Roofing: installing two layers of synthetic underlayment

[paulri]

I am getting estimates for roof job for my house. I told one of the guys that I was willing to pay a bit more for higher quality shingle, and he said that for an additional cost, he could put down two layers of the synthetic underlayment that the roofers are using now.

How would that benefit my roof? Would it make the shingle last longer (not sure how, but I gotta ask)? Or just make it less likely that any rain water would get through?

 

[Rand]

Do you know how roofs work?
Shingle's job is to protect the underlying layers which is the actual weatherproof barrier.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Shingle aren't shingles/shakes outlawed in fire prone California?

 

[walterjay]

Get a quote for a GAF lifetime shingle from a certified GAF installer.

 

[paulri]

Evidently this is required by code (two layers) with a roof with my pitch.

 

[zzyzzx]

Evidently this is required by code (two layers) with a roof with my pitch.

What pitch is that?

 

[paulri]

What pitch is that?

I didn't ask. Its not like I live in one of those gothic mansions that they have in horror movies. Just a normal sloped roof, but I don't have a number for you.

 

[Zee09]

Great to get estimates...
I never liked the hassle but I got 5 quotes on a big hvac job and boy was it worth it.

Ask the boss if he will be on the job.
Most send in a crew and they only show up to collect the cash...

 

[Zee09]

Get a quote for a GAF lifetime shingle from a certified GAF installer.

At one time they were assumed to be the gold standard but had lawsuits for excessive cracking and granule loss. It's a crap shoot.

 

[paulri]

You're telling me. I've got 4 already, one more on the way tomorrow, and the difference between the cheapest and most expensive (for a 30 year shingle) is $8000. That's not the highest or lowest bid, but the gap between the two. I discarded one more from consideration, because he seemed not at all interested in tearing off the current roof. If I counted his, the gap would be $10,000.

Great to get estimates...
I never liked the hassle but I got 5 quotes on a big hvac job and boy was it worth it.

Ask the boss if he will be on the job.
Most send in a crew and they only show up to collect the cash...

 

[Zee09]

You're telling me. I've got 4 already, one more on the way tomorrow, and the difference between the cheapest and most expensive (for a 30 year shingle) is $8000. That's not the highest or lowest bid, but the gap between the two. I discarded one more from consideration, because he seemed not at all interested in tearing off the current roof. If I counted his, the gap would be $10,000.

Yeah it is an eye opener and very educational . Good Luck...

 

[walterjay]

At one time they were assumed to be the gold standard but had lawsuits for excessive cracking and granule loss. It's a crap shoot.

I guess my new GAF roof will be slowly going down the drain

 

[Zee09]

I guess my new GAF roof will be slowly going down the drain

If I remember Walt the bad shingles were traced to the Alabama plant.
You'd have to research that...
Not sure how far back that was.
Coming from an old man's memory.

 

[walterjay]

I guess my new GAF roof will be slowly going down the drain

The new owner can deal with it after I move to Florida.....

 

[CarbonToast]

My roof lasted 15 years with 1 layer, and still no leaks. Your old roof lasted how long with 1 layer?

Probably wasted money IMHO

 

[Cropduster172]

I'm going on 20+ years with the roof on our beach house.
Actually getting an estimate for replacing the siding first and the roof next year. Get a leak with certain wind driven rainstorms but no evidence of the roof leaking. Siding and old tar paper underneath are decades old. I'm positive they'll find where the water is getting in once the old siding and tar paper are off.

 

[facility1]

look on u-tube for Roofing Insites,he has a lot of information and reviews on roofing,,very helpful to all.

 

[ironman_gq]

I'm a commercial contractor and we do 100% ice & water on our roofs just for schedule reasons, I can be water tight the same day we tear off or finish sheathing. Recently started putting underlayment over the ice & water so the next guy can actually get the shingles off without destroying the deck. Never had a roof leak doing this in the last 10 years.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I think I had a GAF or IKO failure last roof one large section. Most of the gravel ended up in the gutters. Got no remedy.

Quoted my front roof last year. I requested Grace Ice and water peel and stick underlayment- the good stuff. But roofer said for warranty they are required to use the Shingle mfg's underlayment applied to their spec. That stuff was no Grace. Looked like typical tar paper to me. I have a 12 pitch transition to an unheated 4 pitch - that big front porch cover on a log cabin. I can get major Ice dam and pooling at the knee point given the weather. I wanted that gooey Grace stuff under there.

Then a bunch of migrants from Guatemala came in a white van and did the roof in a day. Good job, fast and clean, but the jobs was 200% all sub'd out other than the material drop. They did "cheap" Ice and water 100% coverage then roofing underlayment over that.

Estimator said the owner now just cruises around in his Vette or is out on his cabin cruiser fishing for mermaids.
For this I pay $450 an hour labour?

I bought the hard working group a hot lunch from Dunkin' Donuts on my dime. Bagel and Muffin egg and ham sandwiches. I drove up in my car beeped my horn and said Cantina! Cantina! Rato de almorzar

and they all clambered down the ladders and took a well deserved break.

 

[Donald]

I would talk to people in the building trade and get a referral. You want the best roofer not the lowest price.

It's mostly in the flashing and how well that's done. I had my roof done last year. Got a referral from a guy at church who builds homes. His quote was in line with the rest.

Two examples. Both homes have some faux stucco walls meeting first floor roofs.

Neighbor had her roof done. Did not touch the stucco. Must have straightened out old step flashing. When I look I see a line of caulk between the stucco walls and roof.

My house had the stucco cut back on the wall by several inches by a stucco company. Roofing company installed new 5" step flashing replacing old 3" step flashing. Then stucco company came back and redid all the stucco. You cannot tell anything by looking at the stucco wall. New longer step flashing was key to a good roofing job.

Also in doing my roof they found step lashing that was installed improperly 20 years ago. That resulted in a 24" X 9' section of wall needing to be replaced because of rot. Sheetrock to studs to insulation to sheathing to faux stone on the outside.

You will not see how good a job they are doing up on the roof. Get the best roofing company via referral.