| Author | Message | ||
     Slate Affair Inc. Senior Member Username: Slate_man Post Number: 52 Registered: 01-2007 |
Eric, its hard to know what is a good price. Its more inportance that its a good SLATE/COPPER roofer. You don't need problems from bad soldering or slateing. (NOTE-If you are going to redo the gutter I would qoute it at 20 oz not 16 0z it a small differents.). Well as far as priceing goes, I have done work like this for about $1100 plus about $40 to $50 per lf of gutter. This is full slate roof and flashing systems in Vermont area. I have price thing in Conn. for over $4000.00 per sq and NJ/NY for more. So I would say the priceing you are getting is fine but, that is if you get a good roofer. | ||
| jason winfrey New member Username: 1roofpro Post Number: 9 Registered: 09-2006 |
your bid of $1375 sq. doesnt seem bad to me at all as long as it includes all metal work, flasing etc. were not to far away (st. louis,mo.) and i would be closer to $1500-$1800 per sq. w/ a 15 yr. labor warranty & a free yearly inspection. | ||
| Thomas Massie Junior Member Username: Thomas Post Number: 14 Registered: 07-2006 |
Eric, That sounds like the going-price assuming the contractor is competent and can provide references (run the contractor's name through the bbb on-line)... and depending on what will be included in the mat'ls for ridge and valleys. I was quoted about $2000/square, (installed, incl. all valley, ridge, mat'ls etc.) before I decided to roof my own house. The quote I got sounded a little high to me (I don't have much basis for that statement - perhaps I should say it was more than I could afford and I really wanted a slate roof). Of course, all houses are different and I live in the boonies (Eastern KY)- I could only get one contractor to drive out here and quote it. Hopefully things are a little more competitive in your area. Good on ya' for getting domestic slate in the quote. Please let us know what path you chose (repair vs. replace) and how it turns out! -Thomas | ||
| Eric Johnson New member Username: Erijohns Post Number: 5 Registered: 04-2007 |
Thanks, Thomas. We're located outside of Attica, Indiana, about 25 miles west of Lafayette. I've received one bid which includes a quote of $600/square for S1 Vermont slate ($1,375/square installed), plus copper ridges, valleys and chimney flashing. I have two other slate contractors scheduled to inspect the roof and bid on replacement. Their ballpark quotes (based on these same pictures) are in line with the one firm bid. I'll post updates after I choose the contractor and work gets started. Eric | ||
| Thomas Massie Junior Member Username: Thomas Post Number: 13 Registered: 07-2006 |
When I bought mine, new domestic slate from Vt was running about $400/square. Compare this to the labor estimates you receive (of course labor is going to run considerably more than the slate) and decide whether you'd like to have a bright rust/tar free slate roof on your house. It would look awesome. You could always keep the useable take-offs (there should be several) to slate an outbuilding or garage near the house. Beautiful house you have. Mid to Southern Ohio? | ||
| Eric Johnson New member Username: Erijohns Post Number: 4 Registered: 04-2007 |
Walter and Michael: Thanks for the feedback. One option is to replace/restore the roof in two stages: the green section (back roof and north side of the main roof) first followed by the purple section (west/south/east sides of the main roof). I've asked the contractors to estimate the number of slates from the main roof that can be reused and to reflect that estimate in their bids. Hopefully that will keep the cost down. I'll post a summary of work and pictures of the restoration as it progresses. Eric | ||
| Walter Musson Junior Member Username: Walter_musson Post Number: 16 Registered: 07-2006 |
Eric, It's hard to tell the main roof condition from the pictures you've posted,but the rear section definately needs help. If I were to spec and quote that back roof I would say remove all the slates,renail all sheathing boards or replace if needed,probably redo all the built in gutters,install new underlayment then reslate using new or good salvage green and purple Vermont slates- replacing all flashings as you go. The slate on the rear is not suitable to be relaid- much of it is broken,cracked or unusable. Go with material that will be sound and uniform in color. Try Steve Taran thru this site for a source of good slate. Keep us posted. Walter | ||
| Michael Joseph Bazikos New member Username: Mbazikos Post Number: 2 Registered: 01-2007 |
Eric, I am not a roofer but I would encourage you to restore, not replace your slate roof. You will save money in the end. One of the beauties of a slate roof is its longevity, and it appears to me as if the slate that hasn't been damaged is still sound. What a shame the problem with your roof is not the material, but the abuse it has been subjected to. I think you could conceivably get another 75 years or more out of the sound slates. And Eric, both house and roof are beautiful. Good luck in your restoration. | ||
| Eric Johnson New member Username: Erijohns Post Number: 3 Registered: 04-2007 |
The gutters seem to be in good shape overall but they will be inspected and repaired/replaced if necessary. All flashing will be replaced with copper. The slates in the pictures are definitely cracked. The former owner did roof repairs himself and walked on the slates rather than using a ladder system. He used salvaged black slate for some of the repairs (you can see a lot of in near the ridgeline on the back roof) but toward the end used mostly sheet metal wedged underneath adjacent slates. General questions: 1. At what point is it cheaper/easier to reinstall the enire roof rather than just repair broken, loose and missing slates? Even if 50% of the slates are still sound, don't you still have to do a tear-off to install the new slates and reattach the reused ones? I don't want half the slates to be on slate hooks. 2. Even if many of the slates are OK, don't you still have to do a tear-off to ensure that the decking is sound? After 142 years there could be a lot of water damage to the decking hidden under the slate. Thanks again for your guidance. | ||
| Slate Affair Inc. Intermediate Member Username: Slate_man Post Number: 38 Registered: 01-2007 |
Well the new picture arn't to bad either. I would still recomend a restoration of all sheet metal and gutter like Walter said. The few spots would needed the most work of all open areas but, isn't that hard. I would think that the water in the corners are from water in the gutter or from the hip flashing and not the slate roof. Also are all the crack you see really broken pcs or is it the texture slate. | ||
| Walter Musson Junior Member Username: Walter_musson Post Number: 15 Registered: 07-2006 |
Will you be planning on restoration of the gutters as well? | ||
| Eric Johnson New member Username: Erijohns Post Number: 2 Registered: 04-2007 |
Thanks for the comments, guys. I'm not certain if the darker slate is red or purple. The roof on the back definitely needs replacing. Here are a couple of other shots showing cracked slate and poor repairs done by former owners. I'm starting to get leaks right at the corner of the ceiling and wall (under the eaves).   The roof on the main part of the house is in better shape, but there are a lot of cracked slates in places here as well. I'm guessing around 30% of the slates on the main roof are cracked, and others have been repaired with home made slate hooks and will have to be reattached.   I have one bid for a complete replacement and will be getting a second estimate from another contractor before I proceed. I will check with both contractors and get them to estimate how many slates can be reused. Thanks again for your help. | ||
| jason winfrey New member Username: 1roofpro Post Number: 6 Registered: 09-2006 |
BTW, use copper or stainless nails and bibs/ flashings. to me the rust streaks are the worst looking part of a pretty nice roof | ||
| jason winfrey New member Username: 1roofpro Post Number: 5 Registered: 09-2006 |
i agree w/ slateworks. the roof looks alot better than most ive been repairing lately. i'd restore what you got or relay the existing slate. i like that layout{pattern} JAYCO 1ROOFPRO | ||
| Slate Affair Inc. Intermediate Member Username: Slate_man Post Number: 37 Registered: 01-2007 |
Well I am wondering why replace the slate. It look very sound in the pictures and yes that design is pretty normal. I live in Northern Vermont and have restored the same type of roof and pattern. You need at most a restoration of the roof with new copper flashing. If the nails seen they arn't holding then you need to maybe remove the slate carefully and then get a small amount to make up for the broken. Reinstall with new copper nails. The red slate is a great slate and unlike to have completed it life on a roof. Well after looking more at the pictures in that purple or red? Well no matter what I thing that a restoration would be the way to go. | ||
| Eric Johnson New member Username: Erijohns Post Number: 1 Registered: 04-2007 |
Hi all. I'm having the original slate roof replaced on my 1865 home. In inspecting the roof, I noticed that the original slaters used different color schemes on different sections of the roof. The south, west and east exposures on the main roof are predominantly New York red with a contrasting circle/diamond pattern in unfading Vermont green (see picture 1). The north exposure on the main roof and all three exposures (west, north and east) on the rear roof are the opposite: mainly green with the same contrasting pattern in red (see picture 2). Picture 3 shows the two color schemes together on the west side.    I've looked at many slate roofs in person and on line and have never seen another color scheme like this. Does anyone know if this was a common practice in the Midwest or of the era (1860s), or is just a quirk of the original owner or roofers? Either way, I'm planning on having the pattern duplicated with the new slate using the same colors. TIA for any insights. |
