Single ply rubber roof (sloped roof) FHA

[Justin Dake]

Well, this is a first for me...according to the permit it's a single ply rubber roof, only secured (as far as I can tell) around the edges and in the valleys. It's made to look like a comp. shingle roof with a printed design on it. Come to find out that the permit that was posted in the window was opened in 04' after all the hurricanes rolled through these parts. Now what I'm asking is what do I say in the report. I've already made it subject to an FHA certified roof inspector. But what else do I say, roof is rubber? The city couldn't confirm for me if it was legal roof covering or not and assigned an investigator to the job, but they told me it could take months.....basically what else can I disclose?? and before you call me a trainee and that I shouldn't be doing this, how else am I supposed to gain experience...it is my supervisor doing the report, but I am working directly under him to gain the experience...hence the reason I need to know what to disclose and such. Besides I'm sitting for the state board in a couple months. Any help?

 

[Chris Colston]

MEMBRANE Roof covering

Roof is MEMBRANE, usually covered with tar and gravel. The slope of the roof was not steep enough to allow for asphalt shingle. Manufactured homes get covered with this sort of material all the time. Check the property cards from the assessor's office on your subject and the comps, the roof material should be noted there. This is something your supervisor SHOULD already know, as this is not a new situation in any part of Florida.

BTW....if it is for FHA, how is it YOU are calling for a roof inspection? Trainees are not allowed to do FHA appraisals.

 

[Jerry Bone Jr]

...and before you call me a trainee and that I shouldn't be doing this, how else am I supposed to gain experience...?

Boy, it sure is hard to be a trainee around here. Sure am glad that I already know everything.

 

[Renee Healion]

Membrane-type roof up here is not usually covered with any other material. It is "glued" at the edges and lapped about 8 or so inches and solvent welded ("glue") at the seams. The idea underlying gluing at the edges and no other material is that they can expand and contract. The material is like inner tube on 10 ft wide rolls. It is the only thing that doesn't leak (like tarpaper and tar) here at least. FL may be entirely different.

I should add my own roof did tear in high wind. It was flapping like a beach banket with one corner up. Might be of concern in hurricane country. (Or it's possible that my house is falling down and the roof was just snapped back!.)

 

[Mountain Man]

and before you call me a trainee and that I shouldn't be doing this, how else am I supposed to gain experience...it is my supervisor doing the report, but I am working directly under him to gain the experience...

If you are assisting for experience, then you are fine. Trainees can assist for experience, as long as it's disclosed in the report, but can not sign the report. The only one who can sign a FHA report is the appraiser to whom it was assigned.

 

[Chris Colston]

Membrane-type roof up here is not usually covered with any other material. It is "glued" at the edges and lapped about 8 or so inches and solvent welded ("glue") at the seams. The idea underlying gluing at the edges and no other material is that they can expand and contract. The material is like inner tube on 10 ft wide rolls. It is the only thing that doesn't leak (like tarpaper and tar) here at least. FL may be entirely different.

I should add my own roof did tear in high wind. It was flapping like a beach banket with one corner up. Might be of concern in hurricane country. (Or it's possible that my house is falling down and the roof was just snapped back!.)

Depends on the membrane. The more "modern" installations are as you mention. The "older" treatments can be covered with tar and white gravel to repel the sun.

Either way, I think the biggger issue is why is a TRAINEE doing an FHA appraisal and why isn't his supervisor familar with one of the basic roof materials we have in that part of Florida (Palm Beach County)? (Perhaps there is a competency issue, here? )

The "trainee" states he has called for an FHA roof inspection. Why? Is it a FLAT roof? He doesn't say, just that he is unfamiliar with a "rubber" roof covering. If it is not a flat roof and there is no evidence of leaking, than perhaps he is just wasting the lender's time and delaying the loan closing for no reason. His supervisor SHOULD be teaching him THAT.

He wants experience, and sure he can tag along side the supervisor, but at the end of the day, if it is an FHA appraisal, only supervisor's name and signature may be on the report.

 

[Mike Boyd]

I would get the name of the contractor and ask for the ICBO number for the product and proceedure. I have never heard of a "rubber" roof. A coating with a fiberglass product, yes. I even installed one on my own roof top deck...but it was applied with a roller, like paint, then a covering with the fiberglass netting, then more liquid product. With any kind of roll roofing, each layer has to have a minimum 50% over-lap for FHA.

ICBO = International Congress of Building Officials. They rate products, materials and proceedures.

 

[Justin Dake]

Roof is MEMBRANE, usually covered with tar and gravel. The slope of the roof was not steep enough to allow for asphalt shingle. Manufactured homes get covered with this sort of material all the time. Check the property cards from the assessor's office on your subject and the comps, the roof material should be noted there. This is something your supervisor SHOULD already know, as this is not a new situation in any part of Florida.

BTW....if it is for FHA, how is it YOU are calling for a roof inspection? Trainees are not allowed to do FHA appraisals.

It's not too steep of a slope, thats the thing....surrounding houses have the same style architecture, yet are covered with comp shingle......and yes I am ONLY assisting, and it IS documented in all the FHA reports I assist with, and no my signature is not on the report.

It may not be new in florida for flat roofs, but for a standard sloped roof??? St Lucie County BTW. And it does not appear to be glued AT ALL...you could actually see it moving in the wind. And I'm throwing a flag up due to the fact that the permit to re-roof opened in 04' is still open.

And wasting time??? The lender doesn't appear to care to much when the loan closes due to the fact that he still hasn't gotten an FHA case # for me.

 

[Justin Dake]

And chris, My fathers been doing appraisals for 4 years, and has been involved in some way with real-estate since he was in his mid 20's he's now 46 Started with great western bank....and just about all of that experience was in S. Florida, and even he has never seen this material used on the roof in question....he did explain the uses on a flat roof, but is confused as to why it would be used in this application.....Attached is a picture of the subject, maybe it'll help you understand what it is better. Notice how they never even finished the job? there's still excess material hanging off the edges.

 

[Lobo Fan]

We see these rubber membrane type roofs on our pueblo style houses quite often. A standard built-up or tar and gravel roof has about a 5 year life span between our cold winters and high UV summers. They often carry 15-20 year warranties from the manufacturer. If it is not leaking, or have any obvious issues, a roof inspection is superfluous.