3 Tab Roof - worst installation ever?

[Mark P]

Here is a roof that looks to be less then 5 years old. Geee Wizzz

Here is what I plan on putting in the report - I'm open to feedback.

"The roof’s shingles are not installed correctly – in fact they are installed very poorly. It is clear this application was done by armatures (see pictures). The cut outs between the tabs should be no closer the 4 inches to one another and must never fall directly over another cut-out in the row immediately below it. The tabs should be staggered over the center of the tab below it. Some shingles near the chimney are out of place, which likely indicates they were not nailed correctly. Based on the poor quality of what is visible I assume there are other problems that are not visible. You’ll need to employ a qualified roofing contractor to fix the problems. It is possible the best solution will be to tear it all off and start over. "

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[Robert Jones]

Wow! I wouldn't put that it is possible that it might need replacement, I would put that it is needed. Can you imagine what is "hidden"? Amazing!

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by AHIS

Here is a roof that looks to be less then 5 years old. Geee Wizzz

Here is what I plan on putting in the report - I'm open to feedback.

"The roof’s shingles are not installed correctly – in fact they are installed very poorly.

If you wrote, "The roof shingles are poorly installed," you'd have a more forceful sentence and save a grand total of 8 words.

It is clear this application was done by armatures (see pictures).

I think you mean amateurs. Even so, is it important? Would the condition be any better if it were done by professionals on April Fools Day? I'd get rid of that sentence, if only to make the comment shorter. Shorter comments have greater impact.

The cut outs between the tabs should be no closer the 4 inches to one another and must never fall directly over another cut-out in the row immediately below it.

You're describing what should be and not describing what is. I suppose you're assuming that the reader will take this information, compare it to the pictures and conclude that the cut outs aren't adequately offset. It might be better to spell it out rather than relying on the customer to compare and conclude in his head. Also, you begin the sentence referring to plural cut outs and end up with a singular one. There's a grammar problem there.

The tabs should be staggered over the center of the tab below it.

There's that singular/plural thing again.

Some shingles near the chimney are out of place,

How so? Wouldn't it be clearer to say that they're "sliding down the roof"?

which likely indicates they were not nailed correctly.

Didn't you peek under them to see if this was the case? If so, why not just say, "because they weren't nailed correctly"?

Based on the poor quality of what is visible I assume there are other problems that are not visible. You’ll need to employ a qualified roofing contractor to fix the problems. It is possible the best solution will be to tear it all off and start over. "

Is there any chance at all that a qualified roofing contractor could fix these problems without first tearing it all off?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[David C. Argabright]

The cut outs between the tabs should be no closer the 4 inches to one another and must never fall directly over another cut-out in the row immediately below it.

I could be mistaken but I was under the impression that asphalt shingles should be lapped 6". Is the min. 4" lap accepted by the manufacturer on three tab shingles and architechural shingles?

[Richard Moore]

I don’t have that much to add as I agree with Jim’s comments. Judging from your photos, much of the roof is FUBAR and, unless there are other planes that actually look OK, piecemeal repair doesn’t seem like a feasible option and the whole thing needs replacement. I don’t think it is going out on a limb to say that (politely) and recommend they get estimates for new roofing.

On the use of “amateurâ€

[kurt]

Yes, to all previous, or even simpler............

"The roof has multiple major installation defects, including but not limited to:

(I'd have a numbered list, 1 thru however many, real simple descriptions and what it means, i.e., leaks)

Then pictures with arrows after the list.........

Then, "I think the roof cannot be repaired satisfactorily without tearing it all off and starting over. Have a roofing contractor tell you what it is going to cost, and get back to me to discuss specifications."

Or, something like that. A simple statement, the list, pictures with arrows, a simple conclusion.

[John Dirks Jr]

It makes your job easy when you find that stuff.

Fix it!!! Period.

Well, not quite that simple but you get the point.

[AHI in AR]

Originally posted by SonOfSwamp

Originally posted by Richard Moore

On the use of “amateurâ€

[Brandon Whitmore]

I could be mistaken but I was under the impression that asphalt shingles should be lapped 6". Is the min. 4" lap accepted by the manufacturer on three tab shingles and architechural shingles

The bare min. allowed by Certainteed is 3.5" stagger at butt joints.

[Chris Bernhardt]

I would have written it like Kurt.

There's major problems with the roof including but not limited to: ... See photos on page A, B & C.

Replace the roof.

Chris, Oregon

[Inspectorjoe]

Originally posted by SonOfSwamp

In modern standard English, an amateur is a person who does what he/she does for the love of the thing being done.

This roof installation is a good example of that. It was obviously a labor of love for the amateur who installed it. It's a pity his creativeness will be seen only by neighbors and low flying planes.

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For some reason, it seems he briefly lost his grasp of the concept of stripes (along with reality).

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[AHI in AR]

Originally posted by Inspectorjoe

For some reason, it seems he briefly lost his grasp of the concept of stripes (along with reality).

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Nice flashing work.

I suspect that the zebra stripe pattern was an attempt to use surplus shingles or otherwise discounted materials.

[Scottpat]

That roof might also be trying to tell you that something else is going on, like Jim noted. When I have seen vertical patterns like that before I could almost always find a structural issue that was causing it.

[Mark P]

Thanks Jim, Kurt, All...

I was not feeling the groove with my statement – hence the request for feedback. All very good points – it is nice having fresh eyes available and willing to help.

I did not lift up the shingles to look at the nailing pattern because everything is frozen solid here.

As far as the 4â€