Restoration – Page 10

When you think about the cost associated with your roof, you account for the obvious like shingles and labor but you never consider this hidden expense. We can warn our customers about it and there are some signs that may indicate how expensive things could get but a true dollar amount can not be calculated until we begin the job. I am talking about rotten plywood.

The plywood underneath your shingles can become rotten over time due to expose to water, usually a result of faulty shingles or condensation. We typically see rotten plywood on older roofs but all roofs can still have it. Even more, all sheets of plywood that are rotten absolutely need to be replaced before new shingles can be installed. So, although you’ve planned on spending X amount on your new roof, if you have several sheets of rotten plywood, that cost could rise by hundreds of dollars.

What Can You Do?

The short answer is, nothing. There is no magic way to tell there will be an added expense for rotten plywood beforehand. Sometimes, when you walk on a roof you can tell there is rot by the feeling; your roof will feel crunchy. However, we have been on roofs with no indication of rot and there ended up being several sheets. Yet, there are a few things you can do to help alleviate the financial burden of rotten plywood.

1. Consider the age of your roof

Older roofs are more likely to have rotten plywood. A common practice back in the day was to install new shingles onto existing shingles. This was less expensive and less labor intensive because the roofer did not have to tear off the materials. However, sometimes this traps algae and bacteria that was on the original roof along with any leaks or problems. If you know your roof is older or has several layers, it is good practice to add a few hundred extra to your roof budget.

2. Look over your contract

Nothing is a worse surprise than finding out your roofer is charging you more for rotten plywood. This is why at Modern, we make the procedure very clear in the event we find rotten plywood on your roof. Our contract not only states the price for per sheet for new plywood but we also discuss it with each customer beforehand. Having an open discussion eliminates the surprise element and can you give the best and worst case scenarios.

3. If there is rotten plywood, have them show you it.

This is especially important if there are several sheets. I would never want to pay a few hundred dollars and just take someone’s word for it. Your contractor should be able to show you all the sheets they removed that are rotten and that they are charging you extra for. This eliminates any questions or disputes. You can see exactly why the sheets were removed and know that it was a necessity.

4. Better Safe Than Sorry

The hard truth is, you should probably add a few hundred extra dollars to your roof budget or quote. It is better to be prepared than to be stuck owing more than you expected and devising a way to pay. If you end up owing less than your budget, now you have a few hundred extra bucks in your wallet and a brand new roof. For questions about rotten plywood or to get a roofing quote, you can contact us!

CarIntoGarage — Damaged garage door from fire department.

To be quite honest, there are a lot of emergency jobs companies do not want. It may be in an area of town they prefer not to work. The loss may be so minor, the profit margin in nearly insignificant. The homeowner may not have insurance and can not cover the costs, meaning the profit margin literally does not exist. The emergency may happen in the middle of the night or during a holiday or an incredibly important family event like the birth of your child (real story). The dirty truth is, restoration companies will and do cherry pick the emergency service calls they take. They will only go out if they’re vested interest is fulfilled. Modern doesn’t conduct business that way.

Our emergency services division, 1-800-BoardUp guarantees a one-hour response time to anyone who calls needing our assistance. We don’t rescind this guarantee just because the job isn’t all we would’ve preferred or the timing is inconvenient. When we opened our emergency services division, we knew there was a greater social responsibility at stake; just basic neighborly compassion and helping your community. When someone calls 1-800-BoardUp, they are often at their most vulnerable, experiencing a really difficult time. It may be a house fire or it may be a broken window but to a homeowner, these incidents are incredibly stressful.

This past Sunday night, a little after 12pm, we got a call for a small house fire. If you weren’t aware, it is legally the owner’s responsibility to secure their property after a fire. Well, although the fire was relatively small, the fire department had to go through the garage doors to extinguish it, leaving the home vulnerable. The homeowner’s called everyone they could think of from their insurance company to restoration companies they found online only to hear the same thing; it will have to wait a few days. It became quite clear to the homeowners that they were being pushed off as soon as they said they only needed their garage doors secured. Too tiny of a job for most to bother assisting them, that is until they called Modern.

We were happy to come out and board-up their garage doors, even though it was small job and it was very late on a Sunday. We were at their home with our crews within the hour, just like we promised. We worked until 3:30am, securing their home and answering any questions. We even came back out the following morning to check on the homeowners. We truly believe that running your business with compassion and respect for your community is always the best policy. We don’t cherry pick jobs and we do not turn away homeowners who need assistance. It isn’t and should not always be about money. Sometimes, doing the right thing just has to become the priority above everything else. When we say one-hour guaranteed, you can count on Modern.

The Unexpected Cost When Replacing Your Roof

Within the Hour, Guaranteed