Figured I would share here. Recently, I did a home inspection on this property prior to the new roof being put on. The buyer hired me for a re-inspection and also wanted me to take a look at the new roof that had been put on after my inspection. Long story short, I found under-driven nails lifting up shingles, a disconnected dryer vent, a disconnected microwave vent, a mesh screen installed on the roof dryer vent, and multiple missed roof decking attachments.
“The final inspection was passed with approval.
The sheathing nailing was approved.
The shingle roof take approximately 3 or four weeks to setup on the new position, heat and cold make the shingle rise up, if the inspector pass on a morning or late afternoon and a cold day of course shingle will look rise up the same of ridge cap. The shingle need to have this aspect until they set up.
About the dryer vent, we normally leave until we receive a request to remove it because every city is different on how they applied the building code.
About the nailing on the trusses, we normally install more than what is needed.
For example by building code is required a nail every 4 inch so we install a nail every 2 inch, in case nailing is missing since we can’t controlled for sure if all the nail are being installed good on the trusses. So, there is nothing that we need corrected here.
The kitchen fan, we only work on the outside on the roof, we don’t work on the inside of the attic or inside of the home,we just remove the goosneck and install another one.”
Have y’all ever had to deal with something like this? What is the appropriate action on my end?
Have the Seller/Buyer/current Homeowner contact the local Bldg Dept and have the AHJ Inspector review the situation, including the Permit status for all inspections completion for the permit.
I think you already did your job, unless there’s something you feel you need to clarify to the client. Your client is the roofer’s client - your client can make a stink on social media, threaten to BBB report them, etc. The roofer can and will hide behind code and passing gov’t inspections because they can. Take solace in the possibility that they might quietly make a note of what you pointed out and do better in the future, since it’s not much more effort to do it right.
Thus my comment to refer the Client to the AHJ if they want to push the issue, considering what was observed by the Home Inspector.
The AHJ is the only one with authority to force an issue, barring hiring an attorney to take them to court.
Like the others have said, you did your job. The customer has the information to do with what they want. Just be able to back up everything if it goes to mediation or court.
A lot of inspectors get their feelings hurt anytime a contractor does not immediately bow down and do exactly what they say. We have no authority!!!
The roofer missed securing the sheathing to the upper chords.
Standing fasteners not only damage any shingles above but can contribute to blown off shingles.
Detached vents are not excuse.
The roofer verified the roofing system was acceptable? Hog wash. Ask for the report.
Deliver your report to the association or inspectors that accepted the roof covering system prior you doing an inspection.
about the only thing you can do in this situation is to tell them to file a claim on the insurance of the roofing company. i had a similar one a few months ago when the roofer did a terrible job and she couldn’t even find a lawyer to sue them. insurance was able to help though.
Let the issue be the homeowner’s problem. Keep out of the fight. I’ve seen a lot of shoddy work, both as a home inspector and prior as a building contractor called to look at completed work. Sometimes it’s ignorance or a poor choice on the part of the homeowner. Sometimes the homeowner hires someone who doesn’t know what they are doing. In construction, and also in home inspecting, there is a race to the bottom among price oriented vendors. Some homeowners pick the low bid and regret the outcome. Over time, I’ve come to not care that the homeowner made a bad choice. You did your job! Your buyer made their choices of who to hire for the roof. It’s their problem.
In Florida if the AHJ doesn’t care, the homeowner could file a complaint with the DBPR or the AG before laying out money to attorneys. Not sure about other states/areas.
While you might want to, it is not your battle. All you can do is report what you have found. If it was approved by the local AHJ then the owner should get with them and have them review your report and the roof and shingles. This can be difficult especially when you want to help the person, but you have no power to make anyone do anything. Sometimes an attorney needs to be brought in to make it right.
In Minnesota, substandard construction issues are handled by the Dept of Commerce, the licensing agency for residential contractors. Sometimes homeowners hire non-licensed contractors, problems I’ve been called to report on. Because the homeowner hired a non-licensed contractor, they are on their own. The Dept of Commerce won’t help them. However, with a licensed contractor, the homeowner has a government agency on their side. Not all states have agencies that protect the consumer in this way, so your particular remedies may vary.
First of all the mist nailing in the trusses will start to back out over time . If you remove a vent you put it back the way it was [connected]. I would go after the county inspector also . That has to be done very soon after the findings or they will get away with it
The missed roof decking attachments is a tough one. I have seen guys miss a truss and start a new course right beside the one they missed. Also, shingles that lack good adhesion on a young roof is not uncommon, especially if it is cold or mild weather.
That is bullS* and we all know it.
They are scammers. A reputable roofer would carefully explain all of this to the homeowner and allow the homeowner the opportunity to react.
This was going to be my comment. Even here in FL, it’s not really been hot enough lately to get a roof to seal properly. When I can mount a roof at 3pm, it’s not hot enough and I’ve had a handful of afternoon inspections lately. It takes a couple good long cookers to get a roof really down tight.
