Here is what almost $7000.00 gets you in SoCal

mrblaine

Crew Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
28,744
Location
Quail Valley, CA
1- siding reworked with trim and painted. (y)
2- reinstalled chimney chase and flue cap
3- and the most valuable lesson of all, if it isn't in writing, it didn't happen.

He says it is watertight, I hope that is true.

1674523525008.png


1674523639064.png
 
That saddle behind the chimney nor the cap look water tight. It looks like the cap pools up around the flue. We custom fab ours and always flare at the flue and put cross bends from corner to corner so ours has a little slope outwards. We would not reinstall that cap and would have that conversation with the customer up front. If the customer didn’t want to pay for a new cap, we would walk away.
C4673224-5EAC-4233-AC5D-C1A26643345A.jpeg


A295C281-8B95-404A-AF85-1E993CE56012.jpeg
 
1- siding reworked with trim and painted. (y)
2- reinstalled chimney chase and flue cap
3- and the most valuable lesson of all, if it isn't in writing, it didn't happen.

He says it is watertight, I hope that is true.

View attachment 394449

View attachment 394451

Is there a story behind observation #3, Blaine?

None of this stuff ever comes out to where you think it would, even if you try and educate yourself and are generous in your estimates. At least that has been my experience, limited as it is.
 
That saddle behind the chimney nor the cap look water tight. It looks like the cap pools up around the flue. We custom fab ours and always flare at the flue and put cross bends from corner to corner so ours has a little slope outwards. We would not reinstall that cap and would have that conversation with the customer up front. If the customer didn’t want to pay for a new cap, we would walk away.
View attachment 394496

View attachment 394497

I fabricated my own in a similar fashion, only out of stainless and a welded collar at the flue exit. Cross braked for drainage pitch.

I’d suggest having a real sheet metal guy fab something up for you. Galvanized steel would work, but only if it’s completely soldered and built similarly to the one above.

And I agree about the saddle, it scarcely looks water tight. I’d recommend replacing it too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: taylormade73
Is there a story behind observation #3, Blaine?

None of this stuff ever comes out to where you think it would, even if you try and educate yourself and are generous in your estimates. At least that has been my experience, limited as it is.

I clearly explained that I wanted a new chimney cap and a new roof chimney chase cover during our face to face meeting onsite standing next to the chimney. At just about 1/2 hour before he figured he would be cleaned up enough to send his guys home, he started shoving his agreement to provide a new cap and cover over into my lap making it my responsibility to meet with "his" metal guy and then pay his metal guy.

Up until that point, I was pretty pleased with how well the job had gone. Very much less than pleased once it dawned on me what he was doing.

I failed to catch that he did not alter the contract to include the cap and cover and instead slotted it over into the time and materials section where he could ignore it.

When it dawned on me that he would be okay with it being like you see it, I have no reason to continue the relationship since I was clear as to what I wanted done before the work started and at no point did I challenge or attempt to change his pricing.

Worse, doing it that way means he is perfectly fine with not finishing his job. If I left something I was responsible for looking like that, I would be beyond embarrassed and that is the part that is the most bothersome.
 
That saddle behind the chimney nor the cap look water tight. It looks like the cap pools up around the flue. We custom fab ours and always flare at the flue and put cross bends from corner to corner so ours has a little slope outwards. We would not reinstall that cap and would have that conversation with the customer up front. If the customer didn’t want to pay for a new cap, we would walk away.
View attachment 394496

View attachment 394497

I am acutely aware of how it should be, I explained exactly what I both wanted and needed.
 
Was the contractor licensed? $7 K for that job is highway robbery IMHO. Maybe I've lived in a cow town too long but I can see $1,700 for a licensed guy and $700-1,000 for a handyman, and done right with a new cap. I was in business for myself (electrical contractor) and our success was due to the fact that we did what was in the best interest of the customer. Too many out there now who do everything that is in their own best interest. When you do what is in the customer's best interest word gets out and you have more business than you can handle and you can make a lot of money. Problem today is such a shortage of skilled workers that people who need services are desperate to get anyone that shows up and there are contractors out there taking advantage of this by charging exorbitant rates figuring they will get less work because of the rate but still make good money not having to work as hard.
I'm getting a large 4x8 skylight replaced on a mission tile roof by a licensed guy, includes reflashing with lead and reflashing/sealing the masonry chimney nearby and adding a cricket between the ridge and the skylight curb as the space is only 8" or so, similar to your situation behind the chimney box. Total cost materials and labor = $1,700.
One of the best ways to find a good contractor besides word of mouth is ask around the supply houses where they get their materials, the supply house people usually know who's good and who's a flake. I found my roofer one morning when I was at the roofing supply buying some replacement tiles and overheard him stepping in to help a homeowner who was having issues with work done by someone else.
 
That saddle behind the chimney nor the cap look water tight. It looks like the cap pools up around the flue. We custom fab ours and always flare at the flue and put cross bends from corner to corner so ours has a little slope outwards. We would not reinstall that cap and would have that conversation with the customer up front. If the customer didn’t want to pay for a new cap, we would walk away.
View attachment 394496

View attachment 394497

Very nice work, copper?
 
  • Like
Reactions: taylormade73
Don't get me wrong I am not a roof expert but own rental properties and done plenty of roof work so I think I know more than most roof laborers at least, but wouldn't it be smarter to make a one piece metal flashing that starts under the ridge flashing and extends all the way to the chimney structure then up the chimney structure a bit? Some elasomeric material could be added behind the chimney to form a small cricket to avoid water collecting there.
I would also cut the trim high enough so that it is well above the flashing and does not restrict drainage.
The flashing could also extend out past the chimney a few inches.
(edited)
 
Last edited:
How anyone could reinstall that ugly well-used cap just a few feet from that good looking ridge cap (if that's what they're called in that position) I will never understand, and I'm surprised they didn't try to upsell the job before writing up anything.

From the topic of this thread I got this running through my mind:

Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya?
It pours, man, it pours
 
Was the contractor licensed? $7 K for that job is highway robbery IMHO. Maybe I've lived in a cow town too long but I can see $1,700 for a licensed guy and $700-1,000 for a handyman, and done right with a new cap. I was in business for myself (electrical contractor) and our success was due to the fact that we did what was in the best interest of the customer. Too many out there now who do everything that is in their own best interest. When you do what is in the customer's best interest word gets out and you have more business than you can handle and you can make a lot of money. Problem today is such a shortage of skilled workers that people who need services are desperate to get anyone that shows up and there are contractors out there taking advantage of this by charging exorbitant rates figuring they will get less work because of the rate but still make good money not having to work as hard.
I'm getting a large 4x8 skylight replaced on a mission tile roof by a licensed guy, includes reflashing with lead and reflashing/sealing the masonry chimney nearby and adding a cricket between the ridge and the skylight curb as the space is only 8" or so, similar to your situation behind the chimney box. Total cost materials and labor = $1,700.
One of the best ways to find a good contractor besides word of mouth is ask around the supply houses where they get their materials, the supply house people usually know who's good and who's a flake. I found my roofer one morning when I was at the roofing supply buying some replacement tiles and overheard him stepping in to help a homeowner who was having issues with work done by someone else.

The difficulty lies in accessing the gutter side of the chimney which is a scant few feet from the edge of a 12 in 12 pitch that is over 20 feet to the deck. The easiest way was to use a boom lift and the rental thereof is what drove the cost up more than normal. That isn't the fault of the contractor.

Nothing else you said is applicable in this part of the world. No one wants to work, those that do are very expensive and that applies to even just someone to pull weeds and rake up leaves. If I find someone to even do the work, they want over 40 bucks an hour.

I have no issue with the price, I have large issues with making your job my job and being perfectly okay with leaving something unfinished.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: B1Toad and DrDmoney
Yes having to rent a boom truck would certainly cost a lot more and without that tidbit of info the $7K cost seemed unrealistic. I would not be happy with the work either. If it gives you trouble I hope they will cover you.
 
Last edited:
How anyone could reinstall that ugly well-used cap just a few feet from that good looking ridge cap (if that's what they're called in that position) I will never understand, and I'm surprised they didn't try to upsell the job before writing up anything.

From the topic of this thread I got this running through my mind:

Seems it never rains in southern California
Seems I've often heard that kind of talk before
It never rains in California
But girl, don't they warn ya?
It pours, man, it pours

That ridge metal is much better now. It is now what the roofer and I discussed was needed. The original asphalt shingles were just run up the slope and then the tails of the last two courses that are typically under the weather side were just rolled over and nailed down with no other treatment. I specifically requested that we bend up some flashing to cover that up and get rid of some of the ugly. This was the first attempt, stock, off the shelf, 90 degree flashing from Home Depot.

1674575105488.png
You can see the problem in the background somewhat. A better view is below.
1674575251210.png


I had them come back out and do it as we discussed with a 2 bend custom flashing that covered all of the internal parts of the folded over shingles that you see in the first two pictures.
 
Wow. Just Wow. You, sir, are a man of self-control, I'd have been unpleasant. I'm glad I don't live out there.
I had to have a new roof put on last year. Small house (1680sq.ft.), 3-car garage, 24X40 shop and 10X12 shed. All stripped to bare wood, new underlay, new drip molding, new roof vents, new skylite, 20ft facia replaced, 2 rotted areas repaired, 30 year shingles, nailed not stapled. Showed up at 0600 and left at 1100. Done. They did beautiful work and hauled away every last scrap of old roofing and didn't trample my plants. $11K. I guess Indiana isn't all bad...
 
Unfortunately your tale is a common one.

Contractors who won’t listen and do what they want, ones who don’t do all the work, or do it so poorly it’s needs to be done again. A lot of that going around now.

I could tell by your description you were having trouble.

I hope you can get them to finish it correctly without too much trouble or added expense.

Good luck!
 
Unfortunately your tale is a common one.

Contractors who won’t listen and do what they want, ones who don’t do all the work, or do it so poorly it’s needs to be done again. A lot of that going around now.

I could tell by your description you were having trouble.

I hope you can get them to finish it correctly without too much trouble or added expense.

Good luck!

All I know is I have an email from him stating he has reviewed his work and deemed it watertight. We both agreed that it was watertight before the work started with zero leaks and functioned properly. I hope it stays that way.
 
That saddle behind the chimney nor the cap look water tight. It looks like the cap pools up around the flue. We custom fab ours and always flare at the flue and put cross bends from corner to corner so ours has a little slope outwards. We would not reinstall that cap and would have that conversation with the customer up front. If the customer didn’t want to pay for a new cap, we would walk away.
View attachment 394496

View attachment 394497

Now that is a work of art. How much was that job?