Pulte Homes, Sun City Hilton Head, SC

[PE, retired]

Here are some pics of my roof leak. The builder here at Sun City Hilton Head, SC, Pulte Homes, did a number of them like this. The problems: (1) roofing paper cut at the valley, (2) nails driven in the valley, and (3) “large roof” shingles should have overlapped “small roof” shingles (instead of the other way around, like Pulte did it).

I have 4 valleys on my roof. Pulte fixed 1, because only one has leaked--so far. I’m not alone—there are many roofs here like mine. (The empty beer can was near the leak.)

A stellar example of the work of the “masterbuilder”, Pulte Homes.

for more, see http://peretired.blogspot.com/

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[PE, retired]

more pics

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[Jim McKee]

are You telling me there was no metal...no ice guard ...nothing under that valley ??and they only fixed one ....how did they fix it....if the others were done the same way they will leak soon....what a shame.....it just seems to get worse and worse....

[PE, retired]

nothing but paper, and that was cut.

Looking at the close-up of the valley with the cut paper (in my original post), you have to wonder about Pulte's employees, Pulte's subcontractor's employees, and Beaufort County, SC inspectors. How could that NOT leak? Do they look? Do they think? Do they care? Obviously not. Meanwhile the homebuyer gets screwed. Sound familiar?

The pics below show how they fixed ONLY 1 of the 4 valleys (yes, they only fixed the leaking ONE, and the other THREE, that haven't leaked yet, WILL eventually leak). they put a waterproof membrane down before they put on the new shingles, which they wove (at my direction), instead of spliced. There is a small ice guard at the gutter that was installed in the original construction.

Meanwhile, Bill Pulte, founder of Pulte Homes, and John Cherry, president of the southeast division of Pulte Homes, have the audacity to say that Pulte builds high quality homes. Yeah, right.

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[Carl Brown]

The one they (fixed) is reverse lapped. 

It should have been under the other paper.

[PE, retired]

you're looking at the "before" photo. they wove the shingles (at my direction) on the one that they fixed. The other 3 (that they didn't fix) are lapped.

funny story: when the guys showed up to fix the one that leaked (different guys from the ones who originally did the roof), I heard one of them say as he got out of their truck, "another valley". When I talked with the foreman about laps vs. weaves, I asked, "which one is better?" He said, "weave". That one weave on my house may be the only one at SCHH. There are THOUSANDS of laps.

[Carl Brown]

I was talking about the tarpaper they put back on for the repair. In the valley.

Now if water gets in somewhere above it the water will run under the paper in the valey right into the house again.

[PE, retired]

I'm not a roofing expert, but I can tell you that the repaired valley hasn't leaked. They put a synthetic, rubber-like membrane in the valley on top of the old roofing paper. They were careful NOT to put nails in the valley when they nailed the new shingles down. They wove the new shingles instead of lapping them.

My point here is not to draw attention to the repair, but rather the original construction. ANYBODY could tell that the original valley would leak by the way that it was constructed--with the roofing paper CUT in the valley, and nails driven in the valley. ANYBODY, including Pulte's employees, Pulte's subcontractor's employees, and Beaufort County, SC's building inspectors.

[PE, retired]

Please see Dr Bob Patient's 1/18/09 response (a retired roofing expert and resident at SCHH):

http://myschh.com/index.php?topic=163.0

Thank you, Dr Bobs Patient.

[Jay Markanich]

Never enough time to do it right the first time, but time to come back (over and over -- "another valley") to fix it?  Gee, that makes sense!

Why not just do it right the first time - membrane, metal valley, properly cut shingles.

How old is the house Ray?  Were they beyond the warranty period?

[PE, retired]

Jay, when the roof leak occurred, my house was just short of 3 years old. my roof has 4 valleys. they fixed the leaking one under warranty. they didn't fix the other 3. I think that the houses that Dr. Bobs Patient is talking about are relatively new--maybe a year or 2 old. (I don't know Dr. Bobs Patient.) Ray

[Jay Markanich]

So, it's fix if you must - too many to worry about and only a percentage will leak within the warranty. 

That's one excellent business practice there!  And you may quote me!

Why didn't you put this on your blog, Ray?  All the guys here would be willing to comment there too.

[PE, retired]

Jay,
on Friday, 1/16, I posted a link on my blog (http://peretired.blogspot.com/) to your-leaking-house.com.  You posted a comment there. The story of my leaking roof (in detail, with pictures) is under the "2008" tab. How else should I present it?

I appreciate your suggestions and your posts. It'd be GREAT if guys from your-leaking-house.com posted to my blog, calling attention to shoddy construction (like they're doing on your-leaking-house.com). Only by calling attention to shoddy construction will something eventually be DONE about it.
Ray

[Jay Markanich]

Sorry, Ray - I looked yesterday and did not see it.  And, obviously, did not remember commenting.  I am glad I did.  You have a great site and more comments will only add to its veracity.

I'll look again!

[The Roofing God]

the valley weave means laying up 12-18" of shingle from the lowerpitched roof,onto a steeper pitched roof,or one with a higher ridge line,the next side of the valley is laid up to the crothch of that same valley,and cut in a line approx. 1/2"-3/4" above the intersection of the valley. If the nails of the shingles are kept 9-12" from the valley,there should be no leaks--the felt paper is a vapor barrier-although it may provide temporary waterproofing during the roof install,the shingles are truly what keep out the elements--I do agree about not cutting underlayments,but don`t really think they keep out water,If water gets in at a high place on the roof,it will rust out the fasteners until they leak