Repair Disclaimer

In the process of revamping our repair work system I am looking for a good way to present a disclaimer about repair work. I would say that 90% of the time or more the repair is obvious and we are sure of fixing it but there are always those jobs that you think you solved it and then after a good rain you get a call saying that it is still leaking. Does anybody have a goo disclaimer form or system to deal with callbacks?>>>

Stucco......The stucco details are horrid in this area.....Most all the "Pueblo/SW" type archt. houses, (flat roofs w/stucco), in this area were extremely poorly stucco'd....There's typically no flashing at windows/doors etc....Then some have stucco rolled-over the parapets w/o any waterproof backing or drainage mat.....No counter-flashings at roof-to-stucco junctures, the list goes on.....

I just went through a 6mo.+ nightmare were we had re-roofed 1/3 of the house trying to stop the "Leaks"...Turns out the stucco system has failed pretty-much throughout the structure....One section was uncovered had studs that were were just about rotted all the way through....The owner cover'd her' back up and had some jackleg-type guy come out and smear lipstick, (elastomeric paint), all over the failed stucco and is going to sell it to some poor b@stard for 1-2m.........Geeeee-roase.....I don't know how the guy can sleep at night.>>>

You sure it wasn't a 'burp'?

I like what TRG said as a disclaimer. And what Ole Willie said sums it up. "give a big price to redo a large area and every detail about it. Instead i let the customer talk me into a cheaper repair and then here comes the call back."

I've been on disasters that look to have 50-60 leaks in 10 squares of roof. HO bound and determined to just fix 'this one' "until I can afford to 'redo' the whole area. I have galleries of pictures like that. I just tell them I'll fix as much as they can afford, starting with this one, this trip, that one next trip, etc,etc.>>>

bump>>>

Diagnose! Diagnose! Diagnose! Listen! Listen! Listen! Often what the customers says will reveal the problem to you if you have the experience and knowledge to decipher it. Find a window edge, etc. and measure from there to the spot on the ceiling then go up on the roof and do the same. Allow for the overhang! Go in the attic with a flashlight. Figure it out FIRST. BEFORE you give a price and a scope of work. Stop guessing at it. If you find your not SURE of the source of the problem then bid to redo every possibility. ( of course you have to have the experience to know all the possibilities) OR make the decision that the risk/reward ratio on that job is not worth it and pass on it! If i give a disclaimer to a customer for a repair what am i saying? That i can't stand behind my work? GAK when you start sending someone else to diagnose a leak you will find that you will have many more call backs unless you get extremely lucky and find a great repair guy to do this! Training would take YEARS! I wish you the best my fellow roofer! Thanks for the job offer but i've got all i can handle down here! lol PS We all have a callback once in a while but if you do it like im saying they will be few and far between! I too have given a few refunds but only because i made a bad decision to take on a repair that i should not have for the money. This seems to only happen when im slow and need money as i have a tendency to take on more jobs that i should either pass on or else give a big price to redo a large area and every detail about it. Instead i let the customer talk me into a cheaper repair and then here comes the call back. Then i offer the bigger job that i should of bid to begin with or a refund (that is after i go insane trying to fix it cheaply ) lol . So what if i lose the repair to a lower price/less scope of work competitor. Let him deal with the dang call backs! Just because a customer wants to give me money for something doesn't mean i have to accept! lol Good Luck! PPS It definately takes a special kind of roofer to be a great repairman. I don't mean to sound arrogant, im sure there are a lot of better repairmen out there than me but i do ok! There are some company's around here that give repair bids without even meeting the homeowner or going inside. I have no idea how they could know wtf they're doing. I guess they don't! Outside of the rare obvious leak source! lol>>>

Repairs are made on best effort basis unless otherwise stated.Usually roofers around here charge anytime they work on the leak unless their patches are defective.If one has to go more than 2 times then a thorough inspection of the roof with core cuts ,water test etc would be helpful.Usually we work on roofs put on by somebody else years ago and who knows what's underneath the membrane.>>>

I offer this on repairs guarantees

Up to but not after the first rain or our 10-10 guarantee, 10 miles or 10 minutes whichever cover first.>>>

It's hard to guarntee another persons work, cause thats what you're gonna be doing.Just plan on being married to that job. It's hard to say what shortcuts the guy before you did, yeah some will be obvious, but others won't until you do some digging.>>>

One thing I have learned on leak calls. Until you go up on the roof, keep speculation to yourself. You can spout all the theories you know at them to try to impress them with your vast knowledge, only to go up and find out it's something else. In order to guaranty a repair, I have to have repaired everything that from the leakspot up.>>>

Commercial or residential I have seen roofs that have multiple problems. Sometimes there are obvious problems and other hidden problems. I have always said I would come back and give it anther try if the leak recurred. I have even refunded money on one or two that I basically gave up on. It's rare but it has happened that I have gone back 6 f'n times before I finally solved the problem. Had one last year on a funeral home. TPO roof leaked. Someone else's job. Only leaked through a light fixture in the middle of the room. Not every rain. We went on the roof and found a 3" slice in the membrane, wet insulation. Looked over the rest of the roof and saw no obvious problems. Easy repair, patch hole, no problems. A couple of rains later I get a call. Same leak, through light fixture. Went back and crawled over roof. Patched suspect seams, patched some small screw punctures, sealed the laps of the metal on the parapet walls, sealed around a scupper that drained from the upper roof. OK, that should do it, one of those things or all of them must be it. I didn't charge him and I ate the callback. Then a couple of rains later it freaking leaked again!!!!!!!!!! Same place. This time I told him I would have to charge for the service call but let me try again. This time I think we got it. Leaking gap on seal of term bar on other side of brick wall on upper level. It's been 6 months now and I'm still crossing my fingers. I just don't want to eat anymore of these problems and can't find the right way to phrase it in a quote. When I figure it out I will post what I come up with. Welcoming all suggestions.>>>

i THINK WITH A FLAT ROOF,I might agree with Aaron,but with a residential home there are usually several issues that can leak,and can be unseen like siding,windows,an upper overhang,etc.>>>

I bid them to fix the leak. If I miss it, I go back and get it.

I am the expert. I diagnose. I am responsible. I know the way this issue goes. I have a buffer worked into the pricing.>>>

I just state ,that the nature of repairing someone else`s work,is sometimes uncertain,due to the fact there may be more than one issue causing the problems seen,We endeavor to repair your problems,but must do it by eliminating these problems as they show.As a result It is very possible to solve 2 causes for a water leak,then find water still leaks from another location up the roof line,which drains at the original leak spot. As a result,you are billed for each repair as necessary,The items we repair will not need further repairs(unless indicated otherwise),but there is a chance of other areas needing repairs as well,before the problem is completely solved.>>>

Ole Willie, Are you looking for a job? I'll make you the repair person starting as soon as you can get here. Bring your longjohns. It's a bit chilly up here in Blagojevich land. :( I wish that I could be 100% sure of every repair that I go on but I guess I am not the special kind of roofer that is. (yet) There are always some situations where there are multiple obvious problems and also some not so obvious. My usual approach has been to let the customer know what I suspect the problem is and what I will do to fix it. I always say that we should address the obvious problems first and that if that doesn't work that at that point we will have to do a little digging and a little more billing. This works OK if I am the one going out to assess the problem but now I am bringing my foreman into it. I want him to start going out and bidding the repairs, quoting them, scheduling and performing them and collecting all on his own. We have worked out a pricing system with a little commission for everything he sells, but I feel like I need some language in the proposal that will make it clear that we will do our best but that sometimes problems may reoccur. I just wondered if anyone has come up with a good way of stating this on a proposal.

Dear Customer, We will do our best to repair the problems on your roof but sometimes an additional attempt may be needed.

I don't like the sound of that sentence and anything else I add sounds even worse. Just looking for some good wording.>>>

Ok i will give away the secret but most STILL wont do it! Always "KNOW" ( no guessing ) the EXACT source of the leak and EXACTLY what will stop it for the life of the roof OR know EVERY possible thing it could be and do ALL of that! "OR" pass on the job! Ok that should cover your arse in a nut shell! Of course it takes a special kind of roofer to be able to do that and there are not very many out there capable for various reasons! PS My disclaimer is money back guarantee! Either i fix it or i come back until i fix it or i give your money back! 1 yr warranty!>>>

I'll try and dig something up. I got to go out to dinner now, but I'll update the post in a few hours with the disclaimer I've got.

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