JRanieri wrote:

"Lisa Taylor" wrote in message
...
x-no-archive: yes

We recently hired a roofer to replace the roof (full strip and new
felt,flashing,water/ice shield, new ridge vent installed etc) of our
house. The contracted price was Amount A, made in 3 payments. Prior to
signing, I also stated a complete clean-up & sufficient soffit
ventilation in the contract. The house had substandard soffit
ventilation and ice damming had been a problem in the past. The
contract also included a 5 year workmanship warranty and a 10 year
extended "System Plus" warranty from the manufacturer, GAF. Soffit
vents were discussed with the estimator and again before the job
started.

The contract also stated that any additional work which required
additional payment would be due before the work began. The roofer
accepted the contract and cashed the deposit (1st) payment. Sometime
later they began work and the second payment was made.. The started on a
day when there was rain in the forecast, and stopped work that day after
rain had began. Due to severe storms (some water penetrated into the
attic), work could not resume for several days.

They did finish the shingles when the weather cleared several days
later, which took about a half a day of work. When they said they were
finished, I inquired about the soffit vents, which had not been added.
I pointed out that they were in the contract. The foreman said he would
have to check with the office. The next business day, someone arrived
and said we already had soffit vents. I said, yes that is true but
there are not many and they are quite small, under 30 square inches
total. He added several vents, but instead of cutting a square hole
(e.g. just smaller than the metal vents) he drilled 3 large holes, so
that the total venting area is significantly less than the vent. (The
same GAF vents may be purchased for less than $2/ea at home depot.)

Since the job was complete, the final payment was made, and Amount A was
paid (and checks cashed) in full. Shortly thereafter, an invoice
arrived (Amount B) for soffit vents.

I disagree that I owe Amount B. Soffit vents were included the
contract, which the roofer did accept. No agreement was made to pay
Amount B. The shingle manufacturer, GAF, requires 1 sq inch or soffit
ventilation for every sq inch of exhaust ventilation in their
documentation, and a ridge vent increased the exhaust ventilation.

The roofer claims that GAF vent requirements are only a
"recommendation." Roof also claims that I owe Amount B because he did
not agree to the soffit vents and he had to send someone on a separate
visit (he could have done everything on the same visit). The roofer
also says that he will not activate warranties until everything is paid,
despite that Amount A was for a contract that included warranties and
Amount A has been paid in full.

What is the most fair way to resolve the situation?


That's the problem when the estimator/salesman is not the installer. Anyway,
there is a standard of 1 sq. ft of ventilation per 300 feet of attic space.

http://www.gaf.com/Content/GAF/RES1/...ventchart.html

If the roofer has not provided this, or is trying to bill extra for it - I
would compose a letter stating that providing adequate ventilation is part
of performing the work in a 'good and workmanlike manner'. I would send a
certified letter to the contractor, and copy in the state licensing board
and GAF corporate.

Now if you already had vetilation meeting the requirements, your argument is
weaker - although you do have the written contract calling for add'l vents.

Thanks for the advice. The house (mid 1960s construction) only had gable vents
and small soffit vents. The old soffit vents were circles, about 2 1/2" in
diameter, with louvres that made their effective intake area to be around maybe
one square inch each. The entire house only had 24 of these, and the house is
about 45 x 24. As your link to GAF states,
"Remember: Always have a balanced ventilation system.
In no case should the amount of exhaust ventilation
exceed the amount of intake ventilation."
I have GAF's written information which states the same. So the way I see soffit
vents would need to be added to match the exhaust area of the ridge vent.

I would have assumed that "sufficient soffit ventilation" would indicate what
the shingle manufacturer requires. I doubt GAF would honor their warranty if
it's not up to their specifications. I am not sure what my state's building
code (MA) says about soffit ventilation requirements, but will try to find out.

So I have two beefs with contractor. One for charging extra for soffit
ventilation (which I put in the contract and also would seem to be needed for a
proper job even without explicitly being in the contract) and also for
attempting to hold my warranties hostage, even though they put the full
warranties (theirs and GAF's) in the contracted price, which has been paid to
contractor in full. (Checks cashed)

Thanks for everyone's advice. I will check with a lawyer tomorrow as well.
Amount B isn't a huge amount relative to the contract price, but I don't
appreciate how they have handled everything.

(I have also heard that it is a good idea to close the old gable vents when a
ridge vent is added to avoid vent short circuiting between gables and ridge --
although that is a separate issue that I can address myself).