need opinions on roof option (foam and vinyl/rubber skin)

11 years ago

Hi ~

First some info on my mobile home. It's a Norris made in 1988, and the roof is metal, not shingle. It's 14' x 76' in size.

I hope someone can help me gain info on a roof option I'm considering. I wish I could be more helpful by telling you what it's called, but I didn't get the name of the system. I'll describe it to the best of my abilities;

It consists of a thick foam, about 2" thick I think, and that is covered by a vinyl/rubber looking skin. It's a fairly common mobile home roof, I think. The last time I had my roof coated (3 years ago) I went from the old aluminum type which the home's always had to the white elastomeric (sp?) kind of coating. It cost me $400 to get that last time - 3 years ago - and now it's leaking already. btw, they only did the seams then one coat. They were supposed to do two coats but the person felt the one thick coat would do. I don't know if that has anything to do with it leaking now or if 3 years is normal wear. It started leaking at the 2,5 year mark. If i want to go with recoating the roof with two new coats they are going to credit me 1/2 the original price, so I'd only have to pay $200 instead of $400. It is only leaking at the exterior edge on the site of a roof panel seam. Not a big spot at all. At their suggestion, I am considering just patching that spot rather than doing the whole roof, then saving my $$ to get the foam roof later this year. They were telling me about the foam roof and how it triples my heat retention, energy saving, and so forth.

What I'd like to know is if that's true, and how fragile are these roofs? It will cost between $3700 and $3800 to do this, money that will take me the better part of the year to save. Are they really worth it? I also have the option to stick with the white elastic type and get a new kind that has a 10 warranty. It would be $300 but not have any of the supposed heat/cooling savings. (My electric runs $320 in the winter, and $200 in the summer - I only have electric heat. I keep my thermostat on 67 in the winter and would be willing to spend the big bucks if it does what they say)

I just tried calling the mobile home supply to get the name of the foam roof and it's warranty info, but they didn't answer. Sorry!

Comments (5)

PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
10 years ago
With utility bills that low, it is tough to justify the full expense of that style of re-roof based solely on the savings.

Obviously the savings would not amount to a full reduction in your total utility bill either so there would be some time before you recover that amount.

I would probably just re-coat it and ask the guys about a system called Gaco.

We have applied that system with success and it supposed to last a really long time.
sunnie62
10 years ago
I don't think $320 for heat in the winter and $200 in the summer is low. The utility bill is high in my opinion. We had our roof coated also and we are thinking of using the rubber for our roof in a few years. We have to save for it also because it will run $3500 but it's guaranteed for life of the mobile home and should insulate the roof.
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Debbie B.
8 years ago
I think that utility bill is outrageous! Where do you live? I'm in eastern Washington state and the electric bill is around $80 per month. I'm going to do a "roof over" in a couple of years. You can check roof over.com, and no, I don't work for them, lol. I'm figuring a cost of around $4,000, but it comes with a lifetime guarantee. This is for a 1979 SW, 14x56 with a pop out in the living room.
Debbie B.
8 years ago
I'll just add that I had my roof snow coated in September. "Snow coat" is the nickname of the white elastomeric coating the OP mentioned. The brand I bought at Lowe's does indeed have a ten year limited warranty. I think it ended up costing just under $400 for materials and labor. That was for a 14x56 SW. I hired an unemployed roofer from Craigslist who had coated his own roof and had two good references for MHs he had also snow coated. I plan to get a "roof over" in about a year, when I've saved up enough cash. However, there were two small leaks from last winter and I didn't want them to turn into big leaks, nor did I want new ones to appear. Also, unexpected things happen in life, and while I plan to have enough money saved in a year, I also have to plan for an unforeseen circumstance that could delay the roofover. It has now rained hard several times with no sign of any leaks, old or new. So even if something happens and I can't do the roofover for several years, I'm confident that the snow coat will do its job. That is worth $400 to me.

I have no first hand knowledge of the "skin" type of roofing the OP was considering. What I have read matches up with what the OP was told. I'd be very curious to know if anyone here has firsthand knowledge of the rubber skin type of roof and what her or his opinion of it is.
Debbie B.
8 years ago
I'd just like to add again to this thread to pass along something I read on another forum. A professional roofer who works on MHs wrote that the biggest problem with rubber roofs is that people won't stay off of them! He said he's seen damage from women being on the roof with high heels (!), people setting chairs up there to watch parades or fireworks, you name it. Rubber roofs are easily damaged by this kind of activity, and homeowners don't seem to realise it. So if anyone out there is considering a rubber roof, be aware that you can't get on it and walk around or set chairs up there! The roofer also said the only roof he never has problems with is the metal roof. Food for thought.