Roofers - a rant, but not a very good one

Crusader wrote:I thought about a colored roof, but I'm leaning toward white to help with the Texas heat.

2cent wrote:

Crusader wrote:I thought about a colored roof, but I'm leaning toward white to help with the Texas heat.

We're leaning toward light-colored for the same reason.  I hear tell, though, that, if it's insulated well enough, color won't matter much.  Don't know if I buy that.

IAC, we've got rough cedar siding sitting here in the middle of the woods.  White would be too stark, I think.  Maybe a rich, warm beige/tan.

Red Lily wrote:

2cent wrote:

Crusader wrote:I thought about a colored roof, but I'm leaning toward white to help with the Texas heat.

We're leaning toward light-colored for the same reason.  I hear tell, though, that, if it's insulated well enough, color won't matter much.  Don't know if I buy that.

IAC, we've got rough cedar siding sitting here in the middle of the woods.  White would be too stark, I think.  Maybe a rich, warm beige/tan.

Ours were dark and well insulted and we never had a problem with heat or cold.  Just insulate it well and choose a color that will enhance your house.  Insulation will also help with heating/cooling costs.

Red Lily wrote:We generally use sisalation/sarking directly under tin roofs here, then batts.

Crusader wrote:

Red Lily wrote:We generally use sisalation/sarking directly under tin roofs here, then batts.

Do you have attics?  Are they temperature controlled?  Most attics here have their insulation on the floor and the attic is not temperature controlled.  Many are under ventilated and get too hot.  My roof will be my ceiling and I won't have attics.  I will have a 10x15 ft loft for AC and water heater, but it will be about the same temperature as the living areas.

Red Lily wrote:

Crusader wrote:

Red Lily wrote:We generally use sisalation/sarking directly under tin roofs here, then batts.

Do you have attics?  Are they temperature controlled?  Most attics here have their insulation on the floor and the attic is not temperature controlled.  Many are under ventilated and get too hot.  My roof will be my ceiling and I won't have attics.  I will have a 10x15 ft loft for AC and water heater, but it will be about the same temperature as the living areas.

Generally we don't have attics or basements.  We have lofts though Lol.

Crusader wrote:

Red Lily wrote:We generally use sisalation/sarking directly under tin roofs here, then batts.

Do you have attics?  Are they temperature controlled?  Most attics here have their insulation on the floor and the attic is not temperature controlled.  Many are under ventilated and get too hot.  My roof will be my ceiling and I won't have attics.  I will have a 10x15 ft loft for AC and water heater, but it will be about the same temperature as the living areas.

Casey Jones wrote:

Crusader wrote:

Red Lily wrote:We generally use sisalation/sarking directly under tin roofs here, then batts.

Do you have attics?  Are they temperature controlled?  Most attics here have their insulation on the floor and the attic is not temperature controlled.  Many are under ventilated and get too hot.  My roof will be my ceiling and I won't have attics.  I will have a 10x15 ft loft for AC and water heater, but it will be about the same temperature as the living areas.

That's what I was going to ask.  The best way I've seen, is to insulate the house against the attic air; and then have air circulation through the attic.  Winter and summer - winter, so snow on the roof stays frozen; and summer, to pump the heat out of the attic.

With the tin being the outside surface of your roof...you have a problem.  If you go with two layers of wood for the interior, you might avoid some of it.  My mind is also thinking of some Smokey-Stover arrangement of having vents all along the top edges of the outside walls, or some positive air ventilation, pull the heat out of the ceiling area before it mixes with the whole house.

I'm not a builder or architect - just someone who's been consistently amazed at how people try to deal with attic heat/cold.  Like, stopping up attic vents to prevent heat loss - and then they wonder why they have dramatic ice damming in winter.

If you can afford it and it doesn't cut into the interior decor...you want some HEAVY R-rated insulation, and even with that, I'd give thought to a high-mounted whole-house ventilation setup.  

Just something to think about, and research.

2cent wrote:Jeepers, what an independent lot roofers are.  We called two, left messages, and waited better than a week for them to call back.  Called again - one being the son of an old acquaintance, so called him as well, and still the roofer kid didn't call back.  Neither of them.

Maybe I better go back to the beginning?  We're not desperate for a new roof, but wind caused a few shingles to disappear, and it is high time we updated.  We decided to go w/a metal roof this time, and that's what the 2 roofers we called specialize in.  

Okay, so we gave up on them, and Mr. 2 went to Meeks for recommendations, where he ran into a roofer who was in the #1 slot on their list. After talking a bit, and the guy pointing out what shingles they use, (@ $105/sq.), (yes, he talked my husband into going w/shingles), they parted ways, and we waited over a week, again, for that guy to call back.  
They finally show up, were kind enough to sweep off the roof while up there, and we wait for the wife to call, then email the estimate.  Over $11,000!  For a 22 sq. ft. roof!  Not only did they charge for 24 sq. ft., they charged $150/sq.  Plus, they added all kinds of crap we didn't need.  I suppose they figured they were dealing w/a couple of hicks still sopping wet behind the ears.  
Sent that guy on his way.

Then a good friend suggested my husband call this other guy we've all known for ages.  He came over the very next day, (yesterday), w/his kid who does the actual roofing, and are going to come back asap w/color samples for us to choose a color.

Splendid!  These guys are covered up with work, so are going way out of their way to get a roof on our house.  Yeah, you can bet there's a bonus already waiting on them.  Oh, and the bid?  Somewhere around $5 - $6,000.  (Haven't gotten a specific bid yet.)  IAC, MUCH closer to what it ought to be.  

I realize that these roofers are busier than one-armed paper hangers, but what's with businessmen who can't even be bothered w/calling prospective customers back?  Must be nice to be so independent and secure.  No doubt it buys you all the rude you can be.  

Ahhh.  Thank you.  We're much better n-o-w.  lol