you have anything else just ask away.
I moved into my house three years ago. I haven’t had any issues with the roof but recently one section of the plywood in the attic is dark and moist. Water isn’t leaking onto the attic floor but when it snowed today the section of roof over these spots has melted while the rest of the roof still has snow. I understand that can mean heat is escaping but are the spots an insulation issue or likely a leak? I can provide pics if necessary. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
There is no leaking , but I am not sure if it leaked at some point in time , it has only one layer , so not sure if an additional layer could be added with out replacing
construction · Nacogdoches, TX · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
7y
@Kumar Tummalapalli Yes, you need a new roof desperately. It has aged beyond its normal life. Here is a thought. If you haven't made an offer on it yet maybe you can get it discounted on the purchase. I (will almost) guarantee you will have some wet or rotted decking under there so figure extra for that.
Most places you can do two layers but I don't recommend it. With that roof there it will never lay down flat and the life will be less because of it. Plus where you are you have snow load to consider. Its just not worth it imo.
I moved into my house three years ago. I haven’t had any issues with the roof but recently one section of the plywood in the attic is dark and moist. Water isn’t leaking onto the attic floor but when it snowed today the section of roof over these spots has melted while the rest of the roof still has snow. I understand that can mean heat is escaping but are the spots an insulation issue or likely a leak? I can provide pics if necessary. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Dark and wet usually means a leak. In this case it could be a broken AC duct allowing heat to hit that one part of the roof causing condensation.