Over the years, Roofing Insights co-host Brent Simmons has noticed a recurring problem taking place on roofs throughout Memphis, Tennessee. Cheap roofing installs.
This time though, it’s not middle-class homeowners who are getting the shaft.
Instead, it’s wealthy homeowners who hire builders to design and create their dream home.
These builders then take their million-dollar budgets and begin constructing lavish dining rooms, impeccable bedrooms, and kitchens outfitted with state-of-the-art appliances and granite countertops.
All of this sounds extremely luxurious, but when it comes to installing the roof, many builders cut corners and sub out the roofs for as cheaply as possible.
Simmons says this leads to roofs without proper ventilation, busted granules, and an array of other maladies that force homeowners to call adjusters out for full replacements just a few years after the initial install date.
“We can do better,”
Simmons says from the comforts of his computer screen while analyzing woebegone roofs in the Memphis area.
“It’s just a matter of time before the wind will blow them [shingles] away.”
The sad reality to all this is that while these beautiful homes sit peacefully in bourgeois neighborhoods, to anyone in the roofing industry, the roofs on these palatial estates are utter eyesores.
In the video above, Simmons flips through a few different clips on his computer, some of which show laborers drilling toeboards through shingles. Others highlight roofs with different colored shingles, and some even have different shingle brands installed.
“I don’t necessarily blame the roofer,”
Simmons remarks, noting how the builder is usually to blame because they’re trying to get the roof done for as cheaply as possible so they can allocate funds to more glamorous portions of their budgets.
Simmons also says that many of the crews on these million-dollar homes are being paid $30-35 per square, which is way below market value.
“If that’s what you’re paying, you’re not going to get good quality,”
says Simmons.
In fairness, not all builders adopt the same mentality when it comes to roofs. Some are honorable and respectable contractors who will one day be part of the Roofing Insights Directory.
For example, Jason Smith of Titan Drywall & Construction believes that having a quality roof is integral to maintaining the quality of a home for years to come.
“I want to build a house that I want to live in,”
Smith tells Simmons.
Are you a homeowner who has previously worked with builders?
Comment below and share your opinion regarding the quality of roof your builder installed.
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