​Recently Bob Villa of “This Old House Fame“ wrote an article asking the question “Should You Replace or Repair Your Roof?” He begins:

Making good decisions is the key to minimizing near- and long-term costs related to any home improvement. This is especially true for large, complex jobs like reroofing. In this particular case, some of the most important decisions should be made before you hire a contractor or choose a shingle manufacturer.

His article covers several topics, including:

• Whether to simply patch leaks and damaged areas
• Whether to partially reroof or completely reroof
• Whether to tear off or roof over
• How to find the right contractor

Joe Sardotz at Oregon Roof Consulting encourages you to read this article from rafter to eaves. Then contact Joe to help you make these tough decisions and take you through the entire process.

» Read the Full Story

This roof in Lake Oswego had to be redone. The specifications for the install were clear and the contractor knew it would be inspected. The ball was really dropped here. (Click images below for larger views in new window. Scroll down to read the rest of the story.)

Contract and annotations
​ Old roof prior to tearoff	Close-up of old roof
Close up of old roof	Preparing to install new roof
Tearing off new roof	New roof in drop box
Removal of damaged plywood overhang due to use of too-long nails	Replacement of damaged overhang plywood
New roof (second install)	New roof (again)

What was wrong? Lots!

• The contract specified 30lb felt, 15 lb was used.
• Edge flashing used was not as specified.
• Vents and pipes were not laid in sealant.
• At least 85% of nails were either set too deep, blown through (indication of air gun malfunction), at an extreme angle, and/or improperly placed. This does not occur if a roof is hand nailed.

All manufacturers are very specific about fastening, and even though a little 'wiggle room' is allowed, this was not even remotely close. Way too much wiggling! Also, the roofers used nails that were too long at the exposed overhangs, which damaged the plywood such that the owner demanded it be done again. Two days after the job was completed, the new roof was torn off and done again. The difference between the two installs was like night & day.

This incident created a lot of unnecessary stress for all parties, cost the roofer a lot of money, and was an embarassment for the company and the roofers themselves. Just a bad situation all the way around.

Do it right: First time, every time!

The moral of this story is: "Do it right the first time! Do it to manufacturer specifications. Do what the contract says."

Don't let this happen to you. I hate to think of how many badly done new roofs are out there and how many property owners have no clue about it. Have Oregon Roof Consulting inspect your new roof!

Newer homes 30 years old or less usually don't require any repairs unless the roof has been leaking quite a while. Homes that are between 35 years old and up usually require at least some repairs. The older the building, the more repairs that are likely necessary.

Careful examination of the roof can reveal that at least some repair work is needed; however, It is difficult to exactly judge how much repairs are required until the roofing is removed (another reason to never put additional layers on a roof).

Surprises are possible. Roofing is not a perfect science. An experienced roofer and an inexperienced roofer may be looking at the same thing, but they do not (see) the same thing. Tearoff is always the best way to go.

It is cheaper in the long-run to do repairs during the re-roofing process than it is to return after-the-fact and dig into the structure.