Emergency new (metal) roof for the house

[Tornado]

So my holidays had a bit of a damper in 2019. We knew we were going to need a new roof, or some patch work done in the next year or two, but wasn't expecting to have to do it so soon. one or two small drip leaks had started middle of 2019 and I had patched the roof up with some roofing cement, in hopes of pushing it off for another year or so if possible. I also was working with the knowledge that my shingles should only be 9 or 10 years old. A recent rain that lasted for nearly 2 full days straight however brought the issue to a head at the end of December. Several never before seen leaks showed up, one going down into the wall and bowing the wood paneling. I had already patched right above this area with roofing cement. When I bought this house, not even 10 years ago, I was told the roof had just been re shingled the year prior. The inspection also noted roof was just 1-2 years old. I was hoping for a good 15-20 years with no issues. To the naked eye the roof looked good when I bought the house. Nice architectural shingles, no visible issues at all. What I have learned since then however is that they shingled it to sell the house, and done a shabby job. One spot in particular they shingled over a rotted area of the roof just to hide it I assume. If you pull the soffit out in this spot you can look up and see the underside of shingles- the whole decking is missing. BUT - most of this damage was on the edge of the roof, and mostly dripped into the soffit, not into the house, but that changed this year. Multiple leaks started to pop up along this same soffit, right inside the interior wall.

So that is my sad story of life right now. It comes with owning your own home. I sometimes think I should have just kept renting lol. After the bad leaks from that one rain I began making phone calls the next morning, knowing it was beyond me patching it with roof tar. Once I got a knowledgeable roofer out, from a respected contractor, he told me immediately the shingles were shot, and looked over 15 years old. (not the 9 to 10 years old I was thinking) So we started talking new roofs. I work in a profession where I am well versed in the various roofing types and there pro's and cons, so I do have some knowledge on the subject. I personally wanted to go to metal, but was never a fan of exposed fastener metal roofs, even though they are incredibly popular here - seemingly every new roof that is put on in my area is exposed fastener metal. I don't like it for the very obvious reason - lots of exposed screws open to the elements. Every screw is a potential leak. I wanted to go standing seam metal roofing, but the price is substantially higher. After much thinking, days of reading to further expand my knowledge, and discussing it over and over with the wife, wrestling with what to do, we pulled the trigger on exposed fastener metal, but took all the upgrade options, which increased the price by several thousand, but still many thousands cheaper than standing seam metal. Now we are in the waiting period for the roof. I'm told they are roughly 5 weeks out. So maybe around the start of February Ill be getting a new roof, and getting all the wood rot replaced. It felt good to at least make the decision and get it off my chest, but I still harbor some little anxiety about going with exposed fastener. Just about everyone I know has an exposed fastener metal roof though, and while there are some horror stories of it, I don't know of any personal ones, and I would bet 90% of the new roofing permits pulled in my are are for exposed fastener metal.

So that's my depressing holiday story. I thought it would be interesting to start a thread on this here. I'm sure I will get a lot of varied responses from others who maybe have the same roof type I'm going with and can get your experience with it. Ill try to post little updates as the roof goes up if the thread generates any interest. Hopefully this story has a happy ending when its all said and done.

 

[D2Cat]

Find a couple of these to get you through to the repair date.

Used billboard vinyls, Tarps - $30 (Kansas City)
© craigslist

size / dimensions: 10'6x36
A local billboard company has several billboard vinyls that are for sale. These have several uses. They are great as covers, tarps, pond liners, temporary walls, etc. All vinyls are 10'x30' in size and are water/weatherproof. There are 3" pockets all the way around the vinyl, allowing it to be suspended if necessary

 

[Tornado]

Find a couple of these to get you through to the repair date.

Used billboard vinyls, Tarps - $30 (Kansas City)
© craigslist

size / dimensions: 10'6x36
A local billboard company has several billboard vinyls that are for sale. These have several uses. They are great as covers, tarps, pond liners, temporary walls, etc. All vinyls are 10'x30' in size and are water/weatherproof. There are 3" pockets all the way around the vinyl, allowing it to be suspended if necessary

Appreciate that D2Cat. We have horses and so we keep round bales of hay, so we always have big rolls of plastic to cover the hay. I currently have the roof covered with a giant piece of this plastic. I rolled bricks into the edges of the plastic then stapled them in there so it cant unroll out. So far this is working, aside from the fact that we have some sweating that occurs under the plastic, but the one rain we have had since the plastic was put on, I didn't have a problem in the house. I had to of course run from the ridge all the way down to the edge of the roof, so it was a fairly large area. We have one big rain coming tomorrow so I am bracing for that. If I can just prevent any further water from getting into the house Ill be happy.

 

[mattwithcats]

Use GAF Deck Armor instead of tarpaper...

3 square tarpaper is $30
10 square roll Deck Armor is $100

It’s a breathable synthetic fiber...
Tougher than heck, my cats been using the remains of my roll as a scratching post, still not shredded...

https://www.gaf.com/en-us/products/deck-armor

 

[Tornado]

Use GAF Deck Armor instead of tarpaper...

3 square tarpaper is $30
10 square roll Deck Armor is $100

It’s a breathable synthetic fiber...
Tougher than heck, my cats been using the remains of my roll as a scratching post, still not shredded...

https://www.gaf.com/en-us/products/deck-armor

Looks like good stuff. I'm paying a contractor however, and they buy all their supplies and materials. I'm not doing the roof myself. One of the upgrades however was radiant barrier insulation that will be going down on top of the underlayment.

 

[BAP]

Looks like good stuff. I'm paying a contractor however, and they buy all their supplies and materials. I'm not doing the roof myself. One of the upgrades however was radiant barrier insulation that will be going down on top of the underlayment.

Yes, but you still can make sure they use the correct products. At this point, you don’t want any corners cut and regret it. You want any product that is used under the metal to be correct for contact with the metal. You don’t want the metal to rust from the bottom up.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Looks like good stuff. I'm paying a contractor however, and they buy all their supplies and materials. I'm not doing the roof myself. One of the upgrades however was radiant barrier insulation that will be going down on top of the underlayment.

I'll second the synthetic underlayment, that is the real water barrier, the steel is a UV and physical barrier, so even if you do get a leaking screw the Underlayment stops the water from getting threw it.

I would also note that the seals that they use on the screws now are much better than used to be as is the seals on the pipe and vent outlets.

I'll also throw in a 3 foot or greater ice dam if your in any area that freezes.

The Radiant barrier is .... well lets just say subject to Interpretation as to whether it does any good or not.

 

[Tornado]

I'll second the synthetic underlayment, that is the real water barrier, the steel is a UV and physical barrier, so even if you do get a leaking screw the Underlayment stops the water from getting threw it.

I would also note that the seals that they use on the screws now are much better than used to be as is the seals on the pipe and vent outlets.

I'll also throw in a 3 foot or greater ice dam if your in any area that freezes.

The Radiant barrier is .... well lets just say subject to Interpretation as to whether it does any good or not.

Hey NIW thanks for the comments. I am in Florida so no freezing here. I have spoke to folks who tell me the radiant insulation dropped their power bill by $50 a month in the summer. The contractor also played it up when I spoke to them about it - of course he is a salesman as well. I don't know what type of underlayment they use. The are considered one of the better contractors in my area, and have been in business over 40 years. They do a lot of roofing. Their estimate was a bit on the high side as well. Ive heard good things from folks however, and read lots of good reviews on them so I'm hopeful it will be a good experience, and that they use quality products. I know the panels and paint system and such they will be using, but not the underlayment. I upgraded to Zac screws, which was optional, upgraded to lower gauge panels, upgraded the paint, and upgraded to have the radiant barrier insulation. They are also stripping all the shingles, as I have 2 layers on the roof currently. I plan to take off work when it all goes down so I can be on site and kinda watch and keep tabs on things.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Hey NIW thanks for the comments. I am in Florida so no freezing here. I have spoke to folks who tell me the radiant insulation dropped their power bill by $50 a month in the summer. The contractor also played it up when I spoke to them about it - of course he is a salesman as well. I don't know what type of underlayment they use. The are considered one of the better contractors in my area, and have been in business over 40 years. They do a lot of roofing. Their estimate was a bit on the high side as well. Ive heard good things from folks however, and read lots of good reviews on them so I'm hopeful it will be a good experience, and that they use quality products. I know the panels and paint system and such they will be using, but not the underlayment. I upgraded to Zac screws, which was optional, upgraded to lower gauge panels, upgraded the paint, and upgraded to have the radiant barrier insulation. They are also stripping all the shingles, as I have 2 layers on the roof currently. I plan to take off work when it all goes down so I can be on site and kinda watch and keep tabs on things.

Now in your neck of the woods, radiant barrier is a good bet!

All I use are Zac screws, they grab incredibly well in all materials and in all thicknesses.

Sounds like you have a pretty good handle on it!

Oh and on standing seam, I have a whole pile, 30000 sf of standing seam roofing off airport hangers.
It was ripped off in a 50 to 75 mile an hour wind storm (very unusual for us).
It was put on properly, it just simply couldn't hold in the wind.

I've used some of it for sheds, I just treat it like regular roofing panels and screw them down.

 

[Poohbear]

Looks like good stuff. I'm paying a contractor however, and they buy all their supplies and materials. I'm not doing the roof myself. One of the upgrades however was radiant barrier insulation that will be going down on top of the underlayment.

I just had a new roof put on in Oct. I was shown the radiant barrier by one bidder & I talked to the makers tech support and they said it is not for putting under shingles but roofers were doing this without their blessing. It needs an air space to work, if doing a metal roof , they said put furring strips down . Don't just screw roof to existing decking.
I went with the " hail resistant " shingles and my insurance gives a big discount for both these and metal roofs . The big deal is insurance will replace my shingles if only " cosmetic " damage but the metal must be destroyed.

 

[Russell King]

Since you stated standing seam only did you consider a similar type called clicklock or similar?

It is similar to standing seam but does not have to be mechanically formed after installing it. It may be what you are calling standing seam so you may be aware of it already.

Good luck with the project!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[sheepfarmer]

You mentioned being around when they were working. I recommend that in spades. My experience with roofing companies is that the crews range from sloppy to downright crooked, and you need to check everything. You can have something specified in the contract, e.g ice and water dam layer, come home, get up on ladder and run fingers under lower tier of shingles, and surprise it is not there. Next morning when I pointed that out, the answer is they forgot to put it on the truck, and besides I didn't need it. When I said you'll just have to take the shingles off and put it down anyway. I specified it in contract, I'm paying for it, please out it up there. So they threw all the shingles in my rose beds out of spite. Something similar has happened 3 times so I don't have too high a regard for roofers.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

After paying for 2 new shingle roofs on my house I went steel 10+- years ago. Went with Hy-Grade here in Ontario after spending 3 months comparing shingles vs steel, rubber, ?? Their install system made the most sense. LOTS of air flow,membrane on transitions, etc. ZERO leaks. 3 neighbours wre so impressed they bought as well.
As for the 'numbers'... it was ony 2K more than a shingle roof BUT
1) last roof I ever have to pay for. asphalt shingles are super cheap to make,fast to install and WILL fail 5-10 years so if you live long enough you'll redo the roof 2-3 times.....ka-ching !
2) it's worth MORE than kitchen/bath remodels. If you sell your house, a buyer see the steel roof and they KNOW that THEY won't have to reshingle their roof ! My roof has more than doubled in value.

There's a lot of different steel roofs and 'systems' so spend time and compare, write it down, pros and cons, on paper.

 

[Tornado]

I just had a new roof put on in Oct. I was shown the radiant barrier by one bidder & I talked to the makers tech support and they said it is not for putting under shingles but roofers were doing this without their blessing. It needs an air space to work, if doing a metal roof , they said put furring strips down . Don't just screw roof to existing decking.
I went with the " hail resistant " shingles and my insurance gives a big discount for both these and metal roofs . The big deal is insurance will replace my shingles if only " cosmetic " damage but the metal must be destroyed.

Yes you are 100% Right. Radiant barrier insulation is not to be used with shingles for this exact reason - there is supposed to be a small air pocket above the insulation. My contractor also mentioned this when he came out to take measurements. His terminology was "The radiant barrier insulation is a game changer for the exposed fastener, but we cant use it on shingles" I already knew it couldn't be used on shingles but it was good to hear him acknowledge that also.

What they are doing for me is stripping the roof - 2 layers of shingles - down to decking. Replace any rotted wood (there will be some to replace for sure) then they are putting down the synthetic underlayment, and the radiant barrier insulation, then 1"x 4" pine furring strips on top of the insulation barrier, then the metal is screwing into the furring strips with zac screws. Of course all the boots and vents on the roof are being replaced as well, plus any flashing like around my brick chimney.

I want to be around just because I'm the type of person if I'm spending over 10 thousand dollars on something going on my house, I cant just go off to work and leave them unattended. I want to watch things, observe things, from a distance. I wont stand over their shoulder or constantly interrupt them, but I will walk out there, or be in the back pasture and just keep an eye on things. I also have some things done, like putting in an actual bathroom vent that the house has never had (the bathroom fans vented right into the attic!) so I will likely go into the attic and punch a nail up through the roof where I want the vent put in etc. Im really really hoping for a good experience. I went with this contractor, and honestly overpaid a bit for this roof just to go with this contractor because of the reviews Ive seen and what Ive heard.

 

[shootem604]

My dad can't resist a deal and bought 40,000 sqft of metal roofing from the manufacturer that was a cancelled order for a school. Bought it for 1/6th the cost of new from a retailer/roofer. We put 1X4 strapping over his existing shingle roof (It wasn't leaking yet, but needed to be replaced within a few years, so we weren't worried about the sheeting underneath, etc.) Then we put the metal roofing on with exposed metal screws. We had to buy the proper flashings, screws, etc that weren't included with the roofing, but he got a new 50-75yr roof for under $3k including a week of my time (at family price, of course).

He's since sold 90% of the balance of the roofing in dribs and drabs so the roof is now better than free - he's ahead about $10k. I used some to roof a new backyard bar I am building. I put 7/16 OSB sheeting over my trusses/strapping, then the synthetic barrier, then the metal roofing. Looks great, and should last a very very long time. I would have done my house with the same stuff to match, but my roof is fairly new as it is, and I can't be bothered to put the time and effort now.

 

[skeets]

All I know is the next roof is going to be steel!

 

[BXHoosier]

We had a standing seam roof put on our house this past summer. The shingles were constantly getting damaged whenever there were strong winds. A local Amish crew tore off 2 layers, replaced a couple sections of sheeting, and installed the new steel with synthetic underlayment in two days. The crew had the machine mounted in a trailer to form the roofing on site so they can make the panels as long as they want. We went with a dark green to match the roofs on the garage and barn. It is a wrinkle finish paint so there is no glare from the sun.

 

[David Page]

Up in Maine some of our biggest considerations is snow accumulation and Ice causing backups. I'm credentialed with CertainTeed to give extended warranties on shingles. So if I have to make sure that the materials used are what they recommend and put on the way they want. I do both types of Metal as well and have to make sure that the materials I put under metal are designed to take the heat. As you know its the washers that seal the hole as long as there put in right and until they dry out. You can replace the screws but you have to hope the tighten up again. Thats a lot of holes to try to put something in so that the screws will grab if not. Metal in Maine- is it steep enough so the snow slides with you having to get on it and shovel. And if so where is it going to land, snow stops don't always work. Snow coming off is like moving the snow bank by the road.

 

[Poohbear]

All I know is the next roof is going to be steel!

What I wanted but no one around my area has the ability to form the radius of the curved roof line on my 30 ft front porch. My house was built in 1937 along with 2 others in my town by same builder and this guy loved curved roof lines. Starts just a foot from edge , 6ft wide porch, maybe 10ft radius to join 7/12 roof.
I went with the impact/hail resistant shingles . As I said, in our hail prone area it gets me a 23% discount on homeowners insurance, metal will also.

 

[Tornado]

Well permit has been filed with the county. Just a waiting game at this point to see when they can get to me. I was told 4-5 weeks wait potentially. I will try to keep this thread updated though with how it goes. Ive been reading all the replies and taking it in. I hate reading about all the crappy contractors out there. It fills me with anxiety to think about. Spending so much on this, and just want it done right. I'm really really hoping they are a good group of folks when they show up. Appreciate all the replies though!