Also, I asked him what shingles he is planning on using, and this is what he responded:

"We normally use GAF. However, we can upgrade you to a PABCO 30 year three-tab shingle for no additional cost. What you have now is a 20 to 25 year 3-tab shingle. All shingles have to meet the rigid standards of Texas Windstorm approval. All shingles are made to the same national manufacturing standards. The only real differences are color and their expected life and warranty.

PABCO has the same color selection as GAF. I can bring you samples of the differences if you are interested. Otherwise, we will use GAF unless you want some other brand."

What do you all think of the quality of the GAF shingles he was planning on using? That's also the same company that make the Cobra vents too, right?
What about him offering the upgrade to the Pabco 30-yr. 3-tab shingle for no cost? Is Pabco better?
Wondering if it sounds like he was going to go with cheaper materials unless I asked the right questions? Or am I wrong?

An upgrade to Pabco? Wouldnt that be a degrade? At least it would be in my book. He is offering the "upgrade" because he most likely can get pabco shingles cheaper thus meaning he earns more profit off the job.

Well thats what I think.

Also, have never had any problems with the Cobra products.

ok see now that's really frustrating and confusing me. i certainly don't want him to be flat out scamming me by saying he can 'upgrade me' to something that is actually a downgrade. now he has my 'good faith money' that was going to be for the repairs. maybe i should just ask for my money back since I did not sign a contract.

i know everyone has their opinions, and some say they like cobra and some say they don't, but overall i do not want to be totally screwed.

He keeps saying upgrade for free, with the vent, and then now with the shingles so that really throws me a red flag anyway...on top of the fact that he did not want to accept that the roof was just to be a repair, and insisted that he could get it replaced - after i had a signed contract w/ the project manager in the first place.

Are others in agreement that Pabco would actually be a downgrade to GAF? Are both shingle brands unsatisfactory? If so, what do you all recommend? Continued feedback and guidance greatly appreciated!

Well it did not take me long to find online several links to class action lawsuits and settlements regarding Pabco shingles, plus this comment from Leakmaster Roofing regarding Pabco 30-yr shingles:

"The Pabco SG 30 year shingle is an example of an old fashioned flat "3 tab" shingle that used to dominate the market 20 years ago. It's only real virtue is its' price. I don't recommend this style of shingle, no matter who the Manufacturer is, unless you just can't afford better. It's 60 mph wind rating is a dangerous liability here in Hawaii, where we get 60 mph gusts every year. It's look is unexciting and will not increase your homes value. It attracts mildew, and when it turns black it will heat up your home in the summer. Pabco is a good company, these same things can be said of their competitor's entry level shingle. Since so much of the cost of roofing is in the labor, why not pay a little extra and get an Architect 80 shingle like everyone else does?"

Now that is just what I found on the net, doesn't mean it's all accurate, and it is an opinion... but i just want a fair and honest deal, not a scam.

What do you all suggest?

Pabco does not seem to have a good reputation, although the warranty length may be 5 years longer than the GAF/ELK 3-tab he is offering.

A TRUE upgrade would be to the GAF/ELK Timberline 30 year architectural shingles.

He doesn't know much about roofing or ventilation, just storm sales.

If I were in your shoes, I would find a Local Company and talk with them about doing your roof. This guy doesn't leave me with much confidence about his knowledge and specifications.

Ed
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here's the kicker, Ed. He IS a local roofer. His permanent building is down the road from me. Now, it is part of a large roofing company, so I think he is the owner of this location, as they have several locations around town. Reason I did not go w/ him several months ago was when I called for them to come out for an estimate back in February they said they were so busy that they would not even come out unless I signed a contract over the phone....ok then, never mind. But I decided to call again after business died down, and I still had no one to help without trying to cheat me, never showed up, yadda yadda...I have been 'storm-chased' for 6 months now...I can't seem to get this done. I'm at a loss for what to do next at this point.

Try to get a few estimates and ask for your money back. Like Ed said, it does not seem this man knows to much about what he is selling. I am sure plenty of roofers in your area have the time to come out and take a look and offer their opinions. If you are already this worried about the guy and the roof has not been installed yet, how are you going to be feeling when he is done? Are you going to be confident with it or worry at night?

Also, I suggest if you want to add some appeal to your roof to put on a high defintion ridge cap, like Timbertex if you are going with Gaf. I think it would look good.

I've had so many roofers come out I can't count anymore, is the thing. Here we are in July, and the hurricane damage was in September last year. Problem is, my damage was not significant enough to warrant a replacement roof, according to TX Windstorm - even though the original adjuster suggested it. Windstorm only gave me a small amount of money for a repair. As soon as every roofer heard that, they were not interested anymore, or insisted on trying to get insurance to do a replacement. I've gone in circles with roofers and insurance going on, what, 9 months now? I just need it done, and done right. I thought it was finally resolved for the repair, then like I said, he comes out, after I signed the repair contract w/ his project manager, gets on my roof while i'm at work, saying he can get a replacement, and he personally is handling my roof. I told him that Windstorm said no already. He said there was enough damage and he knows how to get it replaced. I said I thought we were good for the repairs only. He said he was just trying to help me get what he knew he could (of course him getting the money for replacement obviously benefits him anyway). But I am tired of arguing with every roofer insisting I try to get the roof replaced every single time, so I said, "Fine, if you can convince the insurance, go ahead. They told me no".....I've gone through both local roofers and roofers that came in town.

Okay, I just got another response from him on some of the questions. I just asked him:

"Were you planning to put the ridge vent only on that small ridge at the top of the roof? It's only a few feet long. And if I block off all the box vents and only have a few feet of ridge vent at top of the roof, and my gas hot water heater in the attic needs decent intake air, was thinking it might not be a good idea anyway for just a small ridge vent. Just trying to figure out what's best. Also, do you offer Cobra III, and does the Cobra II have baffles?"

(I know he has Cobra III available, because when I went to drop off the money to his office and he was not there, he had an advertisement thing on his windowshelf about Cobra III, so I wanted to see what he would say.)...

His response:

"Air rises to the highest point of the roof regardless of its size. Your gas hot water has its own vent which is located at the top and should already be vented through the roof. I will check on Cobra III."

....One thing...don't get me wrong, I don't want a 'patch job' that cannot be warrantied and is not as good as a new roof either. I am not a cheap customer. I would rather have a new solid roof on a 20-year old home. But Windstorm was so ugly to me and drove me to tears when I tried to get them to do the replacement, and I have been in the middle between the roofers and insurance, and they still told me no. So, if he can get the roof replaced, that would be great - provided it's not an inferior roof and I am being scammed. I want it to be fair on both sides.

Find a different roofer.

This one seems to be too difficult to deal with.
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I don't need no freakin' signature, I Am Roofer.

So since I live in a hot and humid hurricane area on the gulf coast, it seems that interlocking, algae resistant asphalt shingles would be best (I am trying to learn as much as I can...please bear with me).

I would like to suggest this to the roofer.

Any shingle brands you all recommend that are that type and good quality: interlocking, algae resistant, and asphalt that's good for my area?

Is there a quality GAF shingle that meets that type or no?

Anyone use/heard of these: Sherriff-Goslin StormMaster® LM Architectural Shingles? Are these only used on high-end homes? I found them online trying find interlocking and algae-resistant shingles. Are those way out of price range as GAF or something?

Sheriff Goslin Shingles are just a Private Label of Atlas Brand Shingles.

Take that for what it's worth.

They are mainly only available in the Midwest from what I knew about them, like Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

Are they now available in Texas?

Ed
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oh, i don't know if they are available here...I just found them online and was asking y'all about them.

are there comparable GAF shingles that are interlocking and algae-resistant?

or do you/anyone else recommend another brand?

Ed,

You said the GAF/ELK Timberline 30 year architectural shingles would really be an upgrade. I was searching on here and several other places about them. Seen lawsuits and issues on timberline and other roofers who didn't like those shingles either.

But you are confident in this particular shingle? Is it not the shingle that was directly involved in the class action lawsuit for GAF, amongst other styles?

Or is it different now?