Just wondering if anybody has any advice/thoughts on my latest roofing woes.

So after I had the most shoddy work done to my roof a few years ago, I had to go to another roofer. I accepted his estimate in March 2021, he was busy so it wasn’t going to happen until Sept. He didn’t come in September or even that year but the other day I got an email asking if I still wanted the work done. He has come round today and now provided a new estimate which is less work for more money.
The chimney work to be done by a stone mason is nowhere near what was agreed before but would probably be ok.
I can’t say I’m terribly impressed.

He’s got a good reputation. As has the stone mason. It’s been really hard getting anyone to do the job. No one wants to take over someone else’s work. Even though it’s all being done again which considering how bad it is makes sense.

I don’t know that I want to risk going with anyone else as roofers are so busy round here, there’s no guarantee I can even get it done this year.
I want to sell. I am wondering whether just to sell as it is. But it’s going to take time and I’ve water coming in every time it rains which is often. The house is in general need of improvement so maybe best to leave it.

Work is going to cost not far short of £10k. He has just emailed me to say he offers a 2-year guarantee which is not what I was expecting. Original lead work around chimney was specific, now “Full new leadwork supplied and fitted to chimney on your side to meet lead sheet specification”
Think that last email probably means it’s a no.

If you’ve got this far, thanks for reading. Any opinions welcome.

Sell it. Bump the price by 10k and then knock it down by 10k when the surveyor tells them about the roof.

Didn’t think of that. Makes sense. Thanks.

I went the other way on my old house. Chimney repairs/fascia boards and various new slates needed…cost £7-£10k. So instead I knocked the chimney down, installed a modern flue/stove and a whole new tiled roof for just over £15k.
I reckoned I increased the value of the house by more than that, and had the extra piece of mind that comes with a new roof.

Chimney stack is shared and neighbours are totally uncooperative so no chance of that coming down or getting them to agree to any shared works (even if I pay). Legally, I don’t need their cooperation, in reality I do.
Timbers have loads of water marks so new buyer might want to get their own roofer.
Two year guarantee is a joke – right?
Also, I had a new roof covering put on 3 years ago, didn’t come with any peace of mind unfortunately.

If you are selling then I’d sell as is. To me a house that has just had work done will still set some alarm bells ringing. Sell it with faults and price accordingly (or don’t and knock something off if it comes up)

If it’s anything like round here, it’ll probably still sell for over asking with the roof issues.

We’re in the process of selling our house which needs a new roof also (again £10k ish).

Estate Agent pushed to use the top-whack price approach and wait to be knocked down, but we kept getting the wrong type of viewers because they thought price reflected the condition of the house.

In the end we forced them to be upfront about the roof and the fact it was a 120yr old house with issues or we wouldn’t accept the viewing. We sold for a fair price in the end.

If you do decide to sell there’s no point trying to hide the obvious, it just wastes everyones time.

Flog it as is… doubt a survey would pull it….

The surveyor is going to have to be blind and deaf for them not to notice.
Depending on the recent weather, there could be a dripping noise coming from inside the chimney breast in the master bedroom. The timbers in the loft could be saturated, the back wall could be saturated. And if some miracle we have a dry spell and I run the dehumidifier and air blowers, then they’ll see there has been extensive water ingress and advise getting a specialist roof survey.
Then I’ve got to declare the dispute with the neighbours over the chimney stack.

To be honest, I had reached the conclusion that I was going to try to sell as it is and just be honest about it. But then the roofer popped his head up but then revised his quote to one that I would not have accepted a year ago. I had a choice of two roofers back in March last year. Roofer A put in a proposal that would have sorted everything out. He wasn’t available till September. He now is available – can start next week, clearly had a delay to a job or something – and he’s changed the quote.
Roofer B could have done the work the next month (April 2021). His proposal was cheaper but not so good.
Everything told me to go with A. Everything was wrong clearly.

So I am back to trying to get this place ready to be sold but it’s difficult to do as my dog gets very worried if you do any kind of work in the house. I decided I was going to put her in kennels for a day at a time while I get on with stuff. She’s come such a long way though and I don’t want to set her back. Then there’s second bedroom which needs clearing. But I can’t sort out the stuff because it’s got my little dog’s basket and crate and toys and ashes in it. So nothing gets done.

Sounds like you’ve had a really tough time with it, can’t be easy. Putting the history to one side, if you can get the roof fixed next week by a quality roofer for a fair price (even if it has gone up a bit) that’s a good offer. It will definitely increase the number of prospective buyers. I thought you were in Scotland ? If so any buyers will get the home report up front and a lot of folk won’t touch something with a “3” for something as fundamental as a roof.

Have a mate who lives the sticks of Argyll who needed a new roof on his cottage. Found reputable local guy. It was leaking a bit and needed full replacement. Scaffolding went up one year…nothing for 2 years except excuses. Eventually got done, nice roof. But two years of progressively increasing leakage around the chimney in the wettest place in the UK resulted in no end of damage and stress. They had him over a barrel unfortunately. Yep getting work done in remote places is hard.

Thanks Tom. Yes, that’s my thoughts re the home report. I know they are pretty useless but if that doesn’t get a 3, I don’t know what will.
Trying not to cut my nose off to spite my face with this roofer but it’s not easy!
But I don’t know if I trust him any more, the work proposal has changed so much and seems to be based around what materials he has got/can get. For example, the rooflight was going to be changed but no need now and no explanation as to why. I have asked.

Your poor mate! I know it won’t but something really needs to be done about the building industry.
I’m trying to hold it together for this dog but I do so wish the f-ing lord would stop sparing me.

Well me and doggo have been for a walk and we’ve come to a decision. Not much input from doggo to be fair but that’s doggos for you.
I think, given the new quote as well as a number of other things, this roofer is going to do exactly the same as the last one. When I tell people who did my initial work, they can’t believe it. He has got a reasonable reputation too.
I think the problem is not with the roofers as such but with me. I’m a woman on her own, just passing through the area, I’m now desperate, I was stupid, naive and gullible before.
I think I’ll struggle to get anyone to do a decent job.
So it looks like it might have to be an auction sale if it doesn’t sell in the traditional way.
Having said that, I have got a couple of people who said they might be able to do it in the spring, that’ll be put back now because of the storms, but if I could get it done in the summer, that might be best. So still some options.
I realised just how vulnerable I’d become when I was befriended by an old lady. She started pulling up outside my house in her car and chatting to me. I don’t spend any time in the front garden so she must have been trying for a while. She came and told me to get petrol during the petrol crisis, sent me a Christmas card, would pull over on the street if ever she saw me, managed to get my phone number out of me, started texting me. I thought she was just lonely. Anyhow, turns out she has a son who is a roofer. He is actually not, he does conservatories “because that is where the work is” and his reviews tell you all you need to know. He popped by and eventually said he thought I should sell as it is. I’ve not heard from the friendly lady since.

Oh, and t+cs have changed and now it’s 50% payment when the scaffold goes up and 50% on completion of work. Given the example above, I’d think I’d have to be out of my mind to accept that.

Sorry to hear that, your plan sounds reasonable. I wouldn’t take it too personally about dodgy tradespeople – I’m trying to get some hard landscaping done and had 3 local firms to quote:

– One was slick but an out and out scammer. He knew all the tricks.
– 2nd looked like a more gnarled version of Keith Richards. Communicates in maybe ayes and mibbie naws.
– 3rd turned a simple job into an antonine wall reconstruction

Went with the middle one, who may or may not turn up sometime in April (he didn’t say which year).

@ThePilot

Phone a few estate agents today – there’s very little new housing stocking coming on the market at the minute so you may be surprised at the valuations.

But as I said above – you make sure they market it how you want!

Oh, and t+cs have changed and now it’s 50% payment when the scaffold goes up and 50% on completion of work. Given the example above, I’d think I’d have to be out of my mind to accept that.

Yep that was my mate in Argyll’s bind – not only have you paid them money no one else will touch it.

I’ve got to get it ready first @the-muffin-man.
It’s a total tip, filthy because the dog is terrified of the hoover.
I’ve got electric blankets everywhere because the house is so cold, mattress downstairs because of the dripping noise, no proper flooring in the lounge as I had the floor ripped up when they insulated under the floorboards and so on…
I’ve got to take the dog to the kennels too so that I can get on with it which I don’t want to do.
She just gets herself in such a state and you spend more time reassuring her than getting work done.
And then I’ve got to at least have an idea about where I’m going.
At the minute all I know is east to get away from this rain.
It’s going to be a leap in the dark again but I would struggle to rent with a dog and I know it will affect her to move her once, I don’t want to do it twice.

Sorry! I know i’m terribly negative and not the easiest person to try to help 🙂

Hope Keith works out for you @tomd

No need to get it ready for the estate agents to value – start the ball rolling! At the very least get them round for their advice on where to put your efforts getting it ready for sale.

And look on Rightmove at some of the properties marketed, they’d be great on Hoarders Next Door! They don’t all look like the houses on Love it or List It in the real world.  🙂

And you need to be on the market – most estate agents won’t let you view possible new houses unless you are on the market or even sold in many cases.

You do seem to have had a hard time of it. Sometimes shit just gets on top of you, and the result is inertia. Is there anyone who can give you a hand making a plan to get the house sorted out a bit?

Maybe hold off on making big decisions about house sale (eg auction) until spring. The sun coming out can help change perspective on a lot of stuff.

We are on the cusp of the biggest recession in living memory, if you are trading down sell asap if you are trading up get it done and wait for financial Armageddon.