We recently did a termite inspection on a woman’s home. Her contractor had just finished putting on a brand-new roof and her home appeared to be in good shape. But, after we did our inspection, we discovered that she needed about $6,000 worth of dryrot and termite damage repairs done. Worse yet, a substantial amount of her brand-new roof would have to be removed and replaced (At even more costs!) so we could to do the necessary repairs.
How could this happen to anyone? Why would any roofer put a brand-new roof over heavily damaged facia boards, roof sheeting, and rafters? Unfortunately, a lot of home owners experience stories like this every day.
Many homeowners in Orange County are going to be doing termite treatments, wood repairs, and home improvements this summer. The purpose of this article is to help you learn how to do things in the proper so you can avoid making mistakes like this woman made. It may also help you to save yourself a lot of money.
What You Need To Know!
Let’s say you are thinking about replacing your old roof. Here are just a couple of the pitfalls a homeowner may face if things are not done in the proper order:
- In our experience, 9 out of 10 homes we inspect with new roofs have had a new roof installed over old rotten and termite infested wood. This means that if the homeowner wants to replace the damaged wood at a later date, portions of their brand-new roof may have to be removed. This will result in substantially greater costs, and can void the warranty of the new roof.
- Many homeowners fail to address their home’s termite problems or painting before installing a new roof. Can you imagine how upset these owners are when they find out that the termite crews and painters have damaged their new roof? The situation can be especially bad if their home has a new tile roof.
Thinking of having your home painted? Watch out because you’ll find that many of the painters in our area are in a big hurry to finish the job and they will go ahead and paint right over old dryrot and termite damage. This is not good! The paint won’t stick and in a very short time the paint will start flaking off in these damaged areas, and your new paint job will be ruined. It also means that if you do decide to repair the wood damage at a later date, much of your new paint job will be thrown into the trash, and you’ll have to have your home painted again. House painting is expensive, so why would you want to pay to have it done twice?
How To Prevent A Lot Of Headaches And Save Thousands Of Dollars
Call Termite Terry at (949) 631-7348 and have your home inspected before you start any work. Areas that need repairs will be noted, and if termite treatments are needed you’ll learn of the different options you have available.
Schedule your work in sequence so you don’t wind up doing the same work twice. If you’re not sure about the order, call us and we’ll be glad to assist.
Here is a typical schedule we suggest for homes that are being re-roofed:
- Call Termite Terry and order a termite inspection, so you’ll know what is needed before you start the project.
- Have your roofer remove the existing roof and have our carpenters replace all damaged wood as needed.
- If a fumigation or termite treatment is needed, have it done at this time.
- Have all the wood trim and exterior painted as needed.
- Last, have your roofer install the new roof.
By doing things in this sequence, no one will need to go back on the roof again, and your home will be set to go for another decade!
For homes being painted, we suggest the following schedule:
- Call Termite Terry and order a termite inspection so you’ll know what is needed before you start the project.
- Have our carpenters replace all the dryrot and termite damage as needed.
- If a fumigation or termite treatment is necessary, this is the time to do it.
- Next is painting.
- If roof repairs are needed, always have a roofer do this as your last project. You don’t want anyone walking on the roof after they are finished!
Every situation is different, but this schedule works very well for most homeowners, and you’ll save yourself a bunch of headaches and money, too!
Are you getting ready to start your home improvement project? Call us at (949) 631-7348 and we’ll schedule an inspection at your convenience!
