# New York Roofing Law - 3 layers, grandfathered?



## jvaruzzo

I'm looking to purchase a house, my building inspector noted that there were three layers of roofing and suggested additional supports or trusses to the roof to help balance the load of the additional weight.

I'm just a regular consumer, not a contractor or roofer. Does anyone know, if I purchase this home, am I liable to repair this roof? Is it against the law to have 3 layers on a roof, or is it against the law for a roofer to install a 3rd layer? I'm not sure I'm reading it correctly.

I just want to insure that at some point someone doesn't come out to my new house and tell me the roof needs to be replaced. Removing and disposing of 3 layers alone will be an expensive endeavor, forget about adding the cost of reroofing!

Any help appreciated, thanks!
-Justin


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## mudmixer

It is definitely not good to have too many layers of old roofing.

Your home inspector certainly earned his money when he pointed out the number of layers. Did he venture a guess at the life? - Hard to be accurate.

It is not against the law, but in SOME areas there is a requiremnt that an owner cannot apply a third layer over two existing layers. For the city to claim the roof is not to code, they would have to admit they did not do their enforcement (if there was even that requirement).

1. The load on the roof may be greater than the house is designed for, especially if you have snow.

2. Your three layer roof will definitely not last as long because the the heat build-up that can cut the life of a shingle roof in half.

I doubt if anyone will come knocking on your door requiring a new roof just because you bought the house. The replacement time of the roof will probably be up to you. - When you do replace, make sure you have a complete tear-off and that way you will be able to get a guarantee on the new roof.

The seller may contribute toward the cost of a new roof if it is pointed out to him that the existing roof has a very limited life.


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## jvaruzzo

"It is not against the law, but in SOME areas there is a requiremnt that an owner cannot apply a third layer over two existing layers."

This is where I become a little confused, new york state law says the following:

Section R907.3 of the NY State Residential Code:
"New roof coverings shall NOT be installed without first removing existing roof coverings where any of the following conditions occur:

1. Where the existing roof or roof covering is water-soaked or has deteriorated to the point that the existing roof or roof covering is not adequate as a base for additional roofing.

2. Where the existing roof covering is wood shake, slate, clay, cement or asbestos cement tile.

*3. Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering."  *


Reading this seems to me that it is illegal to "install" a 3rd layer of roofing. Not nescessarily  illegal to posses a 3rd layer. Implying the installer of the roof would be liable, not the home owner.

I'm not too concerned, structurally, the building inspector said there was no signs or warpage or stress, but he also said the new roof was 3-5 years old, he said over time (10+ years) significant warpage and sagging can occur with all the weight. He suggested I sister-up every other struss or so to reinforce the roof, at the very least he suggested vertical supports from the rafter to the trusses to help better distribute the load.

My only concern is it is a legal 2-family, currently set up as a mother/daughter. After closing I'd like to set it up as a 2 family, meaning I have to seperate some utilities (add an electric service for the apartment). I know the electric service has to be inspected, I also don't know if I need two CO's for each apartment, or just one for the house? I will do what I need to do to get things rolling, but I don't want an inspector to come and tell me I need to spend $15k to replace a roof.

Thanks for the input, 
 Justin


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## Deacon

I did not read all of this but I have some thoughts:  3 roofs are to heavy.  3 roofs hold the moisture inbetween the layers therefore deteriorating the top layer before its warranty is up and where I come from, the insurance company will never ever insure a home with 3 layers of shingles on it.


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## cayotte126

How do I ask a question on here?


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## havasu

cayotte126 said:


> How do I ask a question on here?


Our spam setting matched your ip address or user name, so your log on was locked until I ok'ed it. Go ahead and ask away!


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## Mc23720

jvaruzzo said:


> I'm looking to purchase a house, my building inspector noted that there were three layers of roofing and suggested additional supports or trusses to the roof to help balance the load of the additional weight.
> 
> I'm just a regular consumer, not a contractor or roofer. Does anyone know, if I purchase this home, am I liable to repair this roof? Is it against the law to have 3 layers on a roof, or is it against the law for a roofer to install a 3rd layer? I'm not sure I'm reading it correctly.
> 
> I just want to insure that at some point someone doesn't come out to my new house and tell me the roof needs to be replaced. Removing and disposing of 3 layers alone will be an expensive endeavor, forget about adding the cost of reroofing!
> 
> Any help appreciated, thanks!
> -Justin


It's just like Jenga bro , to much weight and the Building will go down . Not necessarily the existing roof will need support, il suggest giving a look at the points were the roof is hanging on and by your perspective youl see if that roof will need a additional support, sometimes even just removing just 1 layer can make the solution of the equation done . And could save more money just by removing 1 layer and , if your interested on giving more capital and equity of value of your home il suggest removing 2 layers and leaving the original roof and making a new 1 will leave in a nice fresh for the summer time and less possibilities that with a 3 roof layer will probably already have existing problems 1- wight for building 2- humidity accumulation because of all the 3 layers roof , in night time a lot of humidity tends to accumulate , 4 - it will just make the house a favor .


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## nealtw

Use the roof as an excuse to push for a $10.000 discount, the expected life will be shorter. 
That is about what the home owner saved when he had the roof done.


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## oldognewtrick

Mc23720 said:


> It's just like Jenga bro , to much weight and the Building will go down . Not necessarily the existing roof will need support, il suggest giving a look at the points were the roof is hanging on and by your perspective youl see if that roof will need a additional support, sometimes even just removing just 1 layer can make the solution of the equation done . And could save more money just by removing 1 layer and , if your interested on giving more capital and equity of value of your home il suggest removing 2 layers and leaving the original roof and making a new 1 will leave in a nice fresh for the summer time and less possibilities that with a 3 roof layer will probably already have existing problems 1- wight for building 2- humidity accumulation because of all the 3 layers roof , in night time a lot of humidity tends to accumulate , 4 - it will just make the house a favor .


Are you serious? Have you ever removed shingles from a roof? It's almost certain that the layer underneath are severely compromised to the point of mulch. Heat will continue to degrade the underlying layers even though they've been covered up. Trying to remove one or two layers, would at best be almost impossible and, the shingles underneath will be full of nail holes.


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## Mc23720

oldognewtrick said:


> Are you serious? Have you ever removed shingles from a roof? It's almost certain that the layer underneath are severely compromised to the point of mulch. Heat will continue to degrade the underlying layers even though they've been covered up. Trying to remove one or two layers, would at best be almost impossible and, the shingles underneath will be full of nail holes.


Depends because if that roof is no more than old than 10 years or more that roof could still be removed layer by layer , I have encounter with really old roofs and I'm talking about really old roofs and the degree of the life span of a shingle is pretty tuff to discuss, because we take in matter how that roof has been placed with good nails and good proper nail position in the shingle. And by me means if the roof has been cool. if the roof gets a lot of shade , that's a + for a positive removal. There's no roof that's it's impossible to do . Neither there's a job that can't be done , however the home Owner whats to do with it's roof , it's possible. And even if the shingles are all glued by the heat , it's possible to remove layer by layer . I know some good people that will laugh if they were to hear about this . There's no metal that can't be naild down neither the impossible that can be turned to possible!


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## 68bucks

I'm with nealtw, I'd use it as a bargaining chip for the sale. Point out the apparent code violation and asked for a lower price or, better yet, that the problem be corrected with a tear off and new roof. It sounds like in any case its a problem so I personally would not want to buy that problem because once you own it it's your expense and so one or later it will need addressed. It may also be that the owner must disclose a known code problem for a sale, and the problem is now known so trying to sell to someone else is an issue for them.


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## bud16415

Are we answering a question from 2007?


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## oldognewtrick

bud16415 said:


> Are we answering a question from 2007?


Yes...the thread was hijacked. What was relevant 13 years ago, is relevant today. It just boggles my mind that anyone would even remotely consider removing half the shingles. There's not a viable way to fix any decking issues.


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## bud16415

oldognewtrick said:


> Yes...the thread was hijacked. What was relevant 13 years ago, is relevant today. It just boggles my mind that anyone would even remotely consider removing half the shingles. There's not a viable way to fix any decking issues.


I agree when I read the reply I started to laugh as I could only imagine trying to lift one or two layers of shingles leaving one, and why would there be additional layers if there wasn’t anything wrong with the first layer. Not to mention all the nails making holes.



I could only come to the conclusion sometimes people come here just trying to have some fun and see if they can rile anyone up.

Besides the OP by now has 4 layers of shingles and the next time he will need to use longer roofing nails.


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## oldognewtrick

bud16415 said:


> I agree when I read the reply I started to laugh as I could only imagine trying to lift one or two layers of shingles leaving one, and why would there be additional layers if there wasn’t anything wrong with the first layer. Not to mention all the nails making holes.
> 
> 
> 
> I could only come to the conclusion sometimes people come here just trying to have some fun and see if they can rile anyone up.
> 
> Besides the OP by now has 4 layers of shingles and the next time he will need to use longer roofing nails.


Yep, you know you have to many layers of shingles when you have to use 4" 16d nails to put them on.


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## Mc23720

cayotte126 said:


> How do I ask a question on here?


u 
just did


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