ComplaintsforCitadel Roofing & Construction, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  08/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 4-25 and 4-26-23, Citadel Roofing installed a new roof on our house. We had paid them $7,060.59 upfront before the job started. Before they started I was told that my areas of concern would be addressed and was told that the gutters would be cleaned and realigned. During installation we were not told that the roof had gaps or that they were breaking numerous boards causing debris falling into the attic and the garage. Before the roofers got to the areas of concern, I called *****, the owner. He assured me they would be done but the roofers kept going. ***** came by and said if he needed to do it himself he would. We did not hear from him or anyone from Citadel for 2 weeks after that, on May 11th. I made it very clear to them how unsatisfied I was with the roof. The inside repairs were not addressed at all! They did very little cleanup, which caused us 3 flat tires. We picked up over 200 nails, wood, shingles, cigarette butts, drink bottles. Cleaning the attic and the garage of all the debris will be a major undertaking. They also parked on our garden hose, ruining it. The only discussion about wood replacement was that I needed boards at a cost of $2,600 but there was no followup discussion. Many visible spots are rotted and some were leaking that were not addressed. We are looking at extensive costs to repair the mess that was left. Estimated costs for just broken boards is $3000-5000. Cleanup of attic and garage will take several days requiring hired help. Citadel is requesting payment of $13,023.62 by August 31st. We had two reputable roofing companies examine our roof and they said the only way to fully repair the broken boards and the areas of concern is to tear off and re-roof by a reputable company.

  

  Business response

  08/23/2023

  We contracted with Mr. and Mrs. ***** to replace their roof on April 4, 2023, after the big storms in
  March of this year. We tarped their roof twice, the second time after a big storm ripped the first tarp off.
  As is the case with any roofing contractor, our contract has a section titled “Wood Replacement”. This
  section specifies that we do not know the extent of wood damage and cannot accurately predict how
  much wood will need to be replaced. This section has a contingency showing how much the customer
  will have to pay per 4’x 8’ sheet of plywood/OSB, or per linear foot of 1”x 8” board.
  Due to the age of the home, around 110 years old, and the poor condition of the prior roof, the existing
  roof decking was in poor condition. On the day of the installation, I spoke to Mr. ***** regarding the
  condition of his wood. I recommended a full overlay of the oldest part of the house which would cost
  upwards of $4,000.00, and replacement of many other boards on the other section and the garage, with
  a grand total of nearly $6,000.00. Mr. ***** said there was no way he could afford that amount of
  money in addition to his insurance deductible of $1,177.00. I showed Mr. ***** the condition of the
  wood from the ground and discussed options with him. I explained what wood absolutely needed to be
  replaced in order for me to honor our five-year workmanship warranty, and the bare minimum would
  cost $2400.00 to $2,600.00 according to our contract. However, seeing that he was in a tight spot, I
  offered to discount the wood replacement to $1,750.00, and to work with him to allow him to make
  payments on his out-of-pocket balance. He agreed and our crew began replacing the designated
  boards. Mr. *****’s assertion that no other discussion about wood took place is not true. Since Mr.
  ***** refused to honor our agreement, we have invoiced him for the full amount of the wood replaced
  in the amount of $2,490.00.
  Once we finish a project we go back and visit with a customer to get a Certificate of Completion (COC).
  We then send that Certificate to the insurance company along with other documents and pictures so
  they will release any remaining funds owed on the claim. We were unable to get in touch with Mr.
  ***** for several weeks after the roof was installed. When we did, he explained he had just gotten
  home from vacation. When I requested a meeting to get the COC, Mr. ***** informed me that he had
  already gotten the other insurance funds and was not going to pay me because we didn’t replace
  enough wood on his house and that our nail guns had broken some of his wood. Anytime you drive a
  nail into 110-year-old wood that has become brittle, whether from a nail gun or a hammer, splitting the
  wood is a possibility. This would not have been a problem if he had allowed me to replace all the wood
  I requested. However, since we always use six nails instead of four, I feel we have sufficient fasteners
  for me to warranty the roof.
  Citadel Roofing and Construction, LLC
  citadelroofingusa@gmail.com
  502-219-7964
  Page 2
  I requested a meeting with Mr. ***** to go over his concerns and make any repairs that were
  necessary to satisfy those concerns. He refused to meet with me and to show me his concerns, and
  then proceeded to tell me that he would never let me or any of my people on his roof again. He
  threatened me with legal action and complaints to the BBB if I tried to collect any further money from
  him for installing the roof. He also stated he was going to get an inspection from another roofing
  company to see what they said. He mentioned this in his complaint, but I do not see that he included
  any written report from any inspection. Filing a complaint when you are refusing to work with a person
  who is trying to make things right should not be allowed.
  Concerning Mr. *****’s pictures of his siding where it meets the roof. The siding is very old wood
  siding and has been in contact with the previous roof for years allowing it to become rotten. If you look
  in two of the pictures where the siding does not contact the roof you will see that the paint at the bottom
  is practically undisturbed. This means that when we removed the old roof, the siding was in that same
  condition. When pulling old shingles out from under siding, it is inevitable that there may be minor
  chipping of the paint. We always install step flashing where a roof meets a wall. This metal flashing
  goes from under each shingle and up the wall behind the siding, to prevent water from penetrating the
  area. In the one picture where some bare wood is present, again, it is inevitable that pulling out the old
  shingles will cause some paint to be chipped. When we install the step flashing and the shingles, we
  need to work the flashing up behind the siding which, if the siding is already compromised, can cause
  some minor damage. This home has long been due for new siding. We cannot be held responsible for
  damage primarily caused by years of weathering and decay.
  Mr. ***** mentions in his complaint that the interior work was not completed. This is always done by a
  separate crew and is typically done a few days after the roof is completed. But in Mr. *****’s case, the
  interior was not part of the contract. Insurance estimated the Total Replacement Cost Value of the
  claim was $17,092.99. Of this amount, $260.22 was for sealing a stain and painting the ceiling in the
  master bedroom. That left $16,832.77 for the roofs on the home and the garage, and this is the amount
  for which our contract was written. (Please see the attached Trade Summary from the insurance co.)
  Regarding the debris in the garage and attic. Our contract specifically addresses this in the terms and
  conditions. We advise customers that debris will fall from the removal of the old roof and recommend
  they cover any personal property in these areas.
  Mr. ***** says we were to re-align his gutters, yet there is no language requesting this in the contract.
  We are typically very good at cleaning up work sites and are often complimented and referred to the
  friends and family of our customers on this basis alone. We have project managers on site who
  supervise the work including the cleanup. Nobody and no organization is perfect. The one section of
  gutter with nails present that he includes in his pictures was obviously missed. However, there are no
  other pictures showing any debris around the yard. We always sweep the yards, driveways, and
  walkways with magnets to get as many nails as possible. We purchased three boxes of roofing nails
  and two boxes of plastic cap nails for the shingles and felt on this job. That’s 28,000 nails to complete
  the job, which means well over 20,000 nails were removed from Mr. *****’s roof. On any typical job,
  we tell customers that they will inevitably find some nails, but it is usually limited to a handful. If Mr.
  ***** found over 200 nails and other debris, why didn’t he take a picture to show this?
  Page 3
  In my opinion, it appears Mr. ***** never had any intention of paying for the remainder of his roof and
  used the wood issue as a pretense for refusing to pay. If he continues to refuse, I will file a mechanic’s
  lien on Mr. *****’s property as is my right. I offer all of my clients a five-year workmanship warranty on
  top of the 50-year manufacturer’s limited warranty on the shingles. However, our warranty does not
  become effective until the amount of the contract with wood is paid in full. Should Mr. ***** change his
  mind and pay his considerable balance, I will honor that warranty.
  Mr. *****’s original contract was for $16,832.77. The wood replacement totals $2,490.00. Mr. *****
  has paid $7,060.59 leaving him an initial balance of $12,262.18 With late fees added as set out in the
  contract, his full balance is $13,023.62.
  After our last conversation in May, where Mr. ***** threatened legal action and libelous complaints if I
  pursued him for payment, I purposely waited 90 days before sending him a “notice of intent to file a
  lien” letter. I wanted to see if his complaints were real, or just a ruse to get him off the hook for the
  balance. If the roof is truly as bad as he says it is, then why didn’t he go ahead and pursue legal
  recourse? It’s because he doesn’t have a problem with the roof. He was hoping that his threats would
  make us go away quietly, allowing him to get a nearly $20,000 roof for just over $7,000.00, and so he
  could pocket the remaining insurance money totaling $8,808.32 and not pay for his wood and insurance
  deductible.
  Mr. ***** wants a refund? If I gave Mr. ***** a refund, he would simply pocket the money and keep
  the roof we provided him for free with no warranty. Therefore, there is only one circumstance I would
  even consider giving him a “refund”.
  1. Mr. ***** must contract with another BBB accredited roofing company to completely replace his
  roof again.
  2. Mr. ***** must pay that company the $8,808.32 in insurance money he collected after we
  installed his roof.
  3. The other roofing company must complete the work, and I must be informed of the date of
  installation, so I can watch it for myself from across the street.
  4. Mr. ***** must pay the balance of his contract with the other roofing company, including any
  wood replacement he owes, less the amount we would “refund” him.
  5. The amount we would refund him would be the $7,060.59 he has paid us minus the wood cost
  of what we replaced on his roof ($2,490.00) that the new roofing company will not have to
  replace. That would be a refund of $4,570.59. And we would write that check directly to the
  other roofing company on Mr. *****’s behalf.
  Please let me know if you need anything else.
  ***** ********
  Citadel Roofing and Construction, LLC
  502-445-9419

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