Building Materials Anti Theft Camera – Used at Construction Sites

Are Stolen Materials Being Installed On Your Home?

By Greg Kapitan:
For some time since 1999 have been telling Houston area homeowners to be on the look out should they receive a very low bid on siding or roofing jobs. Why? Because, I realized that in in some cases siding and/or roofing contractors in the Houston Texas market who, in order to save on the cost of building materials, were using recycled and/or stolen building materials such as siding planks, roofing shingles and tar paper.

The Houston Chronicle reports about construction theft with their story that is very informative for both business and homeowners alike. As reported online and in the press, the local Houston Police Department are actually making arrests of several of those involved.  Homeless people were hired and paid with cash or drugs to hijack materials from job sites and later companies would  “fence the stolen material“, from Wikipedia – A fence knowingly buys stolen property for resale, these are the middleman, working between thieves and the eventual buyers of the stolen building materials, who are aware that the building materials are indeed stolen. With these stolen (hijacked) materials, it is likely that the warranty will not be honored by the manufacturer. Theft of building materials such as siding or roofing products is something that has been going on for some time.

This idea of hijacking product is nothing new to the construction world, as roofing and siding contractors and sub-contractors are familiar with or may have been involved in construction theft for many years. The violators had just been getting away with it for a long time, it was overdue and about time they got caught red-handed and stopped in their tracks!

Who is Stealing the Building Materials?

A good portion of this problem stems from subcontractors (crews that many of the larger, well-known companies around town, hire to perform the labor portion of the siding and or roofing jobs) who may be working for a company on a siding or roofing project, then having building materials left over at the end of the project, they take the unused product from the job. The crew was then sliding the product into their trailer or truck and driving off with it. These are new siding planks, trim, roles of tar paper, roofing shingles, boxes of pneumatic nails and accessories that are still in their packages and have never been used that were delivered and intended for use on the project.

Roofing materials just sitting on a jobsite just waiting for someone to take them after the crews take ther tools home

What Are The Crews Doing With This Material?

After hijacking the product, the crews would then either sell the unused materials back to the reseller yard (fence) or low bid their own side jobs and use these left over materials. There are several smaller reseller (fencing) yards around Houston who were willing to buy the unused siding or roofing materials from the crews as a discounted price. This arrangement would allow the crew to simply pull up to the the reseller yard, slide the siding planks or unload the roofing shingles from back of their trailers right into the helping hands of the reseller lumber yards then getting paid cash for the building materials.

As you can imagine, this is a win-win for both the crew, who brings this material in and gets paid, as well as the lumber yard, who gets product not only delivered directly to their door but pays a discounted price for materials that were charged to a siding or roofing company job completed by the crew.

What Are The Reseller Yards (fencing) Paying The Crews?

When the subcontractor crews delivered in the unused material to the resellers (fencing) yard, then the reseller yard would count up the quantity of the product (whether it is siding planks or roofing shingles). For example, let’s say that a crew brought in siding planks like James Hardie Siding and or the LP SmartSide Siding, these usually retail for approximately $10 a plank. The reseller yard gives the crew (that acquired them for free) $5 for each plank, then the yard resells it back to the public who purchases the material at a discounted price of $7.50 each. The same deal with roofing shingles such as the GAF Timberline Shingles, a crew might, for example, bring in 10 bundles of unused shingles that retail for $30 per bundle, the reseller yard would then pay the crew $15 per bundle at $10 per bundle for a total of $150, which I would call, “free money” to the crew and darn right underhanded!

The reseller yard, once again, turns around and sells this unused material to the public for $22.50 per bundle, a discounted price instead of the regular retail price of $30 per bundle that is typically charged. Again, another win-win for both as far as money savings goes for the crew and yard. However; this is an illegal fence practice of construction theft that both the crew and reseller yards are participating in and are literally banking on.

A brief overview:
> Siding Company pays $10 per siding plank (from a retail supplier lumber yard) and hires a crew to install the material
> The dishonest crew takes the extra siding from job they worked on without permission, at no cost to them
> The crew gets paid from a reseller yard at $5 per plank
> The reseller yard re-sells the stolen siding planks at a discounted price to the public for $7.50 ea.

Note: 90% of these transactions are completed as a cash transactions

HPD Police Car

What is the Condition of the Re-sold Material and is There any Warranty?

Is short, most of the resold material is in fair to good condition however; the material may not be in as good of condition as it were just delivered by a legitimate supplier like ABC Supply and or West End Roofing Supply. When building materials such as siding and roofing have been resold, shifted around and compromised, there is NO Warranty and it Void on these compromised products. This is another aspect that most Houston area homeowners are not aware of. Let me explain why, when the siding or roofing material is delivered directly from retail lumber yards it is in great condition, banded together and has not been shuffled around as well as verifiable tickets and/or receipts for the product purchased from the original supplier, this is not secondhand product.

When being moved around, the integrity of the products can be compromised.  Like Hardie siding can end up with chipped ends and roofing shingles can be easily torn thus compromising the quality of the products. This happens when the crews load the extra material in and out of their trailers and it is often shuffled around with the trash. The moving around and hauling can cause the chipped ends and slightly torn roofing shingles that are then resold, possibly damaged, to the public at a discounted price.

How it Can Play Out on Your Job..

Now I will provide you with a scenario of how this can play out on siding or roofing jobs in the state of Texas. When the crew shows up on job like a siding job, the materials are all bundled together by the retail lumber yard who attaches a packing or delivery ticket. The siding company had the supplier deliver 10 squares of siding to the home for installation. The crew then meets with the supervisor of the siding company and goes over the job. Once the supervisor has left the job, the crew gets to work. The crew starts installing the siding material on the home and in the midst of the project, may slip a few planks onto their trailer upside down placing the trash on top to disguise it as trash, or they may, at the end of the job remove the leftover material without the knowledge of the siding contractor, placing it on top of the trash and covering it with a tarp as if it were trash.

Untrusting crew guy taking money

How Crews are Getting Paid, Part of the Problem!

You see, many siding companies pay their siding crews based the amount of siding installed on a job rather than paying them on the total amount ordered. So, if a crew gets paid $225 per square and 10 squares were delivered they get paid $225 for 10 squares totaling $2,250. However; most siding companies want to cut as much cost as possible to maximize profit, so they pay the crews based on the actual amount installed vs the amount dropped and then ask the crew leave any extra material for pickup by the supplier to receive a credit.

If there are 2 squares of siding material left over out of the 10 that was delivered, the siding company will only pay the crew for 8 squares of siding which would save the company 2 squares at $225 totaling a $450 in addition to the credit they will get from the lumber yard on the returned product.

When companies choose to pay their crews based on how much they install, the crew may choose to claim that all of the siding delivered was installed in order to get paid better. I have found that this method leaves room for dishonesty on the part of the crew. I have heard of them slipping a few planks into their trailed before they start the job, which can provide the crew with the opportunity to claim that the job needed more siding to complete when they run out of siding before the end of the job (totally even more squares). The crew simply tells the siding company they need more material (within believable reason) thus the crew ends up making more money on the job and as well as having extra material they can sell at a discount to the re-seller yard, so I have found this not to be good practice.

I have found a better method is to pay the crews based on the total amount of material dropped not just by the total amount of material installed. The crews are less wasteful and more honest going this route.

Education of Homeowners is the Key About a Low Bid (estimate)

Having been in the home improvement business for nearly 30 years and being aware of this happening over and over again, it is my intention to educate homeowners into having some insight on why their bid may be so low from some contractors vs others and can be a red flag.  If this is the case, it very well could be because the material was acquired at a lower price from a reseller yard provided by a crew that hijacked it from someone else’s home project.

How To Know New Materials Are Being Used on Your Home?

What can a homeowner do to ensure that ONLY NEW, Fully-Warrantied Material will be installed on their home? I am surprised at the number of Home Exterior Companies in TX are using used or leftover material from jobs, recycling and reusing them on homeowner’s homes in order to save money.  be sure to select a company who uses supplies from reputable suppliers who will deliver your siding or roofing product directly to your home like we at Texas Home Exteriors does and we’ll install ONLY NEW, full warrantied materials on your home.

The materials for your project will be delivered straight to your door directly from ABC Supply or West End Roofing. We only use reputable suppliers who are some of the Largest and deliver new products such as: Simonton, replacement windows, NT Window, GAF Roofing, LP SmartSide, HardiePlank and KayCan Vinyl Siding Product Suppliers in Texas and America!

ABC Supply Delivering New Siding and Roofing Material

I hope that you have found this post must helpful in making an informed and educated decision. Please follow my, Kapitan The Siding Man Blog which is full of great content to help provide you with information and insight into many home improvement decisions.

Greg Kapitan, “Kapitan The Siding Man”

Free Estimate with New Material

Texas Home Exteriors Roofing Crew

Here is the short version to that question; between $195 – $295 per sq per 100 square foot area, now we’ll go into more information on this is determined. Homeowners across the country often ask, “what is the cost range to replace my roof?” This is a great question as there are a variety of factors that need to be considered when determining the cost of a roof replacement. In this post, I will do my best to provide answers to help you understand how determine approximately how much your roof replacement will or should cost Keep in mind that the answers and information provided reflect my direct and personal experiences as well as considerations for location of this experience as my company Texas Home Exteriors services the Southeast Texas, Houston Texas and East Texas metro areas.

During my time serving the greater Houston, southeast Texas metro areas, my company has observed an average roofing replacement cost at around $7,500 and ranging from around $4,500 for a composition (asphalt) shingles on upward to over $30,000+ for high-end slate or metal roofing shingles.

Four Factors Included in Roof Replacement Cost:

1 – Size of Roofing Area

Roofing Companies and Contractors determine pricing cost for roofing on a per square measurement basis. A square is 100 square feet, which is referred to “1 square” in roofing terminology (or lingo), of roof surface area. For example, a 10′ x 10′ roof surface area equals a 100 sq. ft. thus the size would be one square (abbreviated as 1 sq.). This 100 square feet (sq. ft.) section of roof, in roofing terms, is equal to one roofing square (or 1 sq.). The measurement of your total roof surface area determines how many squares of roofing shingle area for the roof as well as the amount of roofing materials that will be needed to complete the job. It is important that each and every roofing slope of the roofing area be measured and calculated individually and added to your over total squares for an more accurate cost.

One Story Two Slope Gable Roof 6/12 pitch

For instance, let’s say we are calculating a simple two slope gable roof. The front slope is measured at 25′ x 50′, by multiplying these to numbers we get the square footage of that section equaling 1,250 sq. ft.

Now let’s say the back slope is the same 25′ x 50′ section for another 1,250 sq. ft. We would then add these two numbers together, the front slope of the roof is 1,250 sq. ft. plus the back slope of the roof is 1,250 sq. ft. for a total of 2,500 sq. feet of roofing area for this particular roof example.

It is necessary then to add 15%-20% (depending on how simple or cut-up the roof is) to the 2,500 sq. ft. total for waste, starter and ridge (2,500 x 15% = 375). Now add those two numbers together, 375 sq. ft. + 2,500 = 2,875 sq. ft. for the grand total square footage of roofing area for this roof.  I recommend rounding this number up to 2,900 sq. ft. then multiplying it by 100 to convert to a square for a total of 29 squares.

In the Houston Texas metro area, roofing companies and contractors will charge anywhere from $195 – $295 per square to replace most roofs (this is for a standard 1-2 story with a roof pitch of 5/12 or less). So, let’s say, with this 29 sq. roof, a contractor provides you with a bid of $225 per sq. ($225 X 29 = 6,525), the total roof replacement cost would be $6,525. Note that this price should include all that  has been outlined in our Best Roofing Shingle Practices.

2 – How Many Layers of Roofing Shingles will Need to be Removed?

Understand that if your roof has only one layer of roofing on it, then the replacement cost will be lower per square than one with two or several layers of roofing. Typically for each additional layer, you can expect to pay an additional $25 per square for removal. So with one additional layer on your 29 square roof, expect to pay an extra $725 ($25 X 29 = $725) to remove one layer, note that this price includes haul off of the shingles to the landfill or recycling center (for two layers of roofing, you would multiply the $725 x 2 paying the $725 twice for an extra $1,450 on this 29 sq. ft. roof and so on with each layer).

One and Two Story Home 8/12 – 12/12 Pitch Cut-Up Complex Roof. GAF Timberline Roofing Shingles – Weatherwood Color

3 – Pitch / Difficulty of the Roof

The pitch of any roof will determine the labor cost due to the difficulty, the steeper the roof, the more difficult thus more costly the replacement will be. Keep in mind , if the roof pitch is greater than 5/12, you can expect to pay an up-charge based on the steepness and difficulty of the specific roof. Why is this necessary might one ask?

You can expect to pay roofing contractors an up-charge on a roof with a greater pitch because the pitch of the roof is steeper. This makes the roof installation more difficult to work as it makes it more difficult to walk on thus a more dangerous job for the roofing crew as well as more difficult to control the materials from sliding off the roof during installation so more safety issues come into play for the workers as well as liability, these roofs require more skill as well as greater attention to detail.

With a higher pitched roof, the entire roofing process will take longer overall so expect an installation on a steeper roof to take a longer time to be completed. This is what you will find roofing contractors calling a labor difficulty up-charge. These types of roofs are also cut-up roofs that have more waste in materials and will increase the over all cost as well.

Notice the roof on the home in the image to the right, this roof displays GAF Timberline roofing shingles on what is referred to as a “cut-up and steep roof” in the roofing industry. On the other end of the spectrum is the small gable roof photo above, it has simple non-steep roof that is easy to walk on and is non cut-up. The cost on this simple roof would cost less to replace than the more difficult steep and cut-up roof.

4 – Shingle Material Choice Affects Roof Replacement Cost

The most common roofing material used in the United States is a shingle that is laminated composition (or asphalt shingles). These type of shingles are used on about 80% of homes across the country. The use of composition shingles is primarily due to the affordability and replacement cost of this type of roofing shingle. Composition asphalt roofing shingles are made from a fiberglass mat which is then coated with asphalt (tar) and colored mineral granules making the shingles waterproof. These shingles typically come with a 30-year warranty. And now shingles like GAF Timberline Lifetime Roofing Shingles provide a lifetime transferable warranty from the manufacturer.

Composition Laminate Roofing Shingle

There are a variety of other roofing materials to choose from like wood, metal, tile, composite and slate. When considering these types of roofing material, keep in mind they are much more costly options so the cost of your roof replacement can increase very quickly from double to even three times or more.

These types of roofing materials cost much more, so naturally the total price of the roofing project increases. Also, keep in mind that the installation of wood, metal, tile, composite and slate roofing material is more expensive and often require special tools and skill for installation. For even more information, you can read Bob Villa’s article on How To choose a Roof for Your Home.

Some of  the more expensive roofs like metal come with a 50 year warranty which is often transferable to the next homeowner. Asphalt composition shingles like GAF come with a lifetime warranty option. There are many roofing shingle choices to choose form and to consider when requesting roofing estimates. Keep in mind that if you have HOA or POA (Homeowners Association HOA or Property Property Owners Association), who may require you get approval before installation of your new selection of roofing shingles and/or color, so be sure keep this in mind and check with them before proceeding with your roof installation.

Quick Review and Conclusion

In the greater Houston Texas metro area, the cost for a typical roof replacement can range anywhere from $195 – $295 per square for removal of one layer of shingles, replacement of rotted wood found under the shingles, installation of the tar paper, installation of new GAF laminate composition roofing shingles, flashings and a ridge vent. This is for a standard a 1-2 story home without a steep pitch (5/12 or less pitch). This is the guideline we use here at Texas Home Exteriors Inc.

Roofing Storm Chasers Scams

Roofing Advice Downpayment and Storm Chasers

Over the years, I have heard numerous horror stories of homeowners giving a roofing contractor a down-payment only to never hear from them again. Please, do yourself a favor and do not give a deposit or any money up front to and individual or roofing company saying they will replace your roof and are needing money up front to buy roofing materials. Any good, reputable, local, established roofing company or contractor should not need any money up front to purchase materials for your installation as they should have open lines of credit established at their local roofing supply yards, like ABC Supply.

One other thing you should be aware of and concerned about is hail-damage storm chasers scams,  the BBB warns about the numerous amounts of complaints they receive every time a hail storm comes into town from roofing contractors. If you think that your roof has any kind of damage from hail or wind storms and you are wanting your homeowners insurance to inspect it and pay for the damages, we recommend using a local roofing contractor who can provide references. Be wary of door knocking storm chasers and any roofing companies from out of town. These guys may be willing to work with your insurance company to get them to pay for your new roofing replacement cost but you will be glad that you selected a local roofing contractor if there are any issues with your roof and you should need to call them to honor your warranty in the instance such as experiencing a leak sometime after the roof is installed and the crews are long gone.

Roof Replacement Cost Web Links

Roof Calc – Roofing Calculator

Homewyse – Cost to Install Shingle Roof

Fixr – Costs Roof Replacement

Improvenet – How Much Cost Replace Roof

Home Cost Helper – Cost New Roof

Zillow Cost Replace New Roof Shingles

Greg Kapitan of Texas Home Exteriors

See the Angie’s List’s roof replacement cost article for more information as well. You will find the prices and opinions in their article similar and supportive although I have included additional information, recommendations and references not provided in their website article.

I hope that you have enjoyed and found this post informative in helping you to make an educated decision on your roof replacement for your Houston Texas metro area home.

If you are looking for estimates for replacement of a roof, please be sure to get a few estimates from at least three different roofing contractors to compare what they are offering as well as service and cost comparison which will help you evaluate which contractor will give you the best roofing installation for your money.

Keep in mind that a low bid (estimate) is often missing items that will effect your roof replacement cost and the overall quality of the roof. Please, stay away from the low bidder as this roofing contractor will cost you more money in the long run.

Greg Kapitan, “Kapitan The Siding Man”

Free Roof Replacement Estimate