In Part 2 of our blog series about understanding roofing warranties, we’ll dive in to extended warranties
offered by contractors. You’ll recall in Part 1; we discussed two factors to consider regarding warranty
coverage: Material Coverage and Workmanship Coverage. Extended Warranties are where the
Workmanship Coverage really become relevant…and there is some significant value for homeowners
who choose to partner with a contractor offering this warranty as a part of their value proposition.

Extended warranties were created by manufacturers 10-15 years ago enabling them to extend the life of
the warranty well beyond the 10-year non-prorated period noted earlier. In order to offer these types of
warranties, contractors must be vetted by the manufacturer and then receive a special certification
authorizing them with the privilege of offering this warranty solution to their customers. We at Sierra
Hills Roofing received this certification from GAF and Owens Corning. These manufacturers ran credit
checks, verified references, consulted the BBB and wouldn’t offer entry into their certification program
until we had been in business for two full years. I say all this to emphasize that manufacturers don’t just
hand these certifications out willy-nilly! They do their due diligence to insure they are only partnering
with healthy businesses that will represent their brand with integrity and success. Once certified,
contractors can begin offering these extended warranties to their customers.

Extended warranties can actually extend the non-prorated period of the material warranty all the way to
50 YEARS. These are typically labeled as System Warranties. Manufacturers require contractors
completing a reroof to include several of their roofing accessory items along with the shingle in order to
qualify. These are typically items like: underlayment, starter shingles, ventilation products, and hip &
ridge caps. This assembly embodies a “roofing system” and is then warrantied by the manufacturer for
an extended period. In GAF and Owens Corning’s case, that’s a full 50 years! Just like the non-prorated
10-year period included with the manufacturer standard warranty that was explained in the prior blog;
System Warranties include labor costs to replace defective roofing material…only now it’s covered for a
non-prorated 50 years. That’s FIVE TIMES THE COVERAGE you get with the standard product warranty!

The fun doesn’t stop there! Above and beyond the System Warranties, manufacturers also offer
premium extended warranties that include Workmanship Coverage. In my professional opinion, these
are a huge value-add for the homeowner and the contractor collectively…and here’s why. Premium
extended warranties have the same material coverage as the aforementioned System Warranties, but
now include additional coverage for workmanship. So, what is workmanship; and how does
workmanship compare to “labor”? Labor is the act of installing a roof; workmanship is the art of
installing a roof. Workmanship Coverage warranties the roof installation even in the event the roof was
installed incorrectly, meaning not installed to manufacturer specifications. The caveat here is that the
roofing contractor owns this warranty for the first two years. So that means, if the roof fails in the first
two years due to an improper installation, it is incumbent upon the contractor to remedy the error.
After that, the manufacturer takes over. Once that happens, if the roof fails the manufacturer actually
pays a certified contractor (whether it be the original or a different one) to replace the failed area.

That’s a huge value for the homeowner, and the contractor. While we’d all love to believe that our hired
contractor is a perfect craftsman, everyone is human. Errors happen, but with this warranty you are fully
covered by the manufacturer for material defects and the original contactor’s installation.

A couple of additional notes about extended warranties. I mentioned earlier that only certified
contractors can offer these warranties. Certified contractors are also the only people that can register
these types of warranties with the manufacturer. Warranty registrations are completed upon project
completion. Extended warranties are registered by the certified contractor on the homeowner’s behalf.
This happens on a contractor portal through the manufacturer’s website, which is a digital resource
given only to the contractor. These extended warranties also include an additional cost for the certified
contractor. You read that correctly, EXTENDED WARRANTIES ARE NOT FREE, so there is likely an
additional cost factored into the cost of the bid/proposal to encompass this added expense. It’s still
extremely worthwhile! If you make the decision to partner with a contractor offering an extended
warranty, it will likely be the last time you ever roof this house in your lifetime!

What if you don’t intend to live in this home for the rest of your life…is there still value in purchasing a
new roof accompanied by an extended warranty? ABSOLUTELY! These warranties are fully transferrable.
Whether you decide to sell your home, or if you die before the warranty expires and your home is being
passed down to family in an estate, the new owner of the home will enjoy the benefits as the previous
owner without any interruption. Its important to speak with your contractor about the transfer process,
as each manufacturer is slightly different. If you partner with us at Sierra Hills Roofing, we are brand
ambassadors for our manufacturing partners, and offer complimentary assistance to our customers with
every step of the transfer.

This concludes our two-part blog designed to help you comprehend the different types of warranties
available with a reroof. Roofing manufacturers also publish legalese documents explaining the warranty
coverage from top to bottom. These are available online at:

– https://www.gaf.com/en-us/resources/warranties
– https://www.owenscorning.com/en-us/roofing/warranty

For more information, contact Sierra Hills Roofing at 916-975-5095, or visit our website at
www.sierrahillsroofing.com. Thank you for reading.

The post Understanding Roofing Warranties: Part 2 – What You Need to Know About Extended Roofing Warranties first appeared on Roofing Services in Auburn CA.

In California, most reroof projects happen for one of three reasons.

1. Your roof has reached the end of its service life or is actively failing
2. A storm has damaged your existing roof resulting in the need for replacement
3. Your insurance provider is requiring roof replacement in order to maintain coverage

Whichever situation you find yourself in, you have accepted the inevitable and know that its time for
your roof to be replaced. As you begin to collect bids and proposals from contractors, you are presented
with a ton of information! You’re learning all about shingle manufacturers, roofing accessory items like
underlayment and ice & water barrier, chimney flashings, gutter guards, etc.…the list goes on and on.
But one of the most important considerations of who to hire for your project and what material to
utilize should be the warranty.

Reroof warranties have a number of factors to consider. That said, there are two aspects that are the
most important and relevant to protect your investment and peace of mind for many years to come!
Understanding what’s covered and what isn’t is key to ensuring you are “getting what you paid for” on
your new roof. If done correctly, this could be the last roof your home needs in your lifetime!

Let’s dive in! The two factors to consider when selecting which warranty best meets your needs are:
Material Coverage and Workmanship Coverage.

In part one of our two-part blog series about roofing warranties, we’ll discuss a manufacturer’s Standard
Product Roofing Warranty. This primarily deals with Material Coverage.

Material Coverage, simply put, is the warranty given by the manufacturer for the roofing materials
being installed. A couple decades ago, manufacturers of shingles and roofing accessories organized their
warranties by the weight of the shingle and the number of layers of laminate formed during the
manufacturing process. They categorized this warranty by the number of years the roof should last: 30-
year, 40-year, and 50-year. Obviously, the longer the warranty coverage, the more premium the
material. 30-year warranties belonged to your standard laminated architectural shingle. 40-year and 50-
year warranties were heavier shingles and tri-laminates. There were more layers of granules/filler
installed and the weight was heavier by the square. **For our novice roofing readers, a square is the
unit of measurement used by the industry to outline roofing coverage of 100 sq ft. In this type of
warranty, as the roof approached the end of its service life, the warranty would prorate similar to that of
a tire warranty. In this instance, if your roof failed in year 25, and you had a 30-year rated shingle, the
manufacturer would prorate the remaining amount of roof life left in the warranty and issue a material
voucher redeemable at any authorized retailer for the prorated amount of remaining value. For the
example above, if your roof lasted 25 of the 30 years, there would be very little value remaining in the
final prorated 5 years of service life and the manufacturer would only issue a very small credit towards
the purchase of your new roof. Even though I’ve been in the roofing business for over a decade, it still
amazes me when I consult with homeowners who believe they are entitled to a new roof under
warranty if their 30-year rated shingle fails in year 28. That’s not how warranties work, and it never has
been!

Warranty nomenclature changed in the early 2000s. Manufacturers now label all of their shingles as
“Limited Lifetime” shingles regardless of weight, thickness or number of laminates. Personally, I’m a fan
of this change, because all major roofing manufacturers are essentially offering the same thing. It also
makes it very easy for you, the consumer, to understand a standard product warranty being offered by
the shingle manufacturer that your contractor recommends. This warranty covers the shingle and all
additional accessories (made by the same manufacturer as the shingle) for a non-prorated period of 10-
years, and then a prorated rate for the remaining amount of time you own your home. If there is a
major material defect that leads to roof failure in the first 10-years, the manufacturer not only covers
the cost of the replacement material, but they also cover the cost of the labor associated with the
necessary replacements. After year 10, the prorated portion of the warranty only covers material (no
labor); and the rate of proration varies by manufacturer (80% beginning in year 11 then decreasing
roughly 2%-3% per year thereafter). Keep in mind, these warranties do not carry a cash value. If the
product fails, whether its before the non-prorated period ends or after, manufacturers resolve these
claims with vouchers that can be used to purchase new material at any authorized dealer. You will also
be asked to sign a resolution agreement freeing the manufacturer from any additional liability or future
claims.

Standard Product Roofing Warranties can be registered either by the contractor completing the
installation, or the homeowner. If you’re a DIYer, you still qualify for the manufacturers standard
warranty. Registering the warranty is simple. It can either be done online, or by calling the 1-800
number listed on the packaging of the roofing products being installed.

For more information on standard product warranties, you can visit these website resources:

– https://www.owenscorning.com/en-us/roofing/warranty
– https://www.gaf.com/en-us/resources/warranties

Or call Sierra Hills Roofing at 916-975-5095. Thank you for reading part one of this two-part blog about
roofing warranties. Make sure to visit our website at: www.sierrahillsroofing.com to view Part 2.

The post Understanding Roofing Warranties – The Standard Warranty first appeared on Roofing Services in Auburn CA.

First, lets debunk a couple of longstanding tile roof myths!!!

Tile Roof Myth number 1: I have a tile roof, and those last 50+ years.
Tile Roof Myth number 2: Tile roofs don’t fail as quickly as shingle roofs
Tile Roof  Myth number 3: All roofs can be repaired.
Tile Roof  Myth number 4: My roof is leaking…all I have to do is figure out where the water is getting in and the
rest should be an easy fix.

As a roofer, I’ll be the first to tell you that tile roofs are one of the prettiest roofs to look at. The intricate
design details, the color pallets, the traditional Spanish influence of the red clay S-tile…the list goes on.
But the benefits of a tile roof virtually end with the aesthetic resplendence. Tile is actually one of the
worst performing roofs that exists. Usually made from concrete, tile is very dense and heavy. It also
expands and contracts quite a bit as the temperature fluctuates seasonally. Tile is cut with a saw in
order to fit the unique shape of each roofing plane it protects. It is fastened mechanically with one or
two nails, then sealed with a mastic or caulking material, which disintegrates over time. Lastly, it’s
difficult to properly ventilate due to the complex nature of each individual piece being installed at the
time of the initial build. That said, tile is an extremely popular roofing option for us Northern
Californians. HOA’s (Home Owners Associations, not my kids Harvey, Olivia and Adrianna) often require
uniformity in the aesthetic of the neighboring houses, and tile is often the best solution. It’s one of the
least expensive roofing materials to manufacture and to buy…but it sure is a pain in the butt to load
onto the roof, and it also takes much longer to install once it’s up there!

I’ll say this, if you have a tile roof and haven’t walked around on it…the likelihood of it failing diminishes
greatly. Standard roofing maintenance, such as gutter cleaning, valley cleaning, and flashing
reinforcement can help a tile roof last a very long time. But tile is also one of the roofs I see fail most
often. It usually fails in the places I mentioned above (valleys, eaves, and around the flashing). The
challenge is often locating the failure, as it’s not as blatant as one might think. Leak detection on a tile
roof often requires partial, or even full removal on the roof plane that is leaking. That makes for
increased costs in labor and elevates the risk of damaging the tiles during removal whilst looking for the
source of the leak. Fortunately, we have several “tile boneyards” in Northern California. Think of the
scene in the Lion King when Simba and Nala stumble upon the elephant graveyard. Very similar situation
for us roofers…we show up fending off the hyenas of the roofing world in search for a handful of roof
tiles to match the broken ones we’ve removed off your 20-year-old roof. Not the most glamorous work,
but somebody’s got to do it. That may also help explain why tile repairs are a bit more costly than folks
anticipate when they happen.

Any roof can fail…as a matter of fact…they’re built to fail! Manufacturers of roofing products are a lot
like manufacturers of tires, windshield wiper blades, toothbrushes and lightbulbs. If you build something
that lasts forever, how do you sell more of it??? Don’t get me wrong, roofing products are the best
today that they’ve ever been. But they’ll still fail eventually! If they were installed improperly to begin
with, they may fail even faster. Folks that live in planned communities or communities that all share the
same builder are often great targets for roofers looking to work leak repairs. That’s not a slight against
the builder, that’s just reality. Builders are in the business of building homes and making a profit…usually
the largest profit possible. This often means that the materials used to build a roof in these types of
communities are not premium materials…and the labor hired to build the roofs as quickly as possible are
not premium installers. Remember, roofs are designed to fail eventually, and us roofers are all critics of
the different types of installation methods we see when we’re repairing or replacing an existing roof. I
won’t name any names or any specific communities, just know this is where we see the most consistent
roof failures year after year. Depending on the extent of the damage caused by the leak, and the
ineptitude of the original installer or manufacturer, some roofs simply are not repairable…and the best
thing to do is rip the whole thing off and start all over from the plywood to the top!

At Sierra Hills Roofing, we’ve designed a program to make your roof repair options as simple and
efficient as possible. We charge a flat fee to investigate the cause of your leak and determine the
necessary repairs. Often, repairs are able to take place during the initial visit, and without any additional
money spent. Sometimes, the repairs are much more in-depth and require some significant decisions on
whether or not to save the original roof or start over. My pledge is to be transparent and honest with
my customers, delivering you the best solution for your home. Call us today to discuss our repair
program. Thanks for reading!

Contact Sierra Hills Roofing today at 916-975-5095 for more information!

Sierra Hills Roofing is located at 9244 Old State Hwy, Suite 116, Newcastle, CA 95658

The post Tile Roof Repair vs. Replacement: A Homeowner’s Guide to Making the Right Choice first appeared on Roofing Services in Auburn CA.

Recently, Sierra Hills Roofing was targeted by these scammers, and a fake profile and job listing were created on Indeed. We reacted promptly, contacting Indeed and informing them that a fraudulent account was created and is contacting their users utilizing our business name. Even a fake website was created http://www.sierrahillsroofinginc.com, and emails linked to that website were being used to contact job seekers outside of Indeed’s secure network.

Indeed has removed the fraudulent profile, along with the fraudulent job posting. Google has also been contacted in order to flag the fake website. Local law enforcement has also been notified. If you were contacted by these scammers, the best thing you can do is to report it to Indeed Customer Service (1-800-475-4361) and discontinue all further communication with the scammers. These scammers are in no way affiliated with THE REAL Sierra Hills Roofing, and we are not currently seeking an employee for the role of “Supervisor Assistant”.
Throughout our communication efforts with Indeed, we were advised that Indeed strives for all communication to be made on their secure platform. These scammers tried to lure job seekers away from Indeed and communicate with them via email outside of the Indeed platform in order to collect personal information.

We at Sierra Hills Roofing value your privacy, personal information and basic human integrity. We would never ask a potential job seeker for information like this prior to a full in-person or virtual interview with the owners, and a signed offer letter of employment. We are incredibly troubled by the continuously growing methods of internet scams; and we are doing everything in our power to protect our company and champions of our company from falling victim to digital thievery.

If you have been contacted by someone posing as a representative of Sierra Hills Roofing, please do not share any personal information with them. This is a SCAM! You can contact us directly at 916-975-5095; or visit our LEGITIMATE website at http://www.sierrahillsroofing.com

The post Scammers Hit Indeed with Fake Sierra Hills Roofing Profile first appeared on Roofing Services in Auburn CA.

Sometimes the hot water heater gives out and you wake up to a flooded garage. Others, a pipe breaks in the hallway and the carpet/floors are soaked. Maybe the siding starts to peel away and it’s too much for even a fresh coat of paint to hide. Maybe your roof is older than you realized and all of sudden there’s a water spot on your ceiling. Or worst, you get a letter from your insurance carrier saying you must replace your roof in order to maintain coverage. These are tough realities for many California homeowners. Once you realize that a roof replacement is eminent, the next question is often “How am I going to pay for this?”.

Hi, I’m Will Coleman, one of the owners of Sierra Hills Roofing. If you’re reading this blog, I’m guessing you’re in a similar situation as the one I painted in the prior paragraph. Even though it’s time for a big- ticket home repair that you may not have planned for, there are options to help finance the job and not break the bank. Plus, items like a new roof do help with curb appeal, energy efficiency and the home’s overall longevity. I’ve been in the roofing business for over a dozen years; and I’ve helped hundreds of homeowners finance their new roof. When Lauren and I started our company, I knew I could take some of my expertise from my years of working for other contractors as well as roofing manufacturers and help save our customers their time and money by presenting them with the best solutions for their project.

There are so many finance companies out there. How do you know which one is the best for you? Let’s start with the easiest way to finance a project…CASH. If you have cash available to finance a home project, you are in the driver’s seat when it comes to partnering with the right company to complete the job! For small businesses like ours, cash is a very appealing way to be paid…and that doesn’t just mean collecting a stack of dollar bills at the end of the project. Checks, money orders, cashiers’ checks, all function similarly to physical cash. They can all be deposited into a business quickly and without any additional fees. Often times, contractors will also discount the cost of your project if you are paying cash. My only word of advice here is to be careful who you hire! Resist hiring a contractor that asks for more than 10% of the project’s cost or $1,000 (whichever is lower) up front. Also, the cheapest bid isn’t always the best option. Make sure to compare and contrast proposals and make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Lastly, if you liked one contractor more than the rest of the ones you’ve interviewed…ask them if they will price match? The worst they can say is “no”, and often times they will be open to barter with you if you are paying with cash or financing the project with personal funds. Next, there are Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) options for financing. PACE is a financing program approved by the state of California and authorized by your local government. That said, funds to secure the financing come from private companies that are not affiliated with your local government. There is still a lot of benefit to utilizing these programs. First, the loans are not solely based on the credit score of the borrower. They are based more-so on the equity in your home. PACE loans are then applied to your property taxes. The payment terms and interest rates vary based on the length of the loan, but the payments are made through your property taxes. Sometimes, depending on your tax situation, the interest rates are even tax deductible. Be sure to check with your tax professional to learn how this applies to your specific project. Finally, PACE loans have no application fees, and no dealer fees to contractors that utilize them. This is very appealing to contractors, like Sierra Hills Roofing, who are PACE Approved Contractors and able to offer these types of loans to their customers.

Lastly, there’s an option to utilize financing through a third party. This would include: Mortgage Companies in the form of Home Equity Line of Credit or home refinance; Lending Institution in the form of a personal loan, or an unsecured loan for your home improvement project (meaning there is no lien); and finally, Credit Card Companies. Let’s start from the bottom and work our way back to the top! Financing your home improvement project with a credit card may seem appealing at first, I mean, think of all those miles you’d earn! In reality, credit card companies charge contractors like us fees to process the payments. In our case, we pay a 3.5% fee to collect payment via credit card. Rarely will a contractor agree to pay that fee on your behalf. Most of the time, an additional line item is listed on the proposal or contract explaining credit card fees are at the expense of the user. If you’re thinking about financing your project with your credit card, make sure that information is shared up front to avoid an awkward conversation at the end of the project, or a larger bill than you originally budgeted for. Lending institutions can be great options for financing a project. Most lending institutions will utilize things like your personal credit score and income for decisions on loan approvals. They also tend to follow national housing market trends when it comes to interest rates. Several years ago, when rates were in the high 2%’s low 3%’s…these were much more appealing options than they are today with rates in the high 7%’s and low 8%’s. These companies also charge dealer fees to contractors that utilize their services. On top of you, the homeowner, paying fees like loan origination, application, and loan processing…the contractor also pays a fee in order to offer the loan to their consumer.

I know this can all seem a bit overwhelming, but don’t let it intimidate you! We at Sierra Hills Roofing are happy to guide you through any available financing option. Together, let’s determine how to finance your project to fit your budget and your lifestyle!

Contact Sierra Hills Roofing today at 916-975-5095 for more information!

Sierra Hills Roofing is located at 9244 Old State Hwy, Suite 116, Newcastle, CA 95658

The post Roof Financing – Cash, PACE, or Private Loan for Re-Roofing Your Home? first appeared on Roofing Services in Auburn CA.

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