BB'S TIPS AND INFO
CHECK IN HERE OCCASIONALLY TO FIND IDEAS, TIPS, AND ADVISE ON THE PROPER WAY TO GET AND HAVE THINGS DONE.
Here is an e-mail I recently received, regarding the Certainteed Shingle Lawsuit, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me:
There are a number of class action lawsuits that have been filed regarding CertainTeed organic shingles all across the country. In order to coordinate discovery, the Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (“MDL”) has consolidated all the cases before a single federal judge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
On December 15, 2009, we entered into a Settlement Agreement with the company and submitted the settlement as part of a motion for preliminary approval to the MDL court. The Court entered an Order preliminarily approving the settlement on December 29, 2009. Court-approved notice will be sent via United States Mail to those persons for whom the company has an address and will also be published in newspapers, in magazines, on television, and on the internet beginning in January of 2010.
Pursuant to the settlement, each class member who makes a claim and has a valid warranty will receive $74 per square, with $34 per square pro rated from the date of installation and $40 per square not pro rated for the first ten years follow installation and, thereafter, pro rated.
If the class member does not have a valid warranty, that class member will receive $34 per square, paid on a pro rated basis from the date of installation. You can use this calculation to determine your compensation entitlement if this litigation is resolved through a settlement only if it is both preliminarily approved and finally approved by the Court.
The Court-directed notice will tell you what to do and by when if you want to opt-out of the settlement, object to the settlement, or file a claim for your share of the proceeds to be distributed pursuant to the settlement.
Following preliminary approval and notice to the class, the Court will then hold a final approval hearing during which the Court will hear all argument from the parties and timely objectors as to whether or not the settlement should be finally approved. If the settlement is not finally approved, then the parties will have to take whatever actions are dictated by the Court in an attempt to once again finalize the settlement. If the settlement is finally approved, then objectors who so choose will have an opportunity to file an appeal.
Beginning in January 2010, information will be available:
On the web at MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "webmail.locklaw.com" claiming to be www.certainteedshinglessettlement.com By phone at 1-888-898-4111
By mail at:
CertainTeed Claims Administrator
1400 Union Meeting Road
Blue Bell, PA 19422-0761
To file a claim go directly to Certainteed.com, or contact a reputable contractor. To be included in this lawsuit, and to get the proper payment, should the lawsuit go through, you need to have a warranty claim filed through Certainteed, and when they offer you a settlement, if you cash the check, you will no longer be eligible for any further compensation. So you need to have a valid warranty claim, and then keep the settlement check with your records, do not cash the check!!
Brian
UPDATE: They are now notifying the people who have warranty claims in. You should receive a letter, explaing DATEthat you now have a limited time to get your claim in. This is for people who had a claim, and excepted it, or did not except it.
If you did not put in for a claim, I would do so now, you do not want to miss out on this, it is the difference between getting $500, or possibly around $4000. This is not the time to procrastinate.
As I said before if you have any questions, feel free to contact me. The website address, for the forms is http://www.certainteedshinglesettlement.com/
Once again, this is for Certainteed organic based shingles, from about 1996 to 2005. They will usually show alot of early wear on the south side.
Brian
BUILDING GREEN
IT IS BECOMING A VERY EXITING TIME FOR GOING GREEN. THEY ARE COMING OUT WITH SO MANY NEW INVENTIONS EVERY DAY. MY PLUMBER HAS BEEN SCHOOLING UP ON A NEWER SOLAR POWER SYSTEM, WHERE SMALL TUBES (6) ARE USED ON THE ROOF. THESE VERY EFFECIENT COLLECTORS HELP PROVIDE POWER AND HEAT TO YOUR HOME, AND WILL SAVE YOU ALOT OF MONEY DOWN THE ROAD.
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY BREAKTHROUGHS ON SOLAR COLLECTORS. THEY NOW HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE THEY CAN MAKE THE COLLECTORS AS THIN AS ALUMINUM FOIL. THEY HAVE INCORPORATED THIS INTO A ROOFING SYSTEM. ONCE THIS ROOF IS INSTALLED, YOUR WHOLE ROOF, IS A SOLAR COLLECTOR. AS THEY CONTINUE TO PERFECT THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS, THE PRICES WILL DROP AND BECOME MORE REASONABLE. IT IS ALREADY MORE REASONABLE THAN THE OLD SILICONE VERSIONS.
IN THE LAST 10 YEARS OR SO (SINCE BUSH BECAMEPRESIDENT), UTILITY COSTS HAVE DOUBLED. AND IT WILL NOT GET ANY EASIER. IT'S TIME TO START THINKING ABOUTBECOMING MORE INDEPENDENT OF THESE COMPANIES. I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THAT IF YOU'RE SPENDING $150,000.00 TO $500,000.00, ON A NEW HOUSE, WHY NOT ADD THE COST OF SOME TYPE OF SOLAR OR WIND POWER, SELF SUFFICIENT POWER SYSTEM. THE COST OF THIS IS A MERE FRACTION OF THE HOUSE. IN THE LONG RUN YOU WILL BE VERY GLAD THAT YOU DID IT, AND IMAGINE NOT HAVING TO PAY THAT FULL PRICE FOR YOUR HEAT AND ELECTRIC BILLS, NOT TO MENTION THAT IT WILL BE A VERY GOOD SELLING POINT, IF YOU NEED TO SELL YOUR HOUSE.
DON'T LEAVE YOURSELF EXPOSED
IT SEEMS THAT ALMOST EVERYDAY I SEE HOUSES WHERE THEY INSTALL FOAM ON THE OUTSIDE, AND FAIL TO COVER IT UP. IF YOU ARE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE, COVER IT UP!
WHEN FOAM BOARD SITS IN THE SUNLIGHT, THE SUNLIGHT DETERIORATES THE PROPERTIES OF THE FOAM. THIS CAUSES THE FOAM TO LOSE IT'S R-VALUE (THE REASON YOU PUT IT ON TO BEGIN WITH), IT ALSO BECOMES DRY AND BRITTLE.
IF YOU WANT TO GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, COVER IT UP AS SOON AS IT IS INSTALLED.
ANOTHER BUILDING MATERIAL THAT FALLS INTO THE SAME CATEGORIE, IS RAIN AND ICE SHIELD. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS THAT YOU COVER IT UP AS SOON AS YOU INSTALL IT. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN PROPERTIE BREAK DOWNS, AND A PRODUCT THAT WON'T WORK AS SPECIFIED.
THE MAIN THING IS, THAT IF YOU'RE JOE HANDYMAN, AND YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THIS STUFF YOURSELF, THEN YOU BETTER READ THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS. FAILURE TO USE THE PRODUCTS PROPERLY WILL NOT ONLY AFFECT HOW THEY WORK, BUT CAN ALSO VOID YOUR WARRANTY.
THE DANGER OF DEBIT CARDS
FOR THE SECOND TIME I HAVE GIVEN MY DEBIT CARD NUMBER TO A (SO CALLED) LEGITIMATE BUSINESS, ONLY TO FIND MONEY MISSING OUT MY ACCOUNT FROM MULTIPLE UNAUTHORIZED DEBITS.
THIS LAST TIME WAS BY DISH NETWORK. THEY SAID THEY NEEDED MY CREDIT OR DEBIT CARD TO ORDER THEIR SERVICE. IT WOULD BE A ONE TIME FEE FOR AROUND $10.00. WITHOUT MY CARD THEY WOULD NOT DO THE ORDER.
AFTER ABOUT 2 MONTHS, I DECIDED TO CANCEL. EVERY TIME I WOULD TURN ON A HIGH DEF CHANNEL, THE CHANNEL WOULD NOT COME IN, IT WOULD GO SEARCHING FOR SATELITE, AND THERE I WOULD SIT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I WOULDN'T EVEN WATCH THE HD CHANNELS.
I TALKED TO AN INSTALLER FOR DISH, HE TOLD ME TO REBOOT THE RECEIVER, AND SAID THAT IF IT HAD THE UPDATES IT SHOULD WORK ALL THE TIME, EITHER YOU HAD THE SIGNAL OR YOU DIDN'T. THESE THINGS, I HAD DONE TO NO AVAIL.
I THEN TALKED TO AN EX-INSTALLER FOR DISH, AND HE TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS VERY COMMON WITH THEM AND THAT WAS WHY HE STOPPED INSTALLING FOR THEM.
I THEN CALLED DISH AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD BEEN GOING ON, AND THAT I WAS CANCELLING THEIR SERVICE. I WAS NOT GOING TO PAY FOR A SERVICE THAT DIDN'T WORK.
A MONTH LATER MY BANKER CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT MY ACCOUNT WAS NSF. I SAID THAT THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE. I THEN WENT TO THE BANK AND GOT A PRINTOUT OF MY ACCOUNT. THERE WERE 8 CHARGES (UNAUTHORIZED) BY DISH NETWORK. THEY TOTALLED ALMOST $700.00. I TOLD THE BANK THAT THEY HAD NO RIGHT TO TAKE THIS MONEY. THEY WERE AUTHORIZED FOR A $10.00 DEBIT AND NOTHING ELSE.
MY BANK TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE IT WAS A DEBIT CARD, AND I HAD GIVEN THEM THE NUMBER THAT THEY COULD TAKE OUT WHAT THEY WANTED AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THE BANK COULD DO(WHAT A BUNCH OF BULL SH**). THEY GAVE ME DISH NETWORK'S NUMBER, AND TOLD ME MY ONLY HOPE WAS TO GET THEM TO REIMBURSE ME. I TOLD THE BANK NOT TO ALLOW ANY MORE CHARGES TO BE GIVEN TO DISH. I DID NOT AND WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE ANY. (THE THING IS THESE BANKS COULD EASILY REVERSE THESE CHARGES AND STOP THIS, THEY SIMPLY CHOOSE NOT TO. THEY WOULD RATHER YOU ARE OUT OF MONEY, SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING MR. POTTER CAME UP WITH. IF YOU EVER WATCHED "A WONDERFUL LIFE", THEN YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. IN OUR CORPORATE SOCIETY, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.
I CALLED DISH, AND WAS INFORMED BY THEM THAT I STILL HAD THEIR RECEIVERS, AND IF I RETURNED THEM, THEY WOULD GIVE ME MONEY BACK. I TOLD THEM TO WRITE THIS DOWN, SIGN IT AND THEN FAX IT TO ME, AND THEN I WOULD RETURN THEIR EQUIPMENT. THEY WOULD NOT DO THIS. I TOLD THEM THAT, THE ONLY REASON YOU WOULDN'T DO THIS WAS BECAUSE YOU DID NOT PLAN ON RETURNING ALL OF MY MONEY. I THEN ASKED THEM HOW MUCH THEY DEDUCTED FOR THE RECEIVERS. THEY TOLD ME $300.00. I THEN ASKED THEM WHAT THE OTHER $400.00 WAS FOR. ALL THEY WOULD TELL ME, WAS THAT THEY CHARGED AN ADDITIONAL $250.00 FOR EARLY CANCELLATION.
I THEN TOLD THEM THAT THE ONLY REASON I CANCELLED WAS BECAUSE THE SERVICE DID NOT WORK, AND I WAS PAYING FOR SOMETHING THAT I COULDN'T EVEN USE. WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR SOMETHING I CAN'T USE, LET ALONE BE CHARGED FOR IT, AND THEN CHARGED FOR CANCELLING.
ANYWAYS THEY WOULD NOT REFUND ANY OF MY MONEY, EXCEPT FOR THE RECEIVERS, AND ALSO I HAVE TO CRAWL UP ON THE ROOF, AND REMOVE PART OF THE LNB, TO RETURN WITH THE RECEIVERS (WHAT IF I WAS 80 YEARS OLD AND COULDN'T CLIMB UP THERE). AFTER THIS IS RETURNED THEN THEY WILL GIVE ME BACK $350.00 OF THE MONEY THEY HAVE STOLEN OUT OF MY ACCOUNT. I STILL HAVEN'T RETURNED THE EQUIPMENT, I'M STILL TO PISSED OFF.
THEN I RECEIVED 4 MORE CHARGES ON MY ACCOUNT FROM THEM. ALL IN ALL TOTALLING ABOUT $900.00. THE BANK STILL WON'T DO ANYTHING, EVEN THOUGH I TOLD THEM NOT TO ALLOW IT.
I TALKED TO DISH, ABOUT 4 OF THEIR AGENTS. FROM WHAT I CAN GATHER, THEY AUTHORIZE THEIR PEOPLE TO JUST STEAL MONEY ANYTIME THEY THINK IT IS RIGHT. I OPENED THIS ACCOUNT ON THE PHONE, THERE WAS NO SIGNED CONTRACT, NO WAIVER FOR ME TO READ. HOW CAN THIS BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN. IF YOU OR I DID THIS, DO YOU THINK WE WOULD GET AWAY WITH IT. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE WOULD BE.
IN PRISON!!!!!!!!!
WATCH WHO YOU GIVE YOUR CARD NUMBER TO. CHECK WITH YOUR BANK AND SEE IF THEY'LL BACK YOU UP. OR IF THEY'LL JUST LEAVE YOU HANGING LIKE MY BANK, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY DON'T GET DISH NETWORK.
THINK BEFORE YOU BUILD!
BEFORE YOU START THAT NEW HOUSE CHECK INTO YOUR OPTIONS, SOME CAN INCREASE YOUR COMFORT AS WELL AS INCREASE YOUR HOME MARKET VALUE.
ONE OF THE OPTIONS I SPEAK OF IS, CENTRAL VACUUM. I NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY PEOPLE BUILD $300,000.00 HOUSES AND DON'T ADD CENTRAL VAC. FOR THE SMALL PRICE YOU PAY, YOU WOULD BE VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS. NEVER HEAR THE VACUUM MOTOR NOISE IN YOUR HOUSE. NEVER DRAG AROUND THE WHOLE VACUUM, JUST THE HOSE. NEVER HAVE THE VACUUM BLOWING DUST AND ALLERGENS BLOWING INTO YOUR HOMES AIR. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS NOT FEATURED IN ALL HOUSES.
THE SECOND OPTION I SPEAK OF, IS IN FLOOR HEAT. CERAMIC TILE THAT ISN'T COLD, NO DUST BLOWING AROUND YOUR HOUSE. WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE. THE BEST PART IS YOU ELIMINATE YOUR COLD AND WARM SPOTS, IN YOUR HOUSE.
WITH THE NEW BOILERS THEY NOW HAVE, THEY ARE AS EFFICIENT AS ANY HEAT. THE NEW BOILERS ARE ALSO SO SMALL THAT THEY HARDLY TAKE UP ANY ROOM, AND NOW THEY HAVE A/C THAT YOU CAN INSTALL WITH THEM, AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO RUN ALL THAT DUCT WORK.
TECHNOLOGY HAS COME ALONG WAY IN ALL FIELDS. IT'S GOOD TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK, BEFORE YOU SPEND YOUR CASH.
CHECKING YOUR ATTIC INSULATION
YOU HAVE A PRETTY NEW HOUSE, OR YOU HAD YOUR HOUSE INSULATED. AFTER A NUMBER OF YEARS YOUR ATTIC INSULATION CAN SETTLE. IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO PEAK UP INTO YOUR ATTIC AND CHECK YOUR INSULATION. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AT LEAST 12 INCHES OF INSULATION THROUGHOUT YOUR ATTIC. IF YOU DO YOUR DOING GOOD.
IN A LOT OF ATTICS WE SEE THE INSULATION HAS SETTLED AND THERE IS AREAS WHERE THE TRUSSES ARE BARELY COVERED.
IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE YOUR ATTIC REBLOWN. A LITTLE BIT OF INSULATION CAN SAVE YOU ALOT OF MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. IT WILL PAY FOR ITSELF!!!
REPLACEMENT WINDOWS
STAYING IN THE ENERGY THEME. IF YOU HAVE AN OLDER HOUSE AND YOU'RE SICK OF THE EXPENSIVE HEATING BILLS. AONG WITH MAKING SURE YOU ARE PROPERLY INSULATED. IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO LOOK AT YOUR WINDOWS, AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE UP TO PAR.
THE MOST ECONOMICAL WAY TO UPGRADE YOUR EXISTING WINDOWS, IS TO INSTALL REPLACEMENT WINDOWS. THEY ARE FAIRLY EASY AND QUICK TO INSTALL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMOVE SIDING OR TEAR UP YOUR INTERIOR WALLS. USUALLY ONE CAN BE DONE WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS (BY A PROFESSIONAL). THE MOST ATTRACTIVE PART IS THAT THEY END UP COSTING FAR LESS THAN IT WOULD TO INSTALL A NEW CONSTRUCTION WINDOW.
YEARS AGO I TOOK AN OLDER HOUSE THAT COST ABOUT $200-$300 A MONTH TO HEAT. I INSTALLED REPLACEMENT WINDOWS AND INSULATED THE HOUSE PROPERLY, AND CUT THE HEAT BILLS DOWN TO $150-$200 A MONTH. THAT'S QUITE A SAVINGS.
NOW THE GOVERNMENT IS OFFERING TAX CREDITS WITH THE RIGHT ENERGY STAR PRODUCTS. WINDOWS THAT MEET THIS CRITERIA ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A TAX CREDIT UP TO $1500.00. WE HAVE INSTALLED SOME OF THESE, AND SAVED THE CUSTOMER MONEY IN TWO AREAS. CHEAPER HEATING BILLS AND THE TAX CREDIT ON THEIR PURCHASE.
DEFECTIVE SHINGLES MADE IN THE 90'S
IF YOU HAVE 3-TAB SHINGLES ON YOUR HOUSE, AND THEY ARE SHOWING UNUSUAL AMOUNTS OF DAMAGE AND WEAR, CHANCES ARE THEY ARE MADE BY CERTAINTEED. THERE HAVE BEEN ALOT OF SHINGLES MADE BY THEM, AND INSTALLED IN THE EARLY 90'S, THAT ARE SHOWING ALOT OF PREMATURE WEAR.
WE REPLACED 4 OF THESE ROOFS LAST YEAR. THEY ARE 25 YEAR SHINGLES THAT ARE WEARING OUT IN A LITTLE OVER 10 YEARS.
IF YOU HAVE OR SUSPECT THAT YOU HAVE THESE SHINGLES, CONTACT US. THERE ARE SOME LAW SUITS DEVELOPING NOW. THE MORE THAT THEIR ARE THE BETTER THE OUTCOME WILL BE.
RIGHT NOW YOU CAN TURN IT IN AS A WARRANTY CLAIM, BUT YOU WILL BE PRO RATED ON THE MATERIALS, AND YOU WON'T GET SQUAT FOR LABOR.
IF YOU DESIRE MORE INFORMATION, GO TO OUR CONTACT PAGE AND E-MAIL US WITH YOUR INFORMATION. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THESE SHINGLES, THIS ROOF IS 11 YEARS OLD, LOOKS MORE LIKE 20.
MAKE SURE YOUR CONTRACTORS ARE BIDDING THE SAME!!
ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION I HAVE BID ON ADDITIONS OR OTHER JOBS, AND WHEN THE BIDS ARE ALL TURNED IN, MYSELF AND ANOTHER CONTRACTOR WILL BE AROUND THE SAME PRICE, AND ANOTHER CONTRACTOR WILL UNDER BID US BY ABOUT 1/4 OR 1/3 OF THE PROJECT PRICE. FIRST OF ALL THERE IS NOT THAT MUCH ROOM IN THE BID TO CUT OUT THAT MUCH MONEY. MATERIALS AND LABOR COST SO MUCH NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, AND THE ELECTRIC, HEAT, PLUMBING, AND EXCAVATION USUALLY ARE ABOUT IN THE SAME BALLPARK.
SO THIS USUALLY MEANS THAT ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS IS MISSING THINGS ON HIS BID.
THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO MAKE THE CONTRACTORS SPECIFY EXACTLY WHAT WORK THERE BID INCLUDES, ALSO THE BRANDS AND TYPES OF MATERIALS THAT THEY ARE USING. THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET DOWN TO EVERY LAST DETAIL, BUT THEY CAN GET SOMEWHAT DETAILED, ENOUGH TO LET YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING, AND STILL THEY WON'T HAVE TO HAND OVER A BOOK TO YOU.
ACCORDING TO STATE CODES A CONTRACTOR IS SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING THAT THEY ARE DOING IN THE BID, THE MATERIALS THEY ARE USING, AND GIVE YOU AN APPROXIMATE TIME LINE AS TO THE START AND FINISH OF THE WORK.
I HAVE SEEN SOME BIDS WHERE THEY'LL SAY, " WE'LL SHINGLE YOUR ROOF", AND HAVE A PRICE BELOW. IF YOU GET THIS HAVE THE CONTRACTOR REWRITE IT. THIS IS NOT PROPER.
IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE BIDS AND YOU GET A GREAT PRICE DIFFERENCE. READ THEM ALL OVER MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ALL FOR EXACTLY THE SAME THING.
WHEN YOU BUY A CAR, YOU DON'T BUY THE CHEAPEST CAR YOU CAN FIND. YOU FIND WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE BEST PRICE, AND THEN MAKE YOUR DECISIONS FROM THERE.
THINK IT OVER, TAKE YOUR TIME AND USE YOUR BEST JUDGEMENT. ASK FOR REFERENCES, AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS. WE HAVE HEARD THEM ALL, AND WILL BE PATIENT WITH ANY TYPE QUESTIONS.
LIKE IN THE CASE OF AN ADDITION ESTIMATE, I MYSELF LIKE TO HAVE ALL NECESSARY SUBCONTRACTORS, COME RIGHT TO THE JOB SITE AND LOOK OVER THE HOUSE. THE ELECTRICIAN NEEDS TO SEE THE EXISTING WIRING AND BREAKER BOX, THE PLUMBER NEEDS TO SEE THE EXISITING PLUMBING AND SO ON. YOU CANNOT GET AN ACCURATE PRICE WITHOUT DOING THIS. I THEN HAVE EVERYONE FIGURE THEIR BID EXACTLY TO THIS HOUSE. THEN WHEN I PRESENT MY BID IT INCLUDES EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF THAT IS INCLUDED WITH DOING THIS ADDITION, SO WHEN I GIVE THE HOMEOWNER MY PRICE, THERE WILL BE NO EXTRA CHARGES WHAT SO EVER. THE ONLY WAY I WILL CHANGE MY PRICE AFTER THAT IS IF THE HOMEOWNER DECIDES TO CHANGE SOMETHING. I WILL THEN ADVISE HIM THAT THE CHANGES MAY AFFECT THE PRICE. IF THERE ARE EXTRA CHARGES THERE SHOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL WORK ORDER PRESENTED AT THAT TIME, BEFORE THE WORK IS DONE.
IF YOU GET A BID AND ARE PRESENTED WITH EXTRA CHARGES, AND YOU HAVE NOT CHANGED ANYTHING, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THESE, UNLESS IT IS VERY UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES (EXAMPLE: WHILE EXCAVATING FOR AN ADDITION, IN AN AREA WHERE THERE ARE NO ROCK BEDS, AND THE EXCAVATOR RUNS INTO AN UNUSUALLY HUGE STONE, WHERE THEY HAVE TO TAKE UNORTHODOX METHODS TO REMOVE IT.). THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED SOMETHING COMPLETELY OUT OF THE ORDINARY, AND YOU CANNOT EXPECT ANYONE TO BE PREPARD FOR IT.
IN ALOT OF CASES WE WILL GIVE ALLOWANCES. THIS WILL USUALLY BE DONE WITH THINGS THAT THE PRICES VARY SO MUCH, THAT WE CANNOT POSSIBLY GUESS WHAT PRICE RANGE YOU WILL GO WITH. EXAMPLES OF THIS COULD BE FLOORING, LIGHTING, AND FIXTURES. IN THIS CASE WE WILL GIVE YOU AN ALLOWANCE. IF YOUR CHOICES ARE UNDER THE SET ALLOWANCE YOU WOULD THEN BE CREDITED THE REMAINING AMOUNT. IF YOUR PRICES ARE OVER THE ALLOWANCE, YOU WOULD THEN HAVE TO PAY THE DIFFERENCE.
IN SUMMARY, GET MORE THAN ONE ESTIMATE. MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALL EXPERIENCED REPUTABLE CONTRACTORS. IF THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE IN PRICES, FIND OUT WHY, THERE IS A REASON, AND SELDOM IS IT GREED. LET THE CONTRACTOR KNOW THAT( ESPECIALLY IF YOU TAKE THE CHEAPER CONTRACTOR) YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE PAYING EXTRA CHARGES, UNLESS YOU ARE CHANGING THINGS, SO HE BETTER HAVE HIS PRICE RIGHT!!!
GOOD LUCK, IT'S YOUR HOME AND YOUR MONEY, BE WISE AND MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS, BY GETTING ENOUGH INFORMATION BEFORE YOU START HANDING YOUR MONEY OVER.
THE PROPER PROCEEDURES OF ROOFING
THERE ARE ALOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE DOING ROOFS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MOST OF THEM SHOULD NOT BE WORKING ON ANYONE'S HOUSE LET ALONE BEING LEFT ALONE WITH A HAMMER.
THESE TYPES OF ROOFERS ARE MOST EVIDENT WHENEVER THERE IS A HAIL STORM OR WIND STORM, THAT CAUSES ALOT OF DAMAGE. THEY COME FROM ALL OVER THE US, AND FLOCK TO THE BIG STORMS. THEY ALL HAVE INTERNET PROGRAMS THAT SHOW THEM EXACTLY HOW MUCH DAMAGE IS DONE, AND WHERE. THEY THEN COME INTO THE AREA, ESTABLISH A SMALL OFFICE AND GET A LOCAL PHONE NUMBER.
MOSTLY THESE STORM CHASERS WILL GO DOOR TO DOOR AND TALK YOU INTO HIRING THEM, AND PRESENT IT LIKE THEY'RE DOING YOU A FAVOR, AND GIVING YOU A GOOD DEAL. THEY WILL THEN SIGN A BUNCH OF CONTRACTS, TURN THEM OVER TO CREWS THEY HARDLY KNOW, AND AS SOON AS THEY ARE DONE SIGNING THE CONTRACTS AND COLLECTING THE MONEY THEY MOVE ON TO THE NEXT HAIL STORM. THEN, WHEN YOUR ROOF LEAKS, GOOD LUCK FINDING THEM FOR THE REPAIRS.
AFTER THE LAST HAIL STORM IN OUR AREA, ALMOST EVERY ROOF WE DID, WE HAD A NEIGHBOR STOP BY AND TELL US THEY WISH THEY HAD US DO THEIR ROOF, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THEIR ROOF NEVER LEAKED BEFORE, IT HAS LEAKED WITH EVERY RAIN SINCE THEY HAD IT DONE AFTER THE HAIL STORM.
ALL I CAN SAY IS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS GET 2 ESTIMATES, FROM LOCAL CONTRACTORS THAT EITHER SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS RECOMMENDED, OR ASK FAMILY, OR ASK AT YOUR LOCAL MATERIAL SUPPLIERS. THEY DEAL WITH THESE PEOPLE EVERY DAY AND KNOW WHO IS REPUTABLE OR NOT. YOU SHOULD NEVER TRUST ANYONE THAT KNOCKS ON YOUR DOOR. THEY ARE SOLICITORS AND NOTHING MORE. THEY WILL BE LONG GONE AFTER THE STORM. GOOD CONTRACTORS ARE USUALLY BUSY AND DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO DOOR TO DOOR, ALSO THEY KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT THE PROPER WAY TO DO BUSINESS.
ALOT OF METHODS WE SEE THE STORM CHASERS (AND ALOT OF LOCAL ROOFERS) USE ARE TO INSTALL NO FLASHING ON THE CHIMNEY, OR TO INSTALL IT AND NOT PROPERLY CUT THE FLASHING INTO THE CHIMNEY. USUALLY THEY WILL NOT INSTALL NEW FLASHING AGAINST THE WALLS. BELIEVE IT OR NOT WE HAVE SEEN ALOT OF THEM USE ONLY WATER AND ICE SHIELD IN THE VALLEYS, AND NO METAL VALLEY TIN. NOT ONLY IS THIS NOT A GOOD IDEA, IT IS AGAINST CODE.
ANOTHER WAY I HAVE LOST JOBS TO THESE PEOPLE IS FOR THEM TO UNDER BID IT. ON MORE THAN ONE JOB I HAVE INFORMED THE HOME OWNER THAT UNDER THEIR SHINGLES THERE IS WOOD SHAKE SHINGLES. WHEN THESE ARE PRESENT YOU WILL FIND A GAP BETWEEN THE ROOF BOARDS ONCE YOU REMOVE THE ROOFING. YOU THEN HAVE TO INSTALL OSB SHEATHING OVER THE ROOF DECK BEFORE YOU INSTALL THE NEW ROOFING. DUE TO THE LABOR AND MATERIALS INVOLVED IN THIS IT CAN AS MUCH AS DOUBLE THE COST OF THE ROOF.
AFTER I TOLD THE CUSTOMER THAT THERE WAS WOOD SHAKE UNDER THEIR SHINGLES, AND IT WOULD ALMOST DOUBLE THE COST OF THEIR ROOF, THE STORM CHASER WOULD THEN COME IN AND GIVE THEM A NORMAL ROOFING PRICE. THEN AFTER THEY ARE THERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THEY KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND TELL THEM THAT THEY FOUND WOOD SHAKE AND THEY WOULD CHARGE THE CUSTOMER MORE THAN ME TO DO THEIR ROOF. BY NOW THEY HAVE A GOOD SECTION OF THE ROOF TORE OFF SO THE PEOPLE FEEL STUCK, AND ALLOW THEM TO DO THE ROOF FOR THE CONTRACTOR'S NAMED PRICE.
KNOW WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH!!!!!!!!
90% OF THE ROOFS WE HAVE TORN OFF HAVE BEEN INSTALLED WRONG IN AT LEAST ONE AREA. MAKE SURE THEY ARE GOING TO BE IN THE AREA AND HAVE PRIDE AND DISCIPLINE TO MAINTAIN QUALITY IN THEIR WORK.
BRIAN BELFEUIL
BB CONSTRUCTION