Icy (a) Roof Fix
A couple years ago Conifer Gutter, (4.9 out of 5 stars) was my choice to fix an ice dam problem, install new gutters on the front, design and install a more effective downspout and install new heat tape complete with electrical sensors. Lots of people had to get involved: gutter people, heat tape people, roofers and electricians all had a part.
Ice dams are an ongoing problem in the mountains. Cold, shade and roof-top vents all add to ice dams. They can do serious damage to roofs, gutters and when they melt, inside the house.
A few years ago my son saw a YouTube video of an ice-dam solution: take pantyhose, fill them with snow melt pellets and drape the pantyhose across the ice dam. It melts fast, usually in about 4 hours. But remember to take the pantyhose down after the ice is gone or else it will catch on things and wave in the breeze. People will walk by and laugh.
Conifer Gutter explained the solutions for the problem areas. They worked with me to get everything is taken care of. A few days later I received their estimate. $9,000.
Let me say my first error was not approving their layout plan of the heat tape. The previous heat tape they removed was in the correct layout. It prevented ice dams on the south side.
I wasn’t here when the crew finished the job. I wasn’t happy with the missing tape but let it go.
A year later there was a bad storm; it dumped a few feet of snow. The roof got its fair share. A few months later in spring, there’s water pouring into the mudroom window. I called insurance and their disaster team came out, cleaned up and identified the problem as the ice dam on the section not covered with heat tape.
I contacted Conifer Gutter and their roofer. They both came out and looked at the problem they created. They wanted thousands of dollars to fix the mistake.
It was either a “1” or a “0” – all or nothing and no discussion in between.
More electrical work, more, more, more. This problem could have been solved right on the spot – “Hey! We need more electrical work done for more sensors because we’re short on heat tape.” Or even, “You know, I’m seeing a potential problem here and we may need to re-negotiate. Because you’re a good customer and your check has cleared, we owe you the truth that our original estimate is inadequate and this is going to cause expensive problems for you in the future.” The thing is there are ways to work around an expensive fix, one that takes in the safe use of the house’s electrical system and still provides heat tape coverage without looking janky. The truth is they didn’t want to work with me. I wish they’d said so.
At this point let’s say the company and the roofer parted ways. One was going to help check the roof, fix the problem but it was always “Next week” or “Let me talk to my people.” It’s safe to say neither of them fixed the problem but left me in the colder months with no solution.
You should see the contractor entries in my phone. I entered my thoughts on their honesty, integrity and doubts on their parentage. My Contacts list in my phone is a wonderland of criticism. A kind of Twitter of twits, scathing criticisms in less than 250 characters. Notations on the twits I paid and the twits who had to fix the problem the first twits created.
All out of options I contacted my insurance agent. I’ve been a customer since 1981.
I asked for recommendations and on the list was Excel Roofing in Englewood. We had phone calls and in-person meetings and Zack made sure he understood exactly what the job entailed.
His best roofer came out and looked at the problem but misunderstood what was needed. The first bid arrived but didn’t include a schematic. At this point I need to see what the plan is. I’m now that old person that asks questions, wants a diagram, calls with questions, wants each step’s resources and how much it will all cost. When they’re here I watch them work, ask questions and tell them when something isn’t going right. All that “old people thing” comes from being taken advantage of by dozens and dozens of jobs that all turned out shit. The best lesson learned is the one you have to pay for in some way or another. Sometimes it means people are irritated with all the questions and you become their “fourth least favorite customer” (yes, that’s a direct quote). Sometimes the best way to burn off karma is to just write a check and be done with it. I call it karmic payoff via bank account.
The second email contained a schematic but it didn’t address the problems at the slope of the roof that transitions from house to mud room. Zach deserves an award for his patience and thoroughness of his knowledge because he drove up here, walked through deep snow and listened to what I knew was the problem. A few days later another bid came in and included the correct schematic. A price increase included the renewed plan. I have no problem with that.
I agreed to the contract and the time frame but Mother Nature had other plans. Winter weather/snow created delays. Scheduling conflicts, holidays, yada. yada, yada. When the weather cleared and with haste they arrived to tackle the job.
Before they could start with the tape, they had to shovel and scrape the roof. Some areas had sheets of ice 3″ thick. It required being on hands and knees with hand tools to chip away what was waiting for spring to make its entrance into the mud room. Shards of snow got cleared off the roof with a leaf blower.
The roofers did great work. They checked the roof tiles, decking and current heat tape and it’s all in good shape. They used high-quality clips to hold it down. The end result was the heat tape controlled by a sensor now covers the no-sun-until-May section and the the second section of heat tape gets plugged in an outlet near the front door. $1,248.
Someone recently said to me that work/HR isn’t your friend. They’re not there to make you feel better, hold your hand or care about your problems. Their job is to protect the company and employees are always wrong until proven otherwise.
With contractors it’s the same – they aren’t your friend, it’s a business relationship. Interactions should be pleasant. After all, you’re paying them money.
Red flags:
1. That little voice in your head tells you they’re not listening to you. Don’t be a jerk;
ask questions and with any new information, adjust accordingly.
2. Notice when they fail to do tasks then makes excuses “they must have gone to the wrong house” followed by a shoulder shrug.
3. They agree on a DAY to do something but not the TIME and late in the day “something came up.” Big red flag.
4. Refusing to provide an estimate. I had this happen and was told “this isn’t how I do business.” Put that comment in your phone. As a matter of fact, change his name to Mr. That’s-Not-How-I-Do-Business.
5. When faced with several delays, ask. “Are you not interested in doing this project? I can find someone else.” This is my biggest gripe about contractors. If you don’t want to do this job or work with me, just tell me. We’re not in a relationship, this is a business deal.
6. Have a time deadline. For this roof, it was August. I fell short of a mark by a little. I should have called my insurance company in July.
7. Be pleasant but not a doormat. There are a couple contractors I should have thrown out of the house mid-job. One of them was a friend.
8. Get more than one bid. If you call three contractors, one will show up. Insurance companies are a great resource for referrals because they work with these companies. Doesn’t matter than you’re not making a claim; they have resource lists for many specialties. If they screw up, you can at least tell the insurance office and get them black-balled.
9. Get another professional opinion if things are not going smoothly. Not your neighbor’s opinion or the knucklehead on Facebook. Here’s the issue: you usually don’t know there’s going to be a problem until you’re well into the problem. Oftentimes a contractor will tell you what’s going to go wrong if you listen.
10. Remember – young contractors with their trucks and logos may not have the experience required. Older contractors can be set in their ways and unwilling to listen. Companies don’t guarantee that their the best but the recourse is you can leave a bad Yelp review if they screw things up. When you find that contractor you can work with, build a relationship with them, be appreciative and don’t be a pest.
I’m grateful this problem is solved. I believe it’s solved. I have to believe. Every once and a while you get a break and a contractor will actually fix a problem so you can go on with your life and wait … for the next problem to come along.