# Horrible roof. Halp.



## Rabbit929 (May 30, 2021)

So I’ve had 7 different companies come take measurements, supposed to give me a quote, and never call back.
I’ve even had neighbors get tags on their doors as advertising, but everyone takes one look at my house and skips it. (NOONE wants anything to do with my roof. Period.) a previous owner made a diy addition and no one has interest in fixing it, so I’ll have to do it myself.
I’m not lying when I say I’m scared of the project, as this is a lot for one guy, ontop of all the curveballs in my specific situation that I would like a professional at least present to show some guidance.

so I’ll post a picture, the flat spot in the middle of the house and garage is the addition. It’s very low slope, slightly towards the north and slightly towards the garage, I’m figuring my only option is rubber roofing. Everything else either regular asphalt shingles or steel shingles. (Not steel sheets.)

what I want is to know how to protect the valleys as much as possible, as in North Dakota, this addition stores an absurd amount of snow weight. I’m amazed it hasn’t come down yet. What are my options as a one man rodeo that no contractor will touch?
I should add that I don’t intend to be here longer than 5 years more, but I have no intentions of leaving another owner with the same headaches I’ve already delt with. This place has been a moneypit of epic proportions, and that’s an understatement. There isn’t anyone left willing to do the work out there that I know of that will just do it, so I guess I’m on my own on this one. I appreciate any advice more than you know.


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## roofermann (Jul 7, 2012)

In my area, most of the foremen for the local roofing companys do "side-work" on the weekends and advertise on craigslist and/or local FB groups. You have one advantage that the roof is made of individual hip sections, letting you do one at a time while keeping rest of home dry. Post some pics from up on the roof and I'll be happy to give you more advice.


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## Rabbit929 (May 30, 2021)

Alright I’ll get up ASAP, might be a couple days waiting for my back to heal up. Nothing happened I just slept wrong and can barely walk again lol.


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## roofermann (Jul 7, 2012)

All good, I'll be here.


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## Rabbit929 (May 30, 2021)

roofermann said:


> All good, I'll be here.


Alrighty heres what ive got. Basically 3 offset hip roofs with this odd ball in the middle, North Dakota. (heavy snow, frigid winters, humid summers)
Im thinking my options are rolled rubber and just reshingle, or steel shingles and rubber roofing, but i would like to know if theres a way to correct the roof properly without breaking the bank. 
Any ideas?


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## roofermann (Jul 7, 2012)

There are 2 ply self stick low slope roofing systems, GAF liberty is one I've personally worked with. It's DIY friendly and competitive (price wise) with EPDM or TPO. Other manufacturers have similar. With the depth of snow you will get, I'd run whichever flat system you choose at least 2ft up the slopes and leave at least a foot of that not covered by the new shingles. Hope this helps.


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## Rabbit929 (May 30, 2021)

roofermann said:


> There are 2 ply self stick low slope roofing systems, GAF liberty is one I've personally worked with. It's DIY friendly and competitive (price wise) with EPDM or TPO. Other manufacturers have similar. With the depth of snow you will get, I'd run whichever flat system you choose at least 2ft up the slopes and leave at least a foot of that not covered by the new shingles. Hope this helps.


Whats your thought process of pulling it all up, and possibly making a false type roof over it to match the roofline? So hopefully I would be able to do steel for the sake of longevity and resale? Like I said I don’t want to get in over my head more than I already am, but I’m pretty sure any savvy homebuyer ‘should’ take one look at this roof and turn away, design-wise.


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## roofermann (Jul 7, 2012)

You want to frame a new roof over the flat section? Since you've mentioned budget, I think that would be very expensive when you factor in beefing up the existing so it will be code compliant to build on top of.


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## Kpurchroofs902 (Sep 18, 2021)

roofermann said:


> In my area, most of the foremen for the local roofing companys do "side-work" on the weekends and advertise on craigslist and/or local FB groups. You have one advantage that the roof is made of individual hip sections, letting you do one at a time while keeping rest of home dry. Post some pics from up on the roof and I'll be happy to give you more advice.


I agree with rooferman, from what I can see from the image it seems to be mostly hips. You can easily work a section at a time you wanna tackle and if prepped right and laying the cap down as you go you can take your time. Eventually you will finish up. 


Rabbit929 said:


> Alrighty heres what ive got. Basically 3 offset hip roofs with this odd ball in the middle, North Dakota. (heavy snow, frigid winters, humid summers)
> Im thinking my options are rolled rubber and just reshingle, or steel shingles and rubber roofing, but i would like to know if theres a way to correct the roof properly without breaking the bank.
> Any ideas?
> View attachment 4518
> ...


What is do in that situation is apply the flat roof and wrap the valleys up good then shingle into in like a normal valley and hip roof capping as you go and there shouldn’t be any issues 🙂


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## Rabbit929 (May 30, 2021)

roofermann said:


> You want to frame a new roof over the flat section? Since you've mentioned budget, I think that would be very expensive when you factor in beefing up the existing so it will be code compliant to build on top of.


I was hoping budget wise, I could pull it all apart, have framers come in and frame and sheath it, then I could strip and shingle everything else myself with hopes of having a few valleys, NO flat roof and do everything a little more traditionally.
The reason I worry about it is it had rolled roofing installed in 2015. It’s been an ice dam/snow load, and leaking in heavy rain since 2018. The rolled roofing is already cracking a failing everywhere, so I’m not confident in anything asphalt outlasting the shingles at this point.
I did a little research into tpo, which is what the plant I work on installed. But that still doesn’t help with the snow loading.


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## Paladin (Nov 21, 2021)

Rabbit929 said:


> Whats your thought process of pulling it all up, and possibly making a false type roof over it to match the roofline? So hopefully I would be able to do steel for the sake of longevity and resale? Like I said I don’t want to get in over my head more than I already am, but I’m pretty sure any savvy homebuyer ‘should’ take one look at this roof and turn away, design-wise.


Thought you did not want to "Break the bank."


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## Paladin (Nov 21, 2021)

Rabbit929 said:


> I was hoping budget wise, I could pull it all apart, have framers come in and frame and sheath it, then I could strip and shingle everything else myself with hopes of having a few valleys, NO flat roof and do everything a little more traditionally.
> The reason I worry about it is it had rolled roofing installed in 2015. It’s been an ice dam/snow load, and leaking in heavy rain since 2018. The rolled roofing is already cracking a failing everywhere, so I’m not confident in anything asphalt outlasting the shingles at this point.
> I did a little research into tpo, which is what the plant I work on installed. But that still doesn’t help with the snow loading.


What do you believe your Budget to be? What is the roof system, substrate and support? Do you know what sins are beneath the current section?
Two professionals gave great advice for you to tackle the DIY project. Next move may be to contact the local Chamber of Commerce for a recommended professional, bite the bullet, and hire the Pro. 
Much Success!


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## Rabbit929 (May 30, 2021)

Paladin said:


> Thought you did not want to "Break the bank."


I hate to half-ass it like the previous guys, as the rolled roofing they’ve applied is cracking at the seams and we just have a bucket in the room to catch whatever comes out. I would like to do it right as possible as to not leave headaches for new owners, as paying for this place, with a bad electrical system, bad drains, bad roof, and lots of issues while raising a family of 5 on one income is painful as all hell.
Previous snow loads have caused it to sag and pool in spots. And the rolled roofing that’s currently on there was new when we moved in, and has leaked since a year after.

a part of me thinks just to sell the place at a loss to someone who wants to deal with it and move back into a decent trailer home.


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