home maintenance

[cellio]

The roof is nearing the end of its lifespan. No acute problems, but it's about time to start talking to purveyors of replacements. There are books on the third floor, after all. :-)

If you have comments (pro or con) about roofers in the Pittsburgh area, I'd appreciate hearing them.

If you have favorite resources (particularly if they're on the web) that will help us make whatever decisions are involved (materials, what else?), I'd definitely like to hear about them.

Comments

[loosecanon.livejournal.com]

I do not know roofers in your area, but please get at least three estimates.
When you choose a contractor, call the state and check his licence number. It's so obvious that most people dont bother.

Our area has a Freecycle-related group called a Neighborhood Network, where we can rate or suggest local contractors. You might have something similar.

I prefer Timerline product, which is an asphalt shingle. It has a good hurricane rating, and it has very good rainflow control for our needs. It also lasts a surprisingly long time.

Factor in whether you prefer a dark roof for lower heating costs, or a light roof for easier cooling ( I prefer light, a dark one is often covered in snow when you need it to do it's thing )

If you are able, get up on your roof yourself, and feel the material.
It is a lot like tortillas: It is supposed to be pliable, but becomes "crisp" as it ages. Sometimes one side ages worse than the other. If the grit is coming off easily, that's also another bad sign.

Be certain you have proper ventilation on and in your roof. We invested in extra venting, and are pleased we did. It allows the roofing material to handle changes in weather more easily, extending its life, as well as making the attic safer by allowing excessive heat buildup to escape.

http://www.reroofingshowroom.com/pricing.html

http://www.gaf.com/General/GafMain.asp?Silo=RES1&WS=GAF ( has a good panel on choices, a little hard to get to. Click on Roof Selector, have fun )

http://www.housingzone.com/probuilder/article/CA6367300.html

All those things s/he just said, plus...

[(Anonymous)]

* If you've ever thought of putting in sun-tunnels (http://www.veluxusa.com/products/sunTunnels/ , circular sky-lights that gather light and reflect it into the room, giving much more light from a smaller opening than a sky-light), do it while the roof material is off. Most roofers now can do them, and they are fabulous.

* Ditto solar. Look into the tax incentives, anything your local utility district maybe offering, etc. Solar can help offset the cost recovery of the roof/materials -- not hugely, but some.

* Ditto a whole-house fan if you don't have one.

* Ditto putting in insulation in the attic/roof/walls/wherever you want to do it that having the roof off would make it easier.

[grouchyoldcoot.livejournal.com]

I've had good experiences with Houlihan Roofing and Remodeling.

[murphstein.livejournal.com]

House repairs. *Takes a deep breath* I'm planning to buy my first house in the next couple of months. I'll miss being able to call the landlord for things like clogged toilets, and I certainly don't look forward to major repairs.

Good luck!

[msmemory.livejournal.com]

This is the dopey input.
Roof shingles come in various colors and shades. If you are thinking of changing the color of your house, through paint or siding, think about what color roof will coordinate. I've seen some pretty lame combinations, where they had matched a green roof to a green house, then repainted the house white....

[mrpeck.livejournal.com]

My roofer was Paul Houlihan (sp?). He was probably my favorite of all the contractors that did work on my house. If you are interested, I have his phone number around somewhere.