Roofers, weigh in please

Had a roofing company look at and estimate repairs/ replacement of two porch gutters, face board, flashing and downspouts. the face board is clearly rotten and the gutter had pulled away. Porches are around 35' in length each.

Estimate came back at $3360. Not bad I thought so I put 50% down on the job. They said the shingles are still okay but will need replaced down the road by the new owner.

Scheduling time and we have a problem. They will have to lift shingles at the drip edge which will destroy them. They recommended new shingles on the front and rear porches.

Also, the chimney flashing needs replaced. They claim removing the old flashing will lift the shingles so they recommend new shingles on the second story. So, all new $hingles.

A neighbor (former construction) looked at it and said they don't have to lift any shingles to replace the face board. Remove the old face board and slip in new board followed by flashing. Chimney flashing can be bent down from chimney, cut at bend to shingles, install new flashing to chimney and over old flashing on roof. 

Total roof job would be $15-18K, money we are not prepared to spend. There's money in the estate account but that would blow most of it. There could be unforeseen expenses also down the road.

What say the roofers? 

I thought this could be attainable for $3360, not anymore though. This current roof may not meet FHA/VA standards for prospective buyer loans.

TIA

It can likely be done while leaving the original flashings - and particularly that drip edge - in place.  However, it is fussier work, will take longer, and may not be quite as good a job.

If they can get the old fascia board out from under the edge trim, a new 1x6 or 1x8 fascia with brake metal cladding (or cellular PVC / Azek) can be tucked back up under there and secured to the subfascia.  However, to be effective, that edge trim needs to be in decent shape and well secured to the roof sheathing under the shingles.

Chimney flashing is typically a 2-piece affair, with individual pieces at each course of shingles overlapping from bottom up, and bent up the face of the chimney.  A long, finished counterflashing piece is then cut into the face of the chimney and turned down to cover the exposed tops of the pieces turning up.  This is often built into the original masonry in steps, but they can also saw cut a diagonal groove into the brick and install the exposed upper edge of the counterflashing into that, bedded in sealant.  Ideally there is a little metal receiver installed in the groove called a reglet.

More common is to simply fasten the counterflashing straight to the face of the chimney, with a little outward bend at the top edge to make a ledge where it joins the chimney.  This is then filled with a hellacious bead of sealant and everyone hopes for the best.

Hire a carpenter, not a roofer. They are trying to upsell you a roofing job. 
 

The fascia absolutely can be replaced without damaging the flashing. 
 

Duke described the flashing. Ask about installing "continuous flashing on top of the existing", and "cut it into the brick".  (Duke used the proper technical language, but I'm just speaking "roofer"!)

Hopefully, you have eve gutter flashing on the side of your roof.

SV reX said:

Hire a carpenter, not a roofer. They are trying to upsell you a roofing job. 
 

The fascia absolutely can be replaced without damaging the flashing. 
 

Duke described the flashing. Ask about installing "continuous flashing on top of the existing", and "cut it into the brick".  (Duke used the proper technical language, but I'm just speaking "roofer"!)

I agree with all this, even though concrete is my specialty 

I was a roofer for a number of years, and my brother is still doing it.  I'd replace the fascia and drip edge without replacing the shingles, no problem.  There's very little incentive for a roofing *company* to do so, however.  They'd rather play it safe and make more money.  Win-win for them.. for you, not so much.  If you want to do the job yourself, it's really not bad.  You might be able to pull the fascia and leave the drip edge intact.  It'll depend on where and how well it's fastened to the sub fascia.  If you have to replace the drip edge, that's do-able also.

For repair jobs like that I'd use a putty knife, the flat of a roofing hatchet, or a flat pry bar (in rough order of agressiveness) to slide between the drip edge and the bottom course of shingles.  The bottom course should be adhered to the drip edge with roofing tar, but roofers often skip this, which would make your job easier.  Once you have that bottom row loose for 3-4" inches, pop the fascia off, and then carefully work the drip edge out from under the shingles.  It should be nailed into the plywood and you can usually just pop the nails with a flat bar under the drip edge.  

Cut your new fascia, nail that on, then replace the drip edge by sliding it under the shingles.  A nail gun makes it easier to reattach the drip edge, otherwise you have to bend the shingles up enough to be able to swing a hammer in there, which will probably break a few. Get a bucket of roofing tar and use a putty knife to apply it to the drip edge under the shingles.  Press 'em back down.

For the chimney flashing, it depends on what needs replacing.  If it's just leaking on the face of the chimney because it's just sealed to the chimney with caulk as Duke mentions, you can counterflash above it and cover the existing pieces.  

Kendall Frederick said:

I was a roofer for a number of years, and my brother is still doing it.  I'd replace the fascia and drip edge without replacing the shingles, no problem.  There's very little incentive for a roofing *company* to do so, however.  They'd rather play it safe and make more money.  Win-win for them.. for you, not so much.  If you want to do the job yourself, it's really not bad.  You might be able to pull the fascia and leave the drip edge intact.  It'll depend on where and how well it's fastened to the sub fascia.  If you have to replace the drip edge, that's do-able also.

For repair jobs like that I'd use a putty knife, the flat of a roofing hatchet, or a flat pry bar (in rough order of agressiveness) to slide between the drip edge and the bottom course of shingles.  The bottom course should be adhered to the drip edge with roofing tar, but roofers often skip this, which would make your job easier.  Once you have that bottom row loose for 3-4" inches, pop the fascia off, and then carefully work the drip edge out from under the shingles.  It should be nailed into the plywood and you can usually just pop the nails with a flat bar under the drip edge.  

Cut your new fascia, nail that on, then replace the drip edge by sliding it under the shingles.  A nail gun makes it easier to reattach the drip edge, otherwise you have to bend the shingles up enough to be able to swing a hammer in there, which will probably break a few. Get a bucket of roofing tar and use a putty knife to apply it to the drip edge under the shingles.  Press 'em back down.

For the chimney flashing, it depends on what needs replacing.  If it's just leaking on the face of the chimney because it's just sealed to the chimney with caulk as Duke mentions, you can counterflash above it and cover the existing pieces.  

Former roofer. I endorse this. 

Thanks guys. I was looking for acknowledgement that shingles weren't required for repairs.

This outfit was the 15th roofer I contacted and the only one to respond and look. They're a big outfit in the area though 50 miles away. Locals didn't reply whether they looked or not.

Why did the estimator send the quote for repairs tho? Bait, hook, reel in later? Over ruled by higher ups? I dunno. 

We were 90+% to make FHA/VA loan requirements, which I thought attainable. New shingles, nope.

I'm not looking for another roofer, carpenter or handyman at this point. I'm done, we gotta get outta here, the sooner the better. I tried as best I could.

Dad got ripped off by a funeral director for pre-paid funerals for $20,600. Big news here. Other seniors also to the tune of $500K. State AG was here, TV news and papers. No trail of money was ever found. Goners. Dad got back around $2200 in restitution and a check for $11.12 yesterday, Yay. That money could have come in handy about now. So is life, and it sucks.

I have a painter coming in next week, just for 'eyeball' stuff to spiff it up. I hired a neighbor guy to help with labor here. Scrap metal guy will pickup soon. Dumpster in maybe a couple weeks. Final clean out of stuff, maybe carpet cleaning too. 

I gotta get outta there, if that's the last thing I ever do.

Thanks again guys.