Need to Replace Roof

[myrdale]

I hate gutters. Everything about them.

One side of the house is against a tree line, the opposite side is not. The side away from the tree line never had issues, until I was mowing the grass one day and heard a bunch of scratching coming from the gutter. Come to find out a bird had built a nest in the gutter and the nest, bird and all collapsed and the bird was trapped. I don't have a clue how long it was it there, but it took off immediately after I got it out.

[srblanco7]

Spent my carrier in construction, thoughts are as follows:

Should I consider adding ridge vents? The new siding has vented soffit boards. The house already has three gable vents. A friend said I didn't want both ridge vents and gable vents because it will cause problems with the air flow. I can always block off the gable vents easy.
Yes, add ridge vents at this time to be assured your attic is getting ventilated, no need to close the gable end vents either. This will add very little cost the project.

Are architectural shingles worth the additional price?
They look much nicer than the old standard three tabs shingles and price difference of the materials is insignificant in the big picture.

The intention is not to have to touch the roof for another 25 years and hopefully add to the resale value greater than the initial price increase (was estimated at $7500 vs $5000 in 2017 if I remember correctly).
You may get lucky and get 25 years out of shingles but 15-20 years is more like it. Don't expect a good roof to increase your home value much as it's pretty much expected to get a decent roof when you buy a home.

I'll also be adding gutters. I left these off in 2017, so I haven't had to clean gutters in the past 5 years, but I have had moisture issues around a door.
I'm not a fan of gutters, they are the source of many roof leaks and problems as most people do not keep up with maintenance. f you have an area that is causing problems and needs gutters, then put gutters at that location only.

Agree with Fishindude - not sure I can come up with a reason not to have both gable and ridge vents. Air flow in the attic space is a good thing for prolonging the life of a roof. And if you have a "complex" roof with multiple gables/slopes, highly recommend a high quality waterproof membrane (3 ft each direction) at roof slope intersections, to minimize the potential for leaks.

And if you have a basement - I'm definitely a fan of gutters. Very important to move the water away from the house/foundation.

[riverwed070707]

I was today years old when I learned gutters were optional. I've never owned nor seen a property without them... maybe its regional/climate dependent? All that said, if you decide to get gutters, getting covers installed on them is 1000% worth it. I own 4 properties and haven't had to clean gutters in 5 years.

[Fishindude77]

I was today years old when I learned gutters were optional. I've never owned nor seen a property without them... maybe its regional/climate dependent?

The further north you go the less gutters you see. Snow and ice freezes them solid, tears them off, etc.
If you position your building correctly, at the correct elevations, and give some thought to roof slopes, entrance doors, etc. you can live without gutters and won't see any negative effects.

[myrdale]

The house is a split level with no basement. Gutters over the front porch are nice for diverting the rain coming directly down on the stairs. On the left side the rain tends to have enough momentum it falls a couple of feet away from the wall. The back door opens to a deck. I've neglected the deck over the years and it shows. You can see the tree line which lead to much of my grief in cleaning the gutters.

I have noticed hair line cracks in the brick work which supports the right side of the house and there are a few noticeable hair line cracks in the drywall. My hypersensitive nature had been concerned that these were due to removing the gutters. In retrospect I suspect the drywall is just an issue of age. Its not actual cracks but where the tape at a few joints has come loose. Those razor thin lines in the brick work I suspect have always been there, just having the bricks painted makes them pop out.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I never heard of no gutters either. I've lived north and we had ice dams like crazy. But the home had no Eaves and no proper drainage. Well what do you expect from an 1880s victorian? I'm like uaguy I'd like a house without gutter properly graded and impenatrable surface. What's that? I also would like a house with big rooms and one level. So many dreams.

[myrdale]

Just an update for you all.

Insurance has reviewed the photos which the roofer sent in and they have approved the claim for wind damage. I've finished the paperwork with the roofer, just need to get it scheduled and this should be resolved in the next two to three weeks.

I am going with the architectural shingles and ridge vent.

After the job is complete I will have them quote gutters and get that resolved.

[scfr]

Just an update for you all.

Insurance has reviewed the photos which the roofer sent in and they have approved the claim for wind damage. I've finished the paperwork with the roofer, just need to get it scheduled and this should be resolved in the next two to three weeks.

I am going with the architectural shingles and ridge vent.

After the job is complete I will have them quote gutters and get that resolved.

Suggestion Based on Experieice: Once your roof is complete, call your insurance company and ask them to adjust your home data to reflect the new roof and requote. They may not do it automatically, and the fact that you have a new roof may mean a reduction in insurance cost. This is what happened to us when we had a roof replaced due to hail damage. It was a surprise to me that their data didn't automatically reflect the new roof since we filed a claim, and a pleasant surprise that our rate actually went down.

[myrdale]

Suggestion Based on Experieice: Once your roof is complete, call your insurance company and ask them to adjust your home data to reflect the new roof and requote. They may not do it automatically, and the fact that you have a new roof may mean a reduction in insurance cost. This is what happened to us when we had a roof replaced due to hail damage. It was a surprise to me that their data didn't automatically reflect the new roof since we filed a claim, and a pleasant surprise that our rate actually went down.

Thank you for this suggestion! I knew reviewing my policy that they have the age of the roof listed, and I had considered if they would internally update the paperwork on their end, but that was more from a matter of curiosity. If it could help reduce the rate the absolutely it is worth following up with.

My other hope with that the ridge vent is going to dramatically reduce the attic temperature. I obviously won't know until July comes about, but there is another savings in cooling cost.

[myrdale]

What should be the final update. The roof was replaced on Wednesday..... and then we had a hail storm on Thursday (nothing significant but that's just my luck lol).

Anyway the roof came out great. Farmer's Insurance was great to work with. I couldn't recommend them more. They are processing the final payment at the moment. I should have the check in my hands next week. If I've done my math right, it appears I will have come out net positive by a fair bit. I'm gonna roll that extra into gutters.

My final opinion on the matter of roof replacement by insurance claim? Before you place your claim, get a couple of different roofers out to look at it, and make sure your insurance adjuster knows it. It shows some due diligents on your part up front. I believe the photos and write up they provided went a long way. Keep aware of when big storms occurred so you can quote a day. Weather Underground has a history feature and it is pretty easy to track down major wind events. This went very smooth for me, but if your insurance says no the first time push back. I had spoken with one guy who told me his experience with being rejected the first time. Jump through the hoops for them. They wanted me to do a Hover app scan of the house, so I did. I went with a big roofing company vs the local one. I figure they have a lot more volume so better pricing.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I'm impressed this all happened so fast