That one guy who offered me $50 to patch a whole roof still haunts me

Had a random homeowner flag me down at a gas station near Columbus last spring, said he'd give me $50 cash if I'd just "slap some tar" on his 30-year-old leaky roof. I told him the materials alone would cost more than that and he got mad, said I was ripping him off - has anyone else had people think roof work is like patching a bike tire?

3 comments

3 Comments

brooke_murray3d ago

Some people really think roof work is just slapping stuff on and calling it good. That guy's got no clue what he was asking for.

gibson.troy3d ago

Yeah, @brooke_murray you're spot on that a lot of folks underestimate what goes into a proper roof job. One thing I'd add is that they also don't realize how important underlayment is - it's not just shingles and calling it done. If you skip the ice and water shield in the valleys or around vents, you're asking for leaks down the road. That stuff makes way more difference than people think.

the_rose1d ago

God yes, the underlayment is the real backbone of the whole thing. I watched my neighbor try to save a few bucks by skipping the ice and water shield on his new shed roof and within six months he had a stain on his ceiling. It's one of those things you never see but you sure feel it when it's missing, you know? Roofing really is layers and layers of stuff working together, not just the pretty top part.