Roof Problem Solved

Just got a lengthy email from Benchmark Roofing. I skipped over the complaining part and got right to the meat. They are willing to deduct the $460 from the original bid so that we can pay someone else a little bit closer to home to fix the remaining items associated with the house.

I gotta say, although it's been a strained relationship, I think everything worked out ok in the end. We do have a good looking metal roof that doesn't leak which allowed us to move forward on the project that had been stalling us for months. I believe we got what we paid for and I'm satisfied we'll get the rest done in short order.

Moral of the story: When looking for contractors, try local first. Get references.

Addendum by DH:

I want to say that we got a very good deal on this roof, per se. I can also say that Benchmark was generous up front and didn't ask for any earnest money until the basic roof was on. At no time did I feel like I was at risk of getting ripped off in any way shape or form. Here's what I didn't like: I don't like a job that doesn't look good and pretty when it's done. I don't like not being told that things need to be done at the appropriate time during the job. If I need to cough up a little more to get it done right, I'll do it. I was perplexed that I wasn't told that facia work needed to be done to look good and wasn't included in the bid. I also don't like poor communication and an unwillingness to negotiate getting the job done right for more money.

That said, I think I can be a bit more charitable than DW. I think we COULD have had a better relationship on this job, and gotten something very close to what we wanted (i.e. a pretty roof installation), albeit for a few bucks more. Here's why:

We're not dumb and we've been doing a ton of research. We're also deliberate folks, by and large. We know something about this project and what we're doing and the materials used. We are also smart enough to know that you're begging for problems when a contractor is more than an hour away from you--in our case 2 hours away. We SHOULD have gone over the contract very carefully, with a fine toothed comb. We should have talked out the issues more fully with the roofer and gotten a very clear explanation/description of how he intended to finish the roof (i.e. what he intended to do with trim and rakes, downspouts, facia boards, etc.). This would have taken at least one more phone call at the desk and probably more and some further research. I probably should have snagged one of our rehabbin' neighbors or one of the city folks to look at the contract/bid too. Do these things. Really. You'll be glad you did.

Now, in our defense, we had a HECK of a job finding someone to even bid the job of putting on our spec'd metal roofing material. Meanwhile, the interest meter was running and more and more water was coming in. I spoke to lots of roofers, but only got other bids for shingles (which the city money couldn't go for). By the time Benchmark came down, I was desperate to get a roof on the place. I also couldn't remember what I talked about to whom. When I reviewed the contract I signed, I realized that it wasn't as clear as some of the other bids I'd gotten stuck in my head and I realized it didn't include some of the things I'd thought I'd discussed. So, when the price came in on target and I was told that the roof would be on in a couple weeks, I leaped at it without taking normal precautions.

M

Box gutter or wading pool? -- You Decide.

This is the view from our third floor facing North. You can Cincinnati in the background through the wispy clouds and rain. It's a great view at night when the visibility is better.

By the way, the house at the end of the alley behind us with the red tin roof has been for sale for a while now. It's a great looking place but as far as I'm concerned, needs new electric (still has knob and tube setup.) I think they're asking $189K.
If you're interested, you may want to check it out.

Anyway, what you CAN see a lot clearer from this vantage point is our brand new boxgutter, the one that was leaking for so long that we had to have the 'water feature' underneath because it was pouring water into the house when Benchmark Roofing came and started the box gutter, but didn't get back to finish it for a few weeks.

Here it is in all of its glory, still unpainted, and hey-- wait--- Isn't a box gutter supposed to move the water into the downspout and out to the storm drain?

Sure, that's what they're SUPPOSED to do, but what the heck is happening here?

Oh, yeah, it's flooding and pouring over the side.

Again, while working on the wetwall for the upstairs bath/laundry room, we thought we MUST be hearing the next door neighbor's gutter. It couldn't possibly be the gutter or the downspout. No way.

Way.

My guess is that something the roofers left on the roof... a glove, a bottle, a cup, SOMETHING is clogging the downspout. There is no water going through it, just over the side. We just spent a bundle unclogging and replacing the cast iron pipe at the foot of the downspout, so we know it's not that, and it's not like there are any leaves on the trees...

Damn damn damn. When we will ever get (and keep) the water out of the house??? I'm wet, I'm dusty, and I need a shower. And I'm very disappointed right now.