# IKO...feedback



## turbomangt

Please forgive me, I'm not a pro, but came here because I cannot trust anyone anymore, every time I hire someone something goes wrong. I just had a new roof installed, IKO 30 year cambridge. and tonight my wife shows me an article in the paper (home advice section) about this person who has a IKO roof and its falling apart after 12 years. I then start a google search and see a host of complaints against this company. The same contractor is installing hardy baord on my house next week, I plan on asking him about these complaints, and I wanted to ask you folks if I can make him give me some sort of warrenty for problems in case the manufacturer does not stand behind it (as it seems they don't) have you folks had same luck with IKO,? do I have any recourse now that its on my house? Thanks,Gary


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## Grumpy

I won't comment on opinion because it may be construed as slander, however I was informed that IKO is being sued by 3 states in the union of the United States of America. I'm sure a google search or Yahoo search willl produce some results. I do not beleive you can make a warranty claim against the manufacturer since your product hasn't failed (yet). 

What area are you from? 

My warranty specifically excludes manufacturer defects as that is a result of manufacturer error, and not my own error. My warranty specifically only covers defects of workmanship, and workmanship only. I would never dare dream of covering the manufacturer's product, however you may be able to buy an extended warranty or insurance policy on both the shingles and the siding.

A warranty is useless unless the warrantying party wishes to serve the terms of the agreement. So even an extended warranty may be useless. What's that saying? Caveat Emptor.


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## turbomangt

Grumpy, I also from Chicago, nw suburbs, Roselle, I wish I came her BEFORE I hired someone. Gary


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## Grumpy

Me too. 

LOL I did a roof there in roselle. It was a friends Ex-wife. The year after I did the roof some storm chaser came in and talked her into another FREE new roof. That was the shortest warranty I ever had to service  

Now she's confised why her home owner's insurance has gone up. I wonder why.


If you do not trust this contractor, why did you hire him again?


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## IKORoofer

turbomangt said:


> Please forgive me, I'm not a pro, but came here because I cannot trust anyone anymore, every time I hire someone something goes wrong. I just had a new roof installed, IKO 30 year cambridge. and tonight my wife shows me an article in the paper (home advice section) about this person who has a IKO roof and its falling apart after 12 years. I then start a google search and see a host of complaints against this company. The same contractor is installing hardy board on my house next week, I plan on asking him about these complaints, and I wanted to ask you folks if I can make him give me some sort of warranty for problems in case the manufacturer does not stand behind it (as it seems they don't) have you folks had same luck with IKO,? do I have any recourse now that its on my house? Thanks,Gary


I'm an estimator for a roofing company where I've worked for almost 20 years. I started off not knowing which end of the tear-off spade to hold and have worked my way up as an installer, foreman, and leak repairman, and finally, estimator. I've installed Owens Corning, Malarkey, Tamko, GP Summit, Pabco, Celotex, Certainteed, GAF, Elk, GAF/Elk and IKO asphalt compositions. I'm not privy to every call that comes into the office, but it's a smaller company and I'd hear about product failure on one of our roofs. Which I have. Twice on asphalt composition roofs. Both were a brand other than IKO. A more popular brand. In addition to that I have helped two people file warranty claims for failed product by another popular brand. Again, not IKO. I'm not saying I will never see a problem with an IKO roof, I'm sure in fact that if I sell enough of it I will eventually run into a bad batch, but you should have a reasonable expectation of getting about 30 years out of your IKO Cambridge 30. In point of fact in the June 2009 issue of Consumer Reports magazine, The IKO Cambridge 30 AR is rated 11th, slightly higher than the GAF/Elk Timberline Prestique Lifetime (12th). 
their rankings are based on four criteria: Strength, Wind resistance, weathering, and impact resistance. 

1. Owens Corning Berkshire collection 
2. CertainTeed Grand Manor 
3. IKO Crowne Slate 
4. CertainTeed Presidential 
5. GAF/Elk Camelot 
6. TAMKO Heritage 50 
7. Owens Corning Oakridge 
8. CertainTeed Landmark Premium 
9. CertainTeed Landmark 
10. Atlas Pinnacle 
11. IKO Cambridge 30AR 
12. GAF/Elk Timberline Prestique Lifetime 
13. Tamko Heritage 30 
14. Tamko Heritage Vintage 
15. GAF/Elk Timberline Natural Shadow 
16. Owens Corning Duration 
17. Malarky Legacy 
18. Owens Corning Duration Premium 

All of the manufacturers have claims of product failure made against them. I would attribute most of these to poor installation.


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## Grumpy

Having a claim of product failure and being sued by the government are two different things. Yes every manufacuter has made bad batches. Yes every manufacturer has been sued. Yes most roof failures are installation related... but you're doing something wrong if the attorney general is coming down on you, and to have 3 of them coming down on you... 


Who knows... Maybe IKO's only problem is the fact that since they are the cheapest on the market, the hacks gravitate to their product. Since they are hacks, they install the product wrong. Maybe that's the problem... or maybe the product just sucks. These are questions, not statements. 

Personally me, if I wouldn't install a product on my own house I would not sell it to my customers. From my limited experience with IKO products, I wouldn't install them on my own house. I also wouldn't install Timberlines. It's a matter of personal prefrence.


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## IKORoofer

Grumpy said:


> Having a claim of product failure and being sued by the government are two different things. Yes every manufacuter has made bad batches. Yes every manufacturer has been sued. Yes most roof failures are installation related... but you're doing something wrong if the attorney general is coming down on you, and to have 3 of them coming down on you...
> 
> 
> Who knows... Maybe IKO's only problem is the fact that since they are the cheapest on the market, the hacks gravitate to their product. Since they are hacks, they install the product wrong. Maybe that's the problem... or maybe the product just sucks. These are questions, not statements.
> 
> Personally me, if I wouldn't install a product on my own house I would not sell it to my customers. From my limited experience with IKO products, I wouldn't install them on my own house. I also wouldn't install Timberlines. It's a matter of personal prefrence.


First of all are you sure it's the government bringing the class action suits against IKO and CertainTeed?

Secondly are we really caring about the opinion of ambulance/shingle chasing - bloodsucking lawyers now? I doubt they know which side of the shingle goes up. 

And third, IKO is not the least expensive shingle in THIS market. They are less than GAF/ELK and CertainTeed, but I can get OC and PABCO for less. I prefer IKO obviously, and that is the reason it's usually one of the options I give to my propective clients.


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## Grumpy

It does not appear as if it is the GOVERNMENT sueing certainteed. It appears it is consumers who have been affected by their failed sealdon shingles. It is my understanding that IKO is being sued not just by the consumers, but also by the attorney generals of not one, but 3 states. Am I wrong, I could be? 

In CertainTeed's defense, in my experience they have been fair in their reimbursement for the failed sealdon shingles. However many home owners can't understand why the company isn't paying more. Those same consumers obviously never have read the shingle warranty. Besides organics are just not fit for our Chicago climate, and obviously it took CertainTeed and Globe to teach us that. Globe took the EZ way out and just closed their business and sold their assets to IKO. This was the first thing that put a bad taste in my mouth to the IKO name. 

No We do agree lawyers are a ruin to this country. However forget that for a moment. I have installed IKO shingles in the past and simply do not like them. I also don't like that fact that IKO is falling back onto the old thoguht process that heavier is better. While that train of thought does have merit, it is not the sole answer to quality. Adding extra granuals, doesn't make a shingle better. I've worked with a few of their products and just don't like them. To me that is the first determination of quality... if myself and my workers like working with a product. 

For example I like Tamko the company, I really like their Heritage architectural shingles. I won't install Tamko's elite 3tab shingles, although we still will install 3 tabs when customers request. It's just a product we do not like working with, so it is eliminated from the product offerings. Like I said, everyone has their own personal prefrences.

IKO is by far the least expensive shingle in our market. Nobody else even comes close. They are at least $10 a square less than certainteed. 


I recall a conversation I had with an IKO rep about 5 years ago. We were at an open house event at a supplier and he was mingling. he came up to me as I was pigging out on free beer soaked bratwurst. He asked what products I use etc. Asked why I wasn't using IKO. I told him that in my opinion the product is inferior and I just don't trust it. He thanked me for my honesty gave me a coupon and insisted their products have changed, blah blah blah, the same line you get from any salesman when someone has had a bad experience with their company. Well I did use the coupon on a job a few months later. It was an IKO royal victorian. Those were some expensive 6-tab shingles. They felt like 20 year shingles to me, and I paid more for them than I would have for regular laminated architecturals. I did 2 houses side by side with that product, and so far so good but they are only 5 years old. I drive by every once in awhile to check on them. BTW I will say that the clay red color in the royal victorian product was very nice looking, the weatherwood not so good.


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