Not sure which way to turn, , H-E-L-P! (xost to Home Disaster)

11 years ago

The good news is I have a new roof (hail storm last May). . .the bad news is that on the back side of the house the roofing company had taken everything off (1 layer of composition, 1 layer shake, felt, and decking) leaving only the framing "slats". They "tarped" the open area, but we had an unexpected storm blow in (60 mpr winds and I had an inch of rain in my rain guage). In my bedroom, the rain came in through the top of the window, the ceiling fixture in my closet, completely filled the globe in the ceiling fan at the end of my bed and collected about 4 inches of water in a trashcan. There are water spots all over the ceiling. Biggest one is about 3 ft x 3 ft. . . almost all of the ceiling where it meets the wall on the back side where the rain came in and there are several dinner plate sized ones, plus the area around the ceiling fan. The next morning they pulled the wet insulation out of the attic over about 2/3 of the bedroom and recommended that I not sleep in the bedroom. They agree it is their problem and are coming out this next week to see what needs to be done. The guy that removed the insulation the following morning said he thought they would probably have to replace the ceiling as the drywall has sagged enough to see the seams in some places. The ceiling has dried out pretty much (this happened Tuesday nite/Wednesday am), but the "setback" at the top of the window is still damp today (I peeled back the wallpaper) and the light in the shower has been out (I thought the bulb burned out, but it cam back on the next day) and it still smells kind of musty in my closet.

My question/concern is how to tell how much damage was "really" done" and what should I fairly expect the roofing company to repair? A friend said she didn't see how they could replace the all/part of ceiling without messing up the top of the walls and she thought I should get either new wallpaper or new paint job.

Since the roof was an insurance replacement, I notified my local agent who said he would notify the adjuster on the roof claim.

Any recommendations on how to make sure the roofing company doesn't gloss over the damage (they are a reputable local company, but still. . . .). I don't want more than is fair, but I want to make sure there is no "hidden" damage that won't show up until a few months/years down the line. Maybe have the insurance company send out an adjuster?? I thought about having a remodeling contractor come out, but not sure how "interested" they would be since it would be just a "consulting" job.

While I am far from helpless (:), it's just me. . and I don't have a background in construction!!

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Comments (4)

akamainegrower
11 years ago
You would absolutely be wise to have an independent evaluation done. A certified home inspector plus someone from your insurance company would be one way to go. You also should document everything with photographs yourself in addition to any that might be taken by the roofing company (for their own insurer), the home inspector, and the representative from your insurance company.

It is, btw, highly unusual that the roofers would have to remove all of the decking. What reason did they give for doing so?
cherigw
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks!! that's the direction I'm headed. Re: removing the decking. . .the roofing company said that the decking had to be replaced and the insurance company agreed. I presume that it had to do with removing the shakes, but don't know for sure.
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steve_fl
11 years ago
For an insurance claim, you usually have up to 2 years to report any additional damage found as a cause of the initial claim, without paying an additional deductible, but your policy may be different.
Get a reputable contractor (preferably 2 or 3), along with YOUR insurance adjuster, and the roofing company adjuster to take a look and determine the best course of action.
I agree completely with the photos-of damage, during repair process, and after repairs are completed.
Keep a copy for yourself-hold on to them for a minimum of 2 years, possibly longer, if you should decide to sell the house, you have proof that the repairs were done correctly and to code.
akamainegrower
11 years ago
I'd ask anyone doing an inspection to pay special attention to possible electrical problems, too. Your experience with the light in the shower suggests water entered the fixture or a junction box and shorted out the circuit.

You also have to be careful that things have dried out before repairs are made. Sealing up something still damp will lead to future mildew. If the wallpaper was wet, it's also likely that it will shrink as it dries thereby causing the seams to open up even if the moisture did not damage the paper enough to cause bulges and glue failure.

Best of luck in dealing with this.