Get a new roof or wait?

[Anonymous]

We just bought a new house. Home inspection turned up some issues with roof in front area that has a flatter slope than the rest. Roof inspection recommended repair to that same area and some ridge caps, about 4k. Second roofing estimate said there are 3-5 years left and recommended replacing whole roof. Awaiting estimate and will be getting a third estimate this week. The complication is that the old gutters desperately need to be replaced and it's hard to remove them without damaging the roof. Would you just get a new roof at this point, before moving in, or wait it out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just bought a new house. Home inspection turned up some issues with roof in front area that has a flatter slope than the rest. Roof inspection recommended repair to that same area and some ridge caps, about 4k. Second roofing estimate said there are 3-5 years left and recommended replacing whole roof. Awaiting estimate and will be getting a third estimate this week. The complication is that the old gutters desperately need to be replaced and it's hard to remove them without damaging the roof. Would you just get a new roof at this point, before moving in, or wait it out?

Depends. Hows your HHI? Is it 'Romney's my bitch' high? If so, just do it now. If not I'd wait. Reason for that is that first year will hit your wallet like a mofo in a new home. The roof is just what you know about. Just you wait until you get in there and discover the 30 other problems in the house. If one can be deferred, defer it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Depends. Hows your HHI? Is it 'Romney's my bitch' high? If so, just do it now. If not I'd wait. Reason for that is that first year will hit your wallet like a mofo in a new home. The roof is just what you know about. Just you wait until you get in there and discover the 30 other problems in the house. If one can be deferred, defer it.

This.

We moved to a new house over the summer and the roof was just the tip of the iceberg. We had to replace the entire back of the roof because of a persistent leak, but we also weren't expecting the basement flooding issues and 100 other things. Whatever can be deferred, should be deferred.

[Anonymous]

When I bought my house in 2003 I knew that the roof was in bad shape. I did some immediate repairs (eg me on the roof with roofing tar and tar paper) and was able to hold off on replacing the entire roof until 2011. I couldn't afford to replace before then but it only leaked (minimally) a couple more times and more roofing tar provided a pretty good fix.

It is nice to have a new roof now though as I no longer worry about leaks every storm. We also put in solatubes which are amazing. So much more light in the hall way.

My point is, you can probably defer it unless the leaks are persistent. 4k is a high price for a repair. How big is the roof? I'd get some more quotes on that. WIth a repair you could likely get another 10 years out of it.

[Anonymous]

I would wait to get the estimates before I decide.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for input. Sorry, 4k also includes a new garage roof. Roof is 1500 sq feet. Found another roofer to come out today (Christmas eve). If it werent for the gutter removal issue I definitely would defer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for input. Sorry, 4k also includes a new garage roof. Roof is 1500 sq feet. Found another roofer to come out today (Christmas eve). If it werent for the gutter removal issue I definitely would defer.

Negotiate timing then. Do the gutters now, agree to do the roof within 1 year of contract date at a time that's convienence for the contractor (I.e slow season). In return ask for a discount.