So I have defective shingles that are about 15 years old that carried a 40 year warrenty.
On 33 squares I have replacement prices of around $12,000. The manufacturer is offering up 2 grand cash or new shingles and $500.00.
I’m more then alittle pissed … after 15 years, being out of pocket 10 grand just wasn’t in the budget.
The real joke is the same manufacturer now has a lifetime warrenty, wonder what happens when they fail? Do they send some guy in a black suit with a broken nose and .22 to define what a lifetime really is?
Replies
it has been 15 years but if the contractor that installed the shingles is still in business give them a call. Sometimes better contractors with long business histories and good reputations will see this sort of thing as a potential black eye. Maybe not but it seems worth pursuing. Tread gently and persuade instead of accusing.
Also, if they have a long term relationship with the supplier and manufacturer, they have some leverage. At the least, if you sweet talk them, they might take pity and give you a discount on the replacement.
If the business that installed the shingles is out of business and particularly if you forced them to install shingles of a type or from a manufacturer they don't normally use you might have be out of luck.
Same here, but ours are 25-year shingles, 10 years old. Certainteed still hasn't told us what they're going to pay us.
What the manufacturer offers on your first demand and what they'd have to pay you after a judge heard the story are often two totally different things.
The mfgr knows you don't want to go to the trouble of suing them and waiting for the dough and all that sh!t...so they are banking on stalling as much as possible and hoping you'll get so frustrated you'll accept their crapola offer and sign off on it. Once you sign off, though, you're legally bound to that. You won't get a cent more ever. So don't sign anything.
Most 'Guarantees' today aren't worth dog barf unless you are willing to sue. They are basically marketing ploys with the mfgr gambling on a low claim rate based on the knowledge that most guaranteed property changes hands inside the guarantee period and thus nullifies the guarantee to the original purchaser. In the relatively rare cases when the product goes bad enough for the original purchaser to file a claim within the guarantee period, they offer a small figure, stall, and make like a stone wall. You will need a subpœna and possibly a lawyer to get them to really start negotiating.
Figure as a general rule if they offered you $2000, you can probably get 8G out of them without actually going to court...as long as you convince them you are willing to go the distance. If your jurisdiction's small claims court goes up high enough, that's a good place to start. It doesn't cost much to file, and the mfgr will know you don't have to pay a lawyer to cost them a lot of dough for theirs....
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Also, if they have a long term relationship with the supplier and manufacturer, they have some leverage.
You didn't mention brand, but I've been involved with both Owens-Corning and Certainteed warranty claims. I didn't do the original install, but was going to do the replacement. Both times pro-rated product prices were offered. When I got involved, much larger offers were made. Get a proposal from a contractor who installs a lot of the brand in question and submit it to the manufacturer and supplier.
Thanks for all the responses but this one has already been to court years ago and I'm part of a class action.
As for the contractor, this was a new house, the builder retired a few years ago.
Quotes I got where from contractors using this brand of shingles and most are well aware of the problem and tell me the same story from other installs. The intersting part is they have no problem to continue using this brand of shingles.
"I'm part of a class action."
Most likely that is the 2nd screwing.
Many of the class action suites that I seen only the lawyers and possibly the lead plantiffs get much out of them.
I was gonna go there, but I wasn't sure and I didn't want to hurt thr guy any worse.
Woulda been better off not signing on..........sometimes these class action things serve a purpose.......the defendant gets off easier, and the lawyers make more money!
What a suprise!!
EricEvery once in a while, something goes right!
This class action was done years ago. The lawyers got alittle over 4 mil for the suit.
The manufacturer made defective shingles from 1976 through 1989....That's alot of roofs. Think I'm gonna sue them again cause I got something new? I'm not an idiot but I did get a good screwing and not so much as a kiss.
I'm curious.........what is defective about them?
Can you get a few more years out of them or are you having leaks?
Good Luck,
Eric
Bad curling.
Cracking and generally falling apart.
When they crack over the joints results in lots of roof leaks.
I have about a 50 ft roll of aluminum flashing cut for various leaks. The roof looks nice on a suny day the reflection blinds you from seeing the problems.
Probably need easy 5 sheets of ply replaced.
And all this on a 15 year old roof.
Life is good.