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View Full Version : New roof, boning up on Hondoran. Rosetta Stone anyone?



Mitchell Andrus
04-22-2010, 7:24 AM
I had the roof on my NJ house replaced Tues and Weds. The old one gave up the ghost after 21 years. Very big job with many dormers and returns, detached garage, 2 skylights, 2 sheets of plywood to replace rotten spots..... I've got a really complicated roof. For those casting an eye upwards at your own house, this cost $9,500.00 including $850.00 for 2 new skylights. My dad got an estimate for his cape cod from this contractor for $5,400.00.

This crew of 7 worked their butts off for 13 hours on Tues (still on the roof in the dark by braille I guess) and were on the job 7:30 Weds to finish up. I watched them most of the day and the level of detail they adhered to was amazing.

I miss the days when you could speak English or passable Mexican on the job site. These guys were all highly skilled Hondorans and didn't stop moving for nothin' but lunch. They live in Trenton at least an hour away. That means they got home at about 10:00pm.

Without a few Smiths and Jones on jobsites to keep the skills bank filled up.... well, I guess the American worker is doomed. Maybe we can sell them life insurance and stock options.


(I would have gone for a darker color, but LOML insisted.)

Matt Meiser
04-22-2010, 8:39 AM
I just got confirmation yesterday that my shop needs a new roof. Its not to the point of being bad enough to cause problems yet but at least the south-facing side is at it end of life. The north-facing side is a little better but no sense in doing only one side. Luckily its a very simple roof, and I've got a next door neighbor who's a roofer. I've got a number of bundles of shingles left over--some brand I've never heard of and they seem thin to me so not surprising even though its only about 15 years old. I'll probably find out the $$$$ damage today or tomorrow.