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Default Roof Repair Bids - Hail Damage

Our house has hail damage to the roof. The insurance company has
provided their estimate. We now have three estimates from contractors.
The three estimates are from a list of contractors the adjuster
identified - not endorsed.

The three estimates are wildly different in price but it does not
appear in scope. The insurance company has identified a need for 52 sq
of roofing removal and 57 sq necessary to cover the roof. All three
bids are using 30 year dimensional shingles by different companies -
GAF, Tamko and Owens Corning. (Reading through earlier posts, there is
not a consensus on which is better.) Two have 15# felt and one has 30#.
Only one has identified the number of nails per shingle - 4 - the
others have not. The bids came in at $11,600, $9,860 and $7,400. The
lower two are within the insurance estimate. Choosing the lower does
not gain me money but I see no reason to cheat the insurance company if
I can get the same quality of work for lower money. All are members of
the BBB and I plan to check their records. Two have worked extensively
in our neighborhood repairing roofs after this storm.

1) What can be making such a difference? Two have provided 3 tab
estimates - which is what we have now. The difference in pricing
between dimensional and 3 tab is very different. One has a $2,000
difference and the other a $700 difference. I am planning to ask about
squares estimated to see if that is driving this.

2) Is the felt difference important?

3) I have read of 4 and 6 nails recommended. I understand 6 would be
better. How much better?

4) What other questions should I focus on?

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Default Roof Repair Bids - Hail Damage

I would spend the extra bucks for that membrane material that sticks to
the substrate and seals all nail holes.

just to be extra safe

I wouldnt have a new roof installed in cold weather the self sealing
shingles may never stick

that happened here

ended up replacing roof again and warranty didnt cover it

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Default Roof Repair Bids - Hail Damage

2) Is the felt difference important?

3) I have read of 4 and 6 nails recommended. I understand 6 would be
better. How much better?

2
There is nothing more important to a quality roofing job than 30 lb
felt, IMO.
I know many, many people will tell you it is only a moisture barrier,
but think about that, the roof is only a moisture barrier. 15 lb is
like black newspaper in more ways than one, it tears easily even when
new, disintegrates at a touch when a few years old. They will charge
considerably more to use 30 lb because it costs twice as much and
covers half as much, also it is harder to work with, but well worth the
effort it the "life of your roof". BTW, I'm residing a 50s house and
they used 30lb in some spots, 15lb in others for house wrap. When we
have to remove the old siding, the 30 is re-usable, the 15 usually
falls off and hasn't been doing the job for some time.
3
That really depends on the likelihood of high winds in your area. I
would always go for more nails, but 60 - 80 mph winds are very likely
in my area.



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Default Roof Repair Bids - Hail Damage

The middle quote is about right on with the insurance company. Their
shingle estimate is 58 sq vs 57.33 for the insurance company. They are
proposing the the 30# felt and use a higher nail count. When we bought
the house the previous owners had to replace shingles prior to the sale
so I am conscious of losing shingles in high wind.

Thanks to all for the help.
Eric in North TX wrote:
2) Is the felt difference important?

3) I have read of 4 and 6 nails recommended. I understand 6 would be
better. How much better?

2
There is nothing more important to a quality roofing job than 30 lb
felt, IMO.
I know many, many people will tell you it is only a moisture barrier,
but think about that, the roof is only a moisture barrier. 15 lb is
like black newspaper in more ways than one, it tears easily even when
new, disintegrates at a touch when a few years old. They will charge
considerably more to use 30 lb because it costs twice as much and
covers half as much, also it is harder to work with, but well worth the
effort it the "life of your roof". BTW, I'm residing a 50s house and
they used 30lb in some spots, 15lb in others for house wrap. When we
have to remove the old siding, the 30 is re-usable, the 15 usually
falls off and hasn't been doing the job for some time.
3
That really depends on the likelihood of high winds in your area. I
would always go for more nails, but 60 - 80 mph winds are very likely
in my area.


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Default Roof Repair Bids - Hail Damage

Eric in North TX wrote:

2) Is the felt difference important?

3) I have read of 4 and 6 nails recommended. I understand 6 would be
better. How much better?

2
There is nothing more important to a quality roofing job than 30 lb
felt, IMO.
I know many, many people will tell you it is only a moisture barrier,
but think about that, the roof is only a moisture barrier. 15 lb is
like black newspaper in more ways than one, it tears easily even when
new, disintegrates at a touch when a few years old. They will charge
considerably more to use 30 lb because it costs twice as much and
covers half as much, also it is harder to work with, but well worth the
effort it the "life of your roof". BTW, I'm residing a 50s house and
they used 30lb in some spots, 15lb in others for house wrap. When we
have to remove the old siding, the 30 is re-usable, the 15 usually
falls off and hasn't been doing the job for some time.
3
That really depends on the likelihood of high winds in your area. I
would always go for more nails, but 60 - 80 mph winds are very likely
in my area.


These days I'd think the best thing would be to fully cover the roof
sheathing with the self adhesive membrane. It will bond to the sheathing
and even if the wind / hail were to strip all the shingles off you would
still have a waterproof roof.

Pete C.
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Default Roof Repair Bids - Hail Damage

What can be making such a difference?

It is quite typical to have wildly varying bids for the same work.

This is especially typical of locales with tight licensing and other
restraint-of-trade gimmicks imposed by the local gangsters ... excuse
me, building department run by the builders. When things get busy (like
your hailstorm creating more work than the licensees can handle), then
there
is a sort of collusion at work as follows. It takes time and effort to
calculate a precise estimate that gets the bid to its low but still
profitable amount without risk to the bidder. Contractors who aren't
already busy will tend to give such low bids. Other contractors, who
are already busy with the rush of business, will bid more or less as a
courtesy to their fellows in the biz and in support of the collusive
system, but such bids will be based on a cursory inspection and will be
overpriced to guarantee that the job (which they don't really want
because they're already busy) won't be awarded to them or if by chance
is awarded to them won't possibly turn out to be anything but highly
profitable.

You've got to understand that you're an amateur at hiring a contractor,
and the contractors are experienced professionals at manipulating you
(this mindset is part of the process of becoming a licensed contractor,
including a kind of brainwashing into belief that a collusive restraint-
of-trade price-maintenance scheme is "in the best interest of the
consumer" and "professional"), and the game and the laws are all rigged
in their interests.
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Default Roof Repair Bids - Hail Damage

Cynical, but that's why I searched this forum and made the post. I'm
cynical too. The low bidder proposed 15# felt and four nails. It made
me wonder about what other ways they would cut qulaity on my roof..
Richard J Kinch wrote:
What can be making such a difference?


It is quite typical to have wildly varying bids for the same work.

This is especially typical of locales with tight licensing and other
restraint-of-trade gimmicks imposed by the local gangsters ... excuse
me, building department run by the builders. When things get busy (like
your hailstorm creating more work than the licensees can handle), then
there
is a sort of collusion at work as follows. It takes time and effort to
calculate a precise estimate that gets the bid to its low but still
profitable amount without risk to the bidder. Contractors who aren't
already busy will tend to give such low bids. Other contractors, who
are already busy with the rush of business, will bid more or less as a
courtesy to their fellows in the biz and in support of the collusive
system, but such bids will be based on a cursory inspection and will be
overpriced to guarantee that the job (which they don't really want
because they're already busy) won't be awarded to them or if by chance
is awarded to them won't possibly turn out to be anything but highly
profitable.

You've got to understand that you're an amateur at hiring a contractor,
and the contractors are experienced professionals at manipulating you
(this mindset is part of the process of becoming a licensed contractor,
including a kind of brainwashing into belief that a collusive restraint-
of-trade price-maintenance scheme is "in the best interest of the
consumer" and "professional"), and the game and the laws are all rigged
in their interests.


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