New Roof and Skylights
#1
10-12-11, 11:01 AM
New Roof and Skylights
Two days ago I had a new roof installed and two skylights replaced on my house. The roofer insisted on installing the new skylights because the old ones showed signs of wear and that it had been repaired before.
That morning I got a call from the roofer asking me if it was okay to remove the attic fan because it wouldn't be needed with the new ridge vent they would be cutting in the roof. I let them remove it because it made sense the way he explained how the attic and roof would vent with the new ridge vent.
Anyway, let me get to why I am posting this message:
I checked on the guys at least twice just to sure everything was going ok. The last time I went out to check on then I notice a VELUX skylight laying in the grass, but it looked different than the one they had already installed. So I asked the foreman about the skylight and he said they were to small, so they had to install a Wasco skylight instead. I thought that was weird that they didn't call me or knock on the door to let me know what was going on. So I go inside the house to take another look at the one they had already installed and I noticed it's not flush with the drywall like the old ones were. In fact it looks like was slightly bigger.
So I called the owner of the company to ask him about the skylights and he proceeds to tell me that he was just out at my house and that he didn't think I was home. At this point I am upset because I told him I was going to be home all day and he had called me earlier to ask me about the attic fan. So he and I go back and forth for a while and he's telling me how they installed the skylight and that he saw it and it looked fine. He also said what I was looking at was totally cosmetic.
So I get my step ladder out and this is what I see from the inside:
My concern is not whether or not the skylight is installed correctly from the outside, but whether or not it's installed correctly from the inside. Looks like they left the old skylights trim kit. Does this look right, is it installed correctly? I am worried about the area where the drywall meets the plywood of the roof. Will the attic vent back into the house or vice versa? I am also concerned about moisture from the attic.
Thanks
That morning I got a call from the roofer asking me if it was okay to remove the attic fan because it wouldn't be needed with the new ridge vent they would be cutting in the roof. I let them remove it because it made sense the way he explained how the attic and roof would vent with the new ridge vent.
Anyway, let me get to why I am posting this message:
I checked on the guys at least twice just to sure everything was going ok. The last time I went out to check on then I notice a VELUX skylight laying in the grass, but it looked different than the one they had already installed. So I asked the foreman about the skylight and he said they were to small, so they had to install a Wasco skylight instead. I thought that was weird that they didn't call me or knock on the door to let me know what was going on. So I go inside the house to take another look at the one they had already installed and I noticed it's not flush with the drywall like the old ones were. In fact it looks like was slightly bigger.
So I called the owner of the company to ask him about the skylights and he proceeds to tell me that he was just out at my house and that he didn't think I was home. At this point I am upset because I told him I was going to be home all day and he had called me earlier to ask me about the attic fan. So he and I go back and forth for a while and he's telling me how they installed the skylight and that he saw it and it looked fine. He also said what I was looking at was totally cosmetic.
So I get my step ladder out and this is what I see from the inside:
My concern is not whether or not the skylight is installed correctly from the outside, but whether or not it's installed correctly from the inside. Looks like they left the old skylights trim kit. Does this look right, is it installed correctly? I am worried about the area where the drywall meets the plywood of the roof. Will the attic vent back into the house or vice versa? I am also concerned about moisture from the attic.
Thanks
#2
10-12-11, 07:51 PM
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Your pictures are too small to see anything useful with my old eyes.
That being said, do I understand correctly that this guy's business model is: If the customer complains, tell them it's just cosmetic. Gotta love it.
That being said, do I understand correctly that this guy's business model is: If the customer complains, tell them it's just cosmetic. Gotta love it.
#3
10-12-11, 08:13 PM
Group Moderator
tldoug: click on the pictures to enlarge.
Blackflux: do you seriously want a roofer doing trim work or drywall work in your house? I would expect that the roofer is only concerned about getting the "right size" skylight (one that fits the same RO as the old one) installed so that he can roof around it. He probably figures that any interior work needed (new trim/drywall work/painting) is "your deal". Hopefully this would have been discussed prior to giving the go ahead.
If it was your understanding that he would include 100% of the installation (including the "cosmetic" finishing touches) then yes, you should probably have a discussion with them, because no, it is not finished properly. It looks as if they did the minimum required to get it installed so that they could keep on roofing.
But like I was alluding to, finishing the interior of your skylight would probably be best left to someone who specializes in trim or drywall repair. Maybe your contractor has such a person on his payroll or working as a subcontractor that he could have finish the job.
Blackflux: do you seriously want a roofer doing trim work or drywall work in your house? I would expect that the roofer is only concerned about getting the "right size" skylight (one that fits the same RO as the old one) installed so that he can roof around it. He probably figures that any interior work needed (new trim/drywall work/painting) is "your deal". Hopefully this would have been discussed prior to giving the go ahead.
If it was your understanding that he would include 100% of the installation (including the "cosmetic" finishing touches) then yes, you should probably have a discussion with them, because no, it is not finished properly. It looks as if they did the minimum required to get it installed so that they could keep on roofing.
But like I was alluding to, finishing the interior of your skylight would probably be best left to someone who specializes in trim or drywall repair. Maybe your contractor has such a person on his payroll or working as a subcontractor that he could have finish the job.
#4
10-13-11, 01:04 AM
Member
Apparently your roofer has been able to "sweet-talk" his way through similar issues in the past, and now makes a practice of the shoddy installation you have pictured. And I don't agree with XSleeper, trying to rationalize the installation as acceptable (from a roofer's point of view) because your contractor is "only a roofer." Think of it this way--if you paid good money to have a new front door installed, would the installer only be obligated to make it look good from the outside? And leave it up to you to find someone to finish out the interior, including drywall, texture, paint and trim? I don't think so, at least not in the world I come from.
I'd suggest you need to firmly make it very clear to Mr. Sloppy Roofer that you expect the job to be completed, inside and out, to your satisfaction. If he disagrees and refuses to do anything, hire your own repair person, pay him, and send the bill to your roofer. Tell him you'll see him in Small Claims Court should he choose to brush you off. And while you're at it, do some research to find the difference in retail value of Velux and Wasco skylights. Add that difference to the amount the roofer owes you for the interior repair, as the units installed do not appear to be nearly the quality of Velux (I've installed quite a few of them, and what you have is definitely not an equivalent to Velux). And the installation also appears to have a broken corner seam or two, with the adjacent members no longer in alignment (as if they were installed using excessive force). Oh, and your roofer also owes you one attic fan, unless he left the removed unit with you. For what it's worth, I have never seen a ridge vent that can remove as much air as a decent attic fan.
I'd suggest you need to firmly make it very clear to Mr. Sloppy Roofer that you expect the job to be completed, inside and out, to your satisfaction. If he disagrees and refuses to do anything, hire your own repair person, pay him, and send the bill to your roofer. Tell him you'll see him in Small Claims Court should he choose to brush you off. And while you're at it, do some research to find the difference in retail value of Velux and Wasco skylights. Add that difference to the amount the roofer owes you for the interior repair, as the units installed do not appear to be nearly the quality of Velux (I've installed quite a few of them, and what you have is definitely not an equivalent to Velux). And the installation also appears to have a broken corner seam or two, with the adjacent members no longer in alignment (as if they were installed using excessive force). Oh, and your roofer also owes you one attic fan, unless he left the removed unit with you. For what it's worth, I have never seen a ridge vent that can remove as much air as a decent attic fan.
#5
10-13-11, 12:45 PM
Someone used force on one corner, crushing the seal, and it will leak, guaranteed. In addition the member to which it was to be fastened, seems to be askew. Roofer's shouldn't be selling skylights. Maybe they can install them, maybe, like in your instance, they can't.
Unless they came back and replaced the broken seam skylight, I would opt for a settlement to cover the trim. I will agree with Brant, that I would not want a roofer trimming my house, nor would I want them doing sheetrock work. They seem to have done a bad enough job installing the skylights. The lights should have fit firmly and flatly on support members or the option of replacing them should have been abandoned. They bit off more than they could chew and tried to make the lights fit by offering a cheaper brand. You hopefully didn't pay Velux prices for these lights.
Unless they came back and replaced the broken seam skylight, I would opt for a settlement to cover the trim. I will agree with Brant, that I would not want a roofer trimming my house, nor would I want them doing sheetrock work. They seem to have done a bad enough job installing the skylights. The lights should have fit firmly and flatly on support members or the option of replacing them should have been abandoned. They bit off more than they could chew and tried to make the lights fit by offering a cheaper brand. You hopefully didn't pay Velux prices for these lights.
