American West Contracting Co

I have read the remarks and have stated everything I know about this complaint

Complaint: ***I am rejecting this response because:
Just because a business owner says they have a good record doesn’t make it so. He may have an A+ rating but there is at least one Revdex.com complaint on record other than mine under this business name. The contractor had a tax problem with the Deptof Labor and Industries. Other issues since the early 2000s when the original company was formed are listed under the contractor's name on the Washington State Courts site. The most recent is dated in
In response to some of the business owner’s points : This company may be doing jobs a month now, but probably not in when working on the roof and other areas of my home. There should have been more oversight on the job. As said before, my residence was the first where the company installed a membrane roof. The roofer was required to take a class to learn how to do this correctly. Apparently that knowledge wasn’t passed on to his workers. Some things were done wrong or poorlyMy concerns were dismissed and brushed off. My guess is that if they installed TPO on subsequent residences, especially those with low-pitch roofs (mine is around 2/12), problems will be coming to light. The follow up of a ridge cap wasn’t a good choice, and most likely didn’t follow manufacturer’s specs
How is it that the business owner says on April 22nd that “I have seen maybe pictures and know exactly what is going on” since his prior response around April 13th of “We are still not certain why or how the water entered the roof system…?” Other construction professionals suggest that the reason this roofer didn’t come out personally to look is because he knew what a bad job was done. I’m not sure about his reference to “maybe” pictures. Only could be uploaded on Revdex.com. This time I’ve included a zip file of interior shots, plus more photos. In December I offered a flash drive with all pictures from (by now) different sources including drone shots, that he chose not to accept. That drive was instead given to the city contracting consultant on April 11, 2016.
His assistant has been out here twice, not “several times.” His last visit was Dec18, 2015. I have a living room with a plastic sheeting ceiling, no insulation, mildewy smell, and belongings shifted around for going on half a year. Add to that the stress while trying to resolve worsening problems, and health issues stemming from this deterioration. Allergies are developing that I haven’t had beforeRecently I had my first migraine in yearsI’m concerned about black mold, both above the ceiling, and under the sidingThe damage seems to be especially worse directly above my bedroom on the North back side
The fascia and soffiting have been affected. The electrical wiring is possibly compromised. Most of the gypsum board ceiling and all insulation will need to be replaced. Spraying it with antimicrobial solution won’t be acceptable My utility costs have risen. This is despite keeping the thermostat set during the winter at a balmy degrees during the day, and at night. My homeowner’s insurance has gone up. I’m on an extremely limited income.
The municipal department should be involved with reparations. I agree with that much of what the business owner has said. Whichever city inspector passed this job must have not known much about either low pitch roofs or correctly installed TPO. Although the contractor blames problems on the department’s influence in the choice and use of insulation, the carport TPO covering also shows deterioration as first noted by the State Farm rep. There’s no insulation there, just improperly applied membrane
After the consultant submits his report of findings with that of the TPO rep, the business owner is welcome to verify by going on my roof as long as he’s with someone I trust. I’m leery of having more people up there because of the spots that are simply unsafe to walk on. His opportunity to make things right when I was keeping this between the two of us is over. Almost months passed before I contacted the municipal department and Revdex.com. The only communication from the company since Dec18, were bills despite the letter I sent to the contractor in January asking him to talk with me. A proposal for a $fix arrived when I contacted the city in March.
Whether repairs are funded through business insurance, bond, or a combination with the city, I have already paid substantially for this mess and owe for the initial loan paying for the company’s work Plus, I paid my home insurance deductible of $towards the claim I had to make in December. I should be reimbursed. Why should I contribute another cent that I don’t have anyway?
American West will not be working on my house again. Another contractor will have to do the repairs. There are other options that I’ve been reluctant to pursue, but will if an acceptable resolution is not offered The value of my house which is my main investment has been negatively affected. My home where I hoped to live out my life is uncomfortable and damaged. Yes, it really IS that bad. All things considered, I’ve been patient
Sincerely,*** ***

American West Contracting received a roof repair call from *** *** in late November 2015. A very heavy rain and wind storm had occurred on Nov17th which killed three people and left several hundred thousand people without power. Our
roofing technician, Matthew A***, was sent out to see what happened Matt thought at first that wind driven rain had made its way into the vent system some how so he added some sealant in hopes to prevent it from happening and arranged to come back with a more permanent solution. He went back in early December and added some extra metal baffles to the ridge vent to stop any wind driven rain from getting inside the Coravent Vent System. We then billed for the work. When it leaked again in January Matt went back out and placed a small tarp over the area until we came up with a new plan. Since January we drafted a plan to raise the ridge vent so that no puddling water could seep in.
We are still not certain why or how the water entered into the roof system in November 2015 but we made efforts to help fix the roof vent. The roof installed in went through many other storms and years of wear and did not leak until shortly after a major storm in Nov2015.
This project was contracted with American West Contracting through the City of Tacoma and *** *** with a one year labor warrantyThe roof warranty ended in 2012. We received a letter from *** *** stating that she refused to pay the invoice since the roof is still not fixed. I understand that the flashing repair did not work so I removed the invoice from our system and have been waiting to hear back from *** about the new proposed roof repair.
Sincerely,
Robert S***
Owner

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
Since filing the complaint there have been 3 additional professionals to inspect American West’s work.  The news has been progressively worse.  Another roofer was here on March 22 who had extensive low pitch roof experience. Among other things, the ridge cap looks to be installed incorrectly, if in fact the roof pitch lent itself to the success of one at all. 
A consultant contractor and a manufacturer’s rep inspected on April 11.  Their report is being processed.  I don’t expect it to be radically different than what the previous 4 professionals had to say.  I have also received a response from the Cor-a-Vent company, and am trying to clarify a couple points.
My roof actually HAS been deteriorating from the very beginning due to multiple things done just plain wrong or sloppily. Mr. S[redacted] tries to isolate the leak source to the ridge vent.  He blames the weather and the municipal department that handled my loan, apparently taking no responsibility for installations done poorly, or ongoing damage, while citing a ONE year warranty.  Okay, let’s go there.  Adequate airflow isn’t present between the ceiling and roof. I question whether air sealing work was performed on the gypsum board ceiling before the insulation was installed. Water and condensation have been collecting under my entire roof since 2011.  Ongoing deterioration in the opposite back corner of my house shows that more is happening than just ridge cap failure in the front half.  It just took El Nino to bring this to light.  Many people have ridge caps that don’t leak into their homes.  The counterflashing, or metal baffling worsened an already bad issue with the ridge cap, NOT addressing other significant problems.  A one year warranty?  Regardless of what the municipal department guaranteed, the roofer doesn’t have the honor and pride of workmanship to go beyond that? 
 
It appears that my home has “wet-roof failure” due to inappropriate use and poorly done application of the WeatherBond TPO membrane on a residential low pitch roof with both incorrect and old insulations, poor venting, and differences in outer and interior temperatures promoting condensation in an already rainy locale. Photographs from the ServPro water mitigators show the mess developing under the roof.  It’s ugly.  I offered to the owner all my photographs in addition to those received from State Farm, ServPro, and two Revdex.com roofers. He hasn’t accepted, or even shown up to personally check the damage.
In addition, the owner’s dates are off in his response. I have seen no one since December 18, 2015. I initially contacted the owner on Nov. 28, 2015 with follow-ups on 11/30 & 12/03. His technician came out on Friday, Dec. 4, and installed counter flashing (metal baffles). The repair invoice was dated 12/07, emailed 12/09.  On December 18th there was water running down the center beam in my living room, pooling on the hardwood floor. Across the room, drip stains were appearing on the clear plastic put up in place of the ceiling and insulation removed by the mitigators. The technician came that day to put a plastic cover over only half the length of the ridge vent.  When leaving he said that he didn't know how or when, but that they would take care of whatever the problem was.
I told him that much more than the ridge cap was at issue.  By that point, the State Farm claims inspector said she had "serious concerns" about the ENTIRE roof.  On a 4+ year-old roof, she found spongy decking that was unsafe to walk on.  She herself had already talked to the owner. He told her flat-out that he had no intention of further action. I had also contacted WeatherBond, and a rep talked to him as well. Yet at no point has the owner looked at the deteriorating roof and progressive interior damage.
 
A second copy of the flashing bill arrived on January 29, 2016 which was the first contact since the temporary cover. I sent a Priority, tracked letter that day to the business. It detailed what had been happening and my concerns, plus questioning why I should pay for work resulting in more damage.  I heard nothing until reaching out to the municipal department that administered my loan for home repairs. A representative contacted him on March 14.  He emailed a rebuttal to us on the 15th, stating that he'd sent me a proposal to raise the ridge cap.  I had literally just received it in the mail, after contacting the department.  In the Revdex.com response, he says he's waited to hear back from me in regards to the proposed $900 ridge cap raise.  However, I’d already answered in a March 16 email to him and the municipal rep :
 
"The quote I just received is asking me to pay $900 to fix the ridge cap that he should have known would need to be higher to begin with.  The fact that the cap is rusting, and that the sealing wasn't done well in areas makes this proposal unconscionable."
 
I'd call that a "No" to his proposal.
 
Sincerely,[redacted]

I have read the remarks and have stated everything I know about this complaint.