Any roofers here? Question about shingles

[Scootertrash]

I need to replace my shingles on my house and I found a good deal on TAMKO Architectural Heritage with 30 yr warranty shingles : Any good or junk??

ETA: $68 a square. GAF shingles are $90 a square at home depot.

Thanks in advance!!

[HuffieVA]

I've been a commercial roofer for a little over 22 years, so shingles aren't exactly my specialty, but Tamko is a reputable company and does make decent products. One thing to realize is that residential warranties are not worth the paper they are printed on unless they are installed by a contractor certified to install that brand, it doesn't mean they won't last 30 years but it does mean that if they don't you wont get anything from them, and that goes for all of them (Owens Corning, Elk, Tamko, GAF, Certainteed, etc) $68 a square is cheap, they are likely overstock or a cancelled order so be sure they have enough of the color you want and that the lot numbers match or you will have different shades of color.

[just ben]

I put the same shingles on my old house. I never had any trouble with the product. If you get them and there is different lot numbers just mix the bundles

[El Camexican]

If you get them and there is different lot numbers just mix the bundles

That is some good advice, but where were you when my idiot flooring guy recreated a Tetris screen on my patio? :cry:

[Jason125m]

Did my Cottage in them, 5 years later, already need replacing.

[atc007]

I am DEF NOT a roofer! But my advice,,GO STEEL,and never ,ever look back. Ends all your headaches.

[Scootertrash]

Did my Cottage in them, 5 years later, already need replacing.

What happened that they need replacing? If they are delaminating, that can happen to any composite shingle. That's what the warranty is for.

Don't have the money for steel otherwise I would do it in a heartbeat.

[Jason125m]

They're already starting to chip. Heavy winds will bring pieces down on my lawn.

[Jon Boy]

not a roofer myself, but have helped replace roofing quite a few times. IMO go for the steel roofing. it might be a little more money, but it's well worth it in the long run. had the rear of my house redone in steel and i'm quite happy i did invest in the extra cost of steel vs. asphalt shingles. can't wait to get the rest saved up to finish out the rest of my roof.

oh yeah, if you do go steel don't go climbing up there when it's wet. :lol:

[atc007]

What happened that they need replacing? If they are delaminating, that can happen to any composite shingle. That's what the warranty is for.

Don't have the money for steel otherwise I would do it in a heartbeat.

It's your home,but if you can't invest in the roof over your head.... Like any good investment,,It can't pay for itself till it's up there.

[Dirtcrasher]

I can tell you this, anyone who installs a steel roof, has to know what their doing. However, people seem to love them.

My uncle used architectural and in about 5 years, the smaller pieces broke off. He had to strip it and do it all over again.....

[Rockman]

I am DEF NOT a roofer! But my advice,,GO STEEL,and never ,ever look back. Ends all your headaches.

What happens when you get a hail storm and the roof is damaged and looks like Sh!t? How often is insurance gonna cover that bill? Just my opinion...

Certainteed is a good company also...we ship alot of their product.

[Howdy]

What happens when you get a hail storm and the roof is damaged and looks like Sh!t? How often is insurance gonna cover that bill? Just my opinion...

Certainteed is a good company also...we ship alot of their product.

If the steel is installed correctly you usually won't have damage ( unless it's real large hail ). I have heard of steel roofs being hit with Golf ball sized hail and not having any damage or very minimal.
Howdy

[Scootertrash]

It's your home, but if you can't invest in the roof over your head.... Like any good investment,,It can't pay for itself till it's up there.

Well 007, if the moneys not there, it's not there. Like a lot of others, we have been hit hard by the crappy economy. The priority right now is replacing the sh!t organic certainteed shingles that they put on when we built the house in '97. If those pieces of crap can last 15 years...... This needs to be done now.

Just a quick look-see on the internet tells me that a steel roof will cost me upwards of 20K. I'll make some calls tomorrow just out of curiosity, but at 20K it's not happening. Not in this economy where pretty much anyone's job can disappear at the drop of a hat.

With my neighbors discount I can get the materials for under 3K and by swapping labor with buddies I can get by for pretty much nothing for labor costs. The estimates I got were 5.5K from Pedros Roofing and Burritos to 11K for the higher end companies. My friends and I have done roofing before, it's not a big deal. Not my favorite thing to do, but wth.. it'll give me and some friends a chance to get together and then have some beer and brats after we're done. I'll put the other 17K towards pole barn in the future. ;)

The value of our home has dropped over 75K in the last 3 years or so. a 20K roof don't mean much after that. We'll live here until we die. We ain't goin anywhere.

[just ben]

Well 007, if the moneys not there, it's not there. Like a lot of others, we have been hit hard by the crappy economy. The priority right now is replacing the sh!t organic certainteed shingles that they put on when we built the house in '97. If those pieces of crap can last 15 years...... This needs to be done now.

Just a quick look-see on the internet tells me that a steel roof will cost me upwards of 20K. I'll make some calls tomorrow just out of curiosity, but at 20K it's not happening. Not in this economy where pretty much anyone's job can disappear at the drop of a hat.

With my neighbors discount I can get the materials for under 3K and by swapping labor with buddies I can get by for pretty much nothing for labor costs. The estimates I got were 5.5K from Pedros Roofing and Burritos to 11K for the higher end companies. My friends and I have done roofing before, it's not a big deal. Not my favorite thing to do, but wth.. it'll give me and some friends a chance to get together and then have some beer and brats after we're done. I'll put the other 17K towards pole barn in the future. ;)

The value of our home has dropped over 75K in the last 3 years or so. a 20K roof don't mean much after that. We'll live here until we die. We ain't goin anywhere.I understand what you mean about the value dropping. My house was worth 140k 6 years ago now ,90-100k. I'm not sure where you got 20,000 estimate for a steel roof but I would get some more for the same product. I dont know how many square you are looking at but to give you an Idea how cheap the steel is.... For a 24x36 garage it was 1200.00 for the roof and 10' walls. All the trim pieces were another 400.00 . I think the estimate you got is way out of line unless you have a 50 + square roof

[atc007]

What happens when you get a hail storm and the roof is damaged and looks like Sh!t? How often is insurance gonna cover that bill? Just my opinion...

Certainteed is a good company also...we ship alot of their product.

Trust me Scooter,,NOONE out here is immune from this Countrys downfall! There is no money Anywhere. But that 's an entire different story! I was just trying to help. TWO of my friends who are contractors,,Everyday,,not part time. Self employed,successful contractors. Went the cheap route about ten years ago,one a 30x50 Straight log home NO valleys! Both of their homes leaked and BOTH put on steel,and will NEVER F around with their roof again! I totally here you on your deal,and understand. And MIGHT think about doing the same. Rockman?? I lost my entire driveway to TWO Hurricanes last year,hail storm after hail storm. Frigid LONG winters,Brutal rain and WIND on top of a hill. 26000 Sq ft of roof on my farm. I've never had a single dent.:wondering;) ;)The older stuff that was nailed on 45 years ago? Yes,,once in a while it gets pulled loose at a corner. THEN,we hit her w screws,. Won't move for another 30. Only way to go. Better insulation,better sound deadening{ going over existing shingles}. On and on. Yes it costs,but it's an investment . You're pushing shingles,I understand you don't want to hear the cold hard facts !

[Scootertrash]

I have no problem with the cold hard facts, and right now the main fact is money is tight. I work in construction full time and I also ran my own concrete company along with my own remodeling /handyman company for several years until my wife was diagnosed with MS, at that point I got back into working for others. My wife and I rarely "cheap out" on anything in our lives and I do 99% of the work on our home because I don't trust others to be as picky as I am. I've been in construction for almost 30 years and very few contractors have exhibited the quality I expect for what I'm charged.

As far as steel roofs, if and/or when I do it, it will be a quality install and I won't be going over existing shingles. Why would you leave crappy old shingles under a new install? Shingles don't have crap for an insulation value. None of the contractors I know will install any new roof over existing shingles.

Here is my steel roof install plan from what I've seen and experienced in my construction career and from talking to good roofing contractors who have been around for years. Ask your construction buddies about this install:

The existing shingles will be stripped and 2x2 furring strips (or battens) will be fastened vertically to the roof sheathing corresponding to the width of the steel panels

1 1/2" extruded polystyrene insulation will be installed between the battens, then a modified bituthane with an adhesive surface (similar to ice and water shield) will be installed over the insulation and battens on the whole roof and sealed around any penetrations in the roof. Then the steel panels on top of that

[HuffieVA]

Scooter, you could either remove or leave the shingles as long as they are not cupped to the point of interfering with the smooth layout of the insulation, I would use Poly ISO insulation, it has a bit higher "R" value than extruded and its much less flammable, you can then place "densdeck" which is a moisture resistant type of sheetrock over the ISO, followed by a full covering of ice/water shield. there would be no need for the furring strips as you can run the screws for the panel clips directly through the insulation into your existing plywood deck and you would be good to go.

Here's a little metal roof I did in the same configuration (with the exception of having a steel deck rather than plywood) about seven years ago, If its good enough for Richmond International Airport, It will certainly hold up on your home, the square foot cost of materials would run you around $5 - $7 certainly not as cheap as shingles but you add greater R value, longevity and looks at the same time...
145412

[Rockman]

Interesting reply you have there...


Rockman?? I lost my entire driveway to TWO Hurricanes last year,

When the hell was the last time Minnesota got a hurricane? The guy who is asking about the roof and lives in MN will not witness a hurricane, unless he goes on vacation.


You're pushing shingles,I understand you don't want to hear the cold hard facts !
I am not pushing shingles...just stated my opinion as I noted. Now that is a fact! Takes your meds and settle down there sparky. This is an open forum for opinions and suggestions.

[atc007]

And now there are TWO guys on here I will ignore everything they say ;) The point all of the Adults here are trying to make is. Steel is better than shingles. Period. Scooter will be just fine. He has worked hard all his life and will continue to do so. I didn't know about his situation. Now I do,and certainly sympathize and understand him going shingles this time around. Good luck finding decent grade ,properly installed steel roof that is riddled. And good luck with everything else in your life too. Seems you're gonna need it .:lol:

[HuffieVA]

What happens when you get a hail storm and the roof is damaged and looks like Sh!t? How often is insurance gonna cover that bill? Just my opinion...

Certainteed is a good company also...we ship alot of their product.

If the hail is large enough and coming down with enough force to beat the 24ga steel to death, what do you suppose your shingles will look like?

[Scootertrash]

Thanks Huffie, that does sound like a better route, although I would still remove the old shingles. It's still gonna hafta be shingles this time around.

[Scootertrash]

Well, if I'm one of the ones you want to ignore that's fine. I never disagreed that steel wasn't better, matter of fact I fully agree that it is better. And yea, I get it about the investment thing. I double checked our latest tax statement, and our value has gone down 100K in the last 3 years. Basically we're back to where we started 15 years ago when we built. So much for that "investment" theory. Every single "investment" also has a downside. Just ask all the people with 401K and other retirement funds that have taken a huge dump in the last 3-4 years. If we get another 4 years of what we have now, I'm pretty confident it'll only get worse.

If I'm going to throw out a wad of cash, I'll build a pole shed and start wrenching on the side to keep money coming in. If I'm going to "invest" in my property the way things are now, a pole shed is a much better investment than a steel roof since the shed can bring in money if needed. No one is going to stop by and pay me to look at my steel roof, unless I put a couple strippers up there. :wondering;):lol:

ETA: And I'm not so sure the wifey would go along with that idea:D

[Rockman]

I understand that shingles will take a beating as well, if not worse...just thinking about replacement costs when a bad storm happens. We had a bad hail storm come thru the area where our lake house is located and we just had a new garage put up. When you looked at the shingles on the garage, you could see some divets but it wasn't that bad. One of our neighbors just had a new house built and had steel roofing put on and his house looked aweful. You could see all the dents, etc. I am not sure what the grade or quality of the steel was but that's what came to mind when someone mentioned a steel roof. That's why I asked what people thought about that idea.

[atc007]

Well, if I'm one of the ones you want to ignore that's fine. I never disagreed that steel wasn't better, matter of fact I fully agree that it is better. And yea, I get it about the investment thing. I double checked our latest tax statement, and our value has gone down 100K in the last 3 years. Basically we're back to where we started 15 years ago when we built. So much for that "investment" theory. Every single "investment" also has a downside. Just ask all the people with 401K and other retirement funds that have taken a huge dump in the last 3-4 years. If we get another 4 years of what we have now, I'm pretty confident it'll only get worse.

No Scooter you are not one!! I 100% understand what ,and why you are doing.. I have seen some of your posts,,you know your way around a pair of work gloves. I have no problem with you. Rockstars got a chip on his shoulder and that's fine! I don't have time for it ,that's all. I tried to help you with my opinion,and after hearing your story. Completely understand what you're up against. Seriously and sincerely Scooter,good luck with your roof. You and your budds will have a ball,good fun and joking around makes all work go faster and easier! Sorry to hear about your Wife,and if there is ever anything I can do. You know how to get at me!

[Rockman]

And now there are TWO guys on here I will ignore everything they say ;) The point all of the Adults here are trying to make is. Steel is better than shingles. Period. Scooter will be just fine. He has worked hard all his life and will continue to do so. I didn't know about his situation. Now I do,and certainly sympathize and understand him going shingles this time around. Good luck finding decent grade ,properly installed steel roof that is riddled. And good luck with everything else in your life too. Seems you're gonna need it .:lol:

And I must be the second person. Oh well, no loss for me. Maybe some ADULTS that contributed to this thread, like me, may have known a little bit more about the situation, maybe not...

007, maybe you should be less of an a$s when talking to people and treating people like crap who you don't know...then again, might be difficult for a person of your caliber to do so...:lol:

[Rockman]

No chips on my shoulder...just offered an opinion and it turned into a feud.

[Scootertrash]

OK now LOL @"rockstar" No offense Rockman ;)

Too bad you're in PA 007. We have some nice peat swamps/woods behind our properties here and the water is up. You could come out and get muddy. If you're not at least third in line I guarantee you'll be getting stuck. I'm going to try to rig up a cam on my helmet or wheeler and film some of the shenanigans . It's quite the hoot sitting and waiting for the noobs that are stuck swearing at you as they try to get unstuck while you wait up ahead. The stuff doesn't really have much of a bottom after you churn it up, yer best off wearing waders. A few years ago we got one of the neighbors stuck on his brand new 700 Polaris quad, buried it up past the floor boards. Trashed his winch trying to pull himself out. He traded it in the next year for a side by side so he and his wife could ride together. Now we can't get him stuck anymore. :(

Rockman, you in Minnesota?

ETA: Thanks for the thought on the wife 007. She lucked out (I guess) and has a slow form of MS. She does OK except if she overworks herself and/or it's hot out, plus she can still ride her motorcycle and four wheeler. The friggin meds are a killer tho. Expensive as hell, which is why I went back to the "normal" workforce so I had good insurance coverage. I believe the meds are running about 3K a month. Insane.

[atc007]

The meds help? My sister has suffered and struggled for 24 years with severe,debilitating muscle lock and weakness. We have all watched it and seen it and know how real it is. She has heard,chronic Fatigue Syndrome,Fibermayalgia,,,Never a real " diagnosis". She saw her Seventh Neurologist yesterday,,,all before have guessed MS. Everytime,the tests come back negative. She called last night,,I haven't heard her this happy in a while. She has Myasthenia Gravis. MS eats the mesh surrounding the muscle that receives the brains impulses from the nerves. THIS disease forms a " film" on that mesh surround Blocking the nerves impulses,rendering the muscle very weak and unresponsive,but not as bad as MS. I Know ALL about changing/ losing your lifestyle to fight the families health problems!! Again,I feel for ya. If I was in MN I'd be up there on the roof w ya! I just pass on the booze : )

[Scootertrash]

Yea, she's on Rebif and it helps quite a bit. She still gets numbness in her right side, mostly leg and arm, and usually when she overworks herself and gets hot. She's kind of a hardcore and wants/tries to push thru it but that doesn't always work in her favor, but I totally understand the attitude. She goes on walks occasionally but she's limping pretty bad after a couple miles and has to take a break, but I still encourage her to do it. I sure as hell can't talk her out of it. At least shes a fighter and doesn't let it get her down very often. Much better than sitting around. She just hates giving herself shots every other day. I'm pretty sure I would too.

Sorry to hear about your sis. can they give her meds to help now that they know what she has?

[Rockman]

Scooter,

Just an FYI...I was a member of a team for more than 10 years that participated in the MS event every May here in Illinois. The team I was on raised over $100k over the time I was actively participating. A close friend's wife has MS and even though she is as joyful and spunky as ever, she too gets hit hard sometimes.

Hope all is well...

[atc007]

Yea, she's on Rebif and it helps quite a bit. She still gets numbness in her right side, mostly leg and arm, and usually when she overworks herself and gets hot. She's kind of a hardcore and wants/tries to push thru it but that doesn't always work in her favor, but I totally understand the attitude. She goes on walks occasionally but she's limping pretty bad after a couple miles and has to take a break, but I still encourage her to do it. I sure as hell can't talk her out of it. At least shes a fighter and doesn't let it get her down very often. Much better than sitting around. She just hates giving herself shots every other day. I'm pretty sure I would too.

Sorry to hear about your sis. can they give her meds to help now that they know what she has?

Their is one med to help the impulses actually Get thru to the muscle. If that doesn't work ,it's steroids,,good ol Prednisone. That crap makes her homocidal,,it loops her! Not an option. There are two behind that ,not as effective. She has been giving a neighbor her weekly shot for MS for 10? 12? years. The side effects are awful for a day. Her brother also has MS,he said the side effects weren't worth the relief and he quit them 8? years ago. He's been a vegetable in a home for 3 years now..Life.....

[Scootertrash]

Ah yes Prednisone. If the wife has a bad "flare up" she has to do the Pred. She hates it. Fortunately she hasn't had one for a few years and we hope it will stay that way.

MS is quite the disease. We are fortunate my wife is afflicted with a more mild form and it has slowed, but still every year it gets a bit worse.
Those of us that are healthy should be thankful. I know I am.

Rockman: The wife and I thank you for your efforts and raising money to help those affected by MS.