Author Topic: Roofer installed wrong color shingles  (Read 12953 times)

Guizmo

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Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« on: November 19, 2015, 07:46:39 PM »
Looking for some advice y'all.

I had the roof in my house replaced. However, I was out of the house while they changed the roof over two days. When I came back I immediately noticed that they installed the wrong color shingles. The roofer originally offered $400 dollars off at $5500 job. I told him I was very dissapointed and I would think about it. I have all the leverage since I haven't paid a single cent.

What do y'all think I should do? I definitely don't care enough about the color to have them replace it and reinstall it, but they definitely fucked up. I'm thinking at a minimum $1000 off the project.

MakingSenseofCents

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2015, 07:53:29 PM »
Curious, how off is the color?

Bearded Man

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2015, 08:06:02 PM »
Just because you haven't paid doesn't mean you are off the hook. What does your contract say? Did you specify the shingles and their color? If they have a claim against you, they will simply take you to court or send you to collections.

Is the color that terrible? Or does it still match?

Guizmo

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2015, 08:08:34 PM »
I chose black and got some type of reddish brown. It still matches with the house. The contract specifies the color of the shingles so if anything they are not fulfilling their end of the contract.

Bearded Man

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2015, 08:17:20 PM »
I chose black and got some type of reddish brown. It still matches with the house. The contract specifies the color of the shingles so if anything they are not fulfilling their end of the contract.

Sounds like you have an easy win. Good job specifying the deliverables. Not sure how to remedy, but I would ask for a substantial discount.

MakingSenseofCents

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2015, 08:23:12 PM »
I chose black and got some type of reddish brown. It still matches with the house. The contract specifies the color of the shingles so if anything they are not fulfilling their end of the contract.

Sounds like you have an easy win. Good job specifying the deliverables. Not sure how to remedy, but I would ask for a substantial discount.

I agree. I would ask for more than $500.

okobrien

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2015, 06:30:54 AM »
I chose black and got some type of reddish brown. It still matches with the house. The contract specifies the color of the shingles so if anything they are not fulfilling their end of the contract.

Sounds like you have an easy win. Good job specifying the deliverables. Not sure how to remedy, but I would ask for a substantial discount.
I disagree. If you are ok with the color of the roof take the five hundred and call it good.  Squeezing every penny out of the guy because of a mistake that doesn't even hurt you is a low class move imho.

CowboyAndIndian

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2015, 06:40:41 AM »
I disagree. If you are ok with the color of the roof take the five hundred and call it good.  Squeezing every penny out of the guy because of a mistake that doesn't even hurt you is a low class move imho.

+1

Guizmo

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2015, 06:59:50 AM »
Ahhhh I'm so torn. Part of me just can't believe they fucked up such a simple order. I don't like the color of the new roof even though it still matches and I feel like I shouldn't be charged for the shingles.

Part of me thinks it is no big deal. Although I don't care for the color the important part is that I have a new roof. We all make mistakes.


nobody123

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2015, 07:14:44 AM »
You had the color of shingles in writing.  If you don't like them, have them tear them off and put the correct ones on.  Maybe it was an honest mistake, or maybe he had some extra red/brown shingles left over from another job and figured even after paying you for his "mistake" he was going to end up ahead.

There is nothing wrong with standing up for your rights and getting what you agreed to pay for.


GuitarStv

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2015, 07:14:56 AM »
Are you sure that the shingles are the quality that you ordered, or are they possibly cheaper/crappier shingles that the roofer is trying to pawn off on you?

GoldenStache

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2015, 07:22:18 AM »
Are you sure that the shingles are the quality that you ordered, or are they possibly cheaper/crappier shingles that the roofer is trying to pawn off on you?

That was my thought as well.  Pay for the upgraded shingle, get the lower quality, pays you back $500 for oops my mistake but still makes an extra $1k off of you.

Guizmo

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #12 on: November 20, 2015, 07:26:10 AM »
It's a large well known company and I got the cheapest option they had for shingles. I'm getting on the roof today and will look closely.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2015, 07:35:26 AM »
I'd be worried about the quality of the installation as well as the shingles if such a simple mistake was made.

Sofa King

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2015, 07:39:12 AM »
I would say take 60%off the price. If they say no then I would settle for 50%. If no to that then see you in court or redo the roof.

lthenderson

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #15 on: November 20, 2015, 07:55:05 AM »
If I was in your boat, I think the most that I would ask off is just their labor bill. I would still pay for the cost of the materials. For future reference, I always insist when getting something like this done to inspect the material before it is installed. If I were heading out of town for a few days while it was done, I would insist they get me a sample before I go or wait until I get back. Much easier to fix things when it hasn't already been fully completed.

Jack

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #16 on: November 20, 2015, 08:02:53 AM »
If I was in your boat, I think the most that I would ask off is just their labor bill. I would still pay for the cost of the materials.

Considering that the labor was fine (as far as we know) and it was the materials that were wrong, I'd do exactly the opposite: pay for the labor but ask for the materials to be free.

(Of course, that assumes the materials:labor ratio price is somewhat even; if one were a lot more than the other I would just ask for a percentage off the total, as previously suggested.)

MudDuck

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #17 on: November 20, 2015, 08:03:00 AM »
If it looks ok upon inspection, I'd take the money and move on. People make mistakes.

Blatant

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #18 on: November 20, 2015, 08:13:44 AM »
Is this a rental or the home you live in?

lthenderson

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #19 on: November 20, 2015, 08:21:04 AM »
If I was in your boat, I think the most that I would ask off is just their labor bill. I would still pay for the cost of the materials.

Considering that the labor was fine (as far as we know) and it was the materials that were wrong, I'd do exactly the opposite: pay for the labor but ask for the materials to be free.

(Of course, that assumes the materials:labor ratio price is somewhat even; if one were a lot more than the other I would just ask for a percentage off the total, as previously suggested.)

I would normally do what you propose but the OP seemed okay with the color of the new shingles because it matched the house but wasn't their ideal color. By just subtracting the labor from the bill, the contractor isn't having to pay money to cover the costs of the job though they essentially worked for free for a couple days. If you go after the contractor to the point where it cost them money on top of working for free for a couple days, they are likely to put up more fight. Another repercussion could be that you loose an excellent roofer by pissing them off simply for a honest color mistake and if you need them in the future, you will be SOL. If all they had to eat was their labor for an honest mistake, they might be willing to come back.

Rubic

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #20 on: November 20, 2015, 08:33:01 AM »
Guizmo:

Just curious, but if the roofer had said, "Hey I've got these reddish shingles that I can provide you at a 10% discount", would you have considered the offer?

I would have considered the $500 savings, but maybe I have no sense of aesthetics.

Goldielocks

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #21 on: November 20, 2015, 10:20:51 AM »
You didn't get grey when you wanted black, this is a huge difference.

Ask for $1000.

beltim

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #22 on: November 20, 2015, 11:06:58 AM »
Guizmo:

Just curious, but if the roofer had said, "Hey I've got these reddish shingles that I can provide you at a 10% discount", would you have considered the offer?

I would have considered the $500 savings, but maybe I have no sense of aesthetics.

I think this is exactly the right metric.  At what price would you have preferred the installed shingles over the ones you selected?  If $500 less, then take the offer.  If $2000 less, ask for that.  If you had said no under any circumstances, replacing them would have been appropriate.

In my opinion this is the "fair" solution – it doesn't penalize the roofer for the mistake more than what you value it.

Dicey

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #23 on: November 20, 2015, 11:43:42 AM »
Perhaps the color you wanted was out of stock for a few days and the roofer just wanted to get the job done and get paid asap. Did you ask the guy why he used the wrong color? Seems kind of hard to fuck up black shingles.

Anyway, lesson learned. Next time, be there. Not excusing the roofer, but this was too important to put on the back burner or schedule for a time when you couldn't be there. If you have other properties, let this be a one-time seminar at the school of hard knocks.

lizzzi

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #24 on: November 20, 2015, 11:48:33 AM »
If you specified black shingles, and that's what's in the contract, then they need to re-do the job. Why should you have to look at the wrong color shingles on your roof for 20 years? Also agree with those who caution that the quality of the reddish-brown might not be the same. In any case, the roofer needs to re-do the job. His problem--tough beans for him.

This does point up that you need to stick around when these kind of major projects are being done. You just do.

okobrien

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #25 on: November 20, 2015, 12:15:51 PM »
I take back my earlier statement suggesting you ask for $500. Since black shingles would have absorbed more heat into the house, I think these roofers have saved you thousands of dollars in energy costs over the next 20 years.  You should pay an additional $500 to thank them for the favor.

Argyle

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #26 on: November 20, 2015, 12:18:48 PM »
Unless the OP lives in a cold climate.  Maybe the lighter-color shingles will lead to higher heating bills.

GuitarStv

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #27 on: November 20, 2015, 12:24:00 PM »
I've found that after the first foot of snow on your roof, colour doesn't matter a whole hell of a lot.

Guizmo

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #28 on: November 20, 2015, 12:40:45 PM »
Thanks for the advice y'all, it really made me think about it. I met with a production manager from the company and explained to me how the error happened. It seemed like a reasonable answer and I actually think it looks great. I think yesterday I was still upset and that was clouding my judgement.

I took MudDuck's advice:

 
If it looks ok upon inspection, I'd take the money and move on. People make mistakes.

Dicey

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #29 on: November 20, 2015, 12:54:02 PM »
Good move. Thanks for the rest of the story.

Bearded Man

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #30 on: November 22, 2015, 09:09:35 AM »
I take back my earlier statement suggesting you ask for $500. Since black shingles would have absorbed more heat into the house, I think these roofers have saved you thousands of dollars in energy costs over the next 20 years.  You should pay an additional $500 to thank them for the favor.

Why does it always have to turn into a race thing? :P

justajane

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #31 on: November 22, 2015, 09:16:46 AM »
I would definitely ask another roofing company to come by to independently verify the quality of the shingles match the quality you had originally ordered. And be sure the job was done right. If they are equal, then take the $500 off. Otherwise, ask for more.

Drifterrider

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #32 on: November 23, 2015, 04:56:34 AM »
I disagree. If you are ok with the color of the roof take the five hundred and call it good.  Squeezing every penny out of the guy because of a mistake that doesn't even hurt you is a low class move imho.

+1

-2.  I disagree.  Not only is it NOT a "low class" move, it is the vendor's mistake.  Get everything you can.  It is a business not a charity.  If the vendor has to replace he, is out the cost of materials and time.  I'd start by asking for a 20% reduction.  Negotiate from there.  The vendor knows his/her "squeal point" but you don't.  Find it.

MudDuck

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #33 on: December 01, 2015, 06:13:33 AM »
I'm glad it worked out.

willkp23

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #34 on: December 01, 2015, 08:26:57 AM »
Guizmo:

Just curious, but if the roofer had said, "Hey I've got these reddish shingles that I can provide you at a 10% discount", would you have considered the offer?

I would have considered the $500 savings, but maybe I have no sense of aesthetics.

I think this is exactly the right metric.  At what price would you have preferred the installed shingles over the ones you selected?  If $500 less, then take the offer.  If $2000 less, ask for that.  If you had said no under any circumstances, replacing them would have been appropriate.

In my opinion this is the "fair" solution – it doesn't penalize the roofer for the mistake more than what you value it.

I really like this approach in this situation.   But I do think there is a value in not hanging onto something for a long period of time and moving on.   Thanks for the end of the story, good move!

nereo

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #35 on: December 01, 2015, 08:34:47 AM »
I disagree. If you are ok with the color of the roof take the five hundred and call it good.  Squeezing every penny out of the guy because of a mistake that doesn't even hurt you is a low class move imho.

+1

-2.  I disagree.  ...

What?? You can't minus 2! Not unless you are legitimately two people.  That's like saying "+1,000,000!!!" It screws up the entire forum-math.
People: One person, one vote!

bigstack

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Re: Roofer installed wrong color shingles
« Reply #36 on: December 01, 2015, 12:49:37 PM »
are the shingles of the same brand /quality? i would verify that you didnt order a 30 year shingle by brand X and they gave you a 20 year shingle by brand Y....

my guess is that he did this on purpose... he probably had these shingles from another project that fell through. or he got them on some discount and he installed them fully planning on offering you a discount while still making it more than worth his while. if you had not noticed/complained then it would have just been a bonus for him.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!