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i am starting a small roofing business and plan on consecrating on three tab shingles, but a guy at work needs a roof replaced over a porch and it is a roll roof. can anyone give me any advice or direction on this matter? especially does the first run get installed upside down and do i glue the tab solid or just a strip?
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First strip goes down the same as the rest.
No adhesive is on the roll. You must apply the adhesive between the laps and then nail down, with nails every 2 to 3 inches (that's a lot of nails).
Limit length of strips to about 16 feet to reduce probability of wrinkles.
Complete instructions are printed on the rolls.
*Might I suggest that first book on your shelf should be "Roofer's Handbook" or something similar. Deals with all manner of roofing material installation, layout, etc. Good luck in your endeavor. Randy
*thanks for the informationbrad
*I don't want to flame or anything, but are you sure you're ready to start a roofing business? You're asking a pretty basic question, and IMHO, experience is a prerequisite for starting a business in just about any field.Roofs and the detailing of them is important for the protection of the house. It's not rocket science, but it's not digging ditches, either.As a home inspector I see lots of crappy roofing jobs in my area. Most by "professional" roofers (e.g. moonlighting teachers and firefighters> some by "real professional" roofers, some by DIYers.
*Hi Brad:Listen to Bob Walker below, Brad. If you want to run a roofing business, hire a a pro to teach you, or better yet, work with a respected local roofing company for two years and read everything you can. The fact that roofing is dirty, dangerous work and that customers rarely know the difference between good roofing and poor roofing work shouldn't blind you to the fact that the consequences of poorly executed roof work can affect the entire house. As a general contractor who also does home inspections, I am constantly amazed by the gullibility of homeowners who shop for price when buying roof work. Good Luck, Brad.
*Brad: Please also spend some time learning about flashing as it seems to be an area very often neglected, especially during a re-roof. I've seen good copper replaced by thin aluminum, shingles placed over top of the existing flashing (and water being directed beneath shingles)- I could go on. Also, large quantities of roof cement liberally plastered over the juncture of new shingles and existing flashing is not a proper flashing technique. I dislike being so cynical but there is much foolishness that takes place where the homeowner can't see and where so many in construction get their start. I reiterate my earlier comment regarding a good roofing book as it will help you to differentiate between good practice, accepted (but wrong)practice, and downright poor practice. Randy , again.
*these are all points well taken and I have read several books on roofing but was planing on doing three tab shingles and not roll or any other kind of roofing till I learned more. maybe I should turn this job down, I was not looking for this type roof but a friend of mine has a leak and wanted to give me some business. I have considered working for a local contractor but a conserved I will not make enough to support my family and go without benefits for that long. thanks for all the feed back and am always looking for good ideas. brad
*Brad:You sound like a conscientious albeit somewhat naive guy. You are concerned about making enough to support your family, you want to do your best for your customers, all good motivations to succeed. Your comments remind me of myself when I started my business 12 years ago. I could not have afforded general liability and workers comp. insurance if my wife had not been working at well-paying job where I was covered by her medical plan. I have watched too many other guys' businesses go belly up over the last 12 years for lack of insurance, because of lawsuits, or because of simple undercapitalization. And I always think, there but for my wife's ability to bankroll my startup costs (along with a hefty bank loan) go I.You started this thread with some technical questions, but these business issues are just as critical as a. the book learning and b. the practical, hands-on experience doing the work. I hope this helps, Brad.Ted Welch