DNS came highly recommended by a neighbor (and themselves) having done work all throughout my new neighborhood. First time homeowner here and this was my first big expense. Had I listened to wiser people I would have gotten multiple quotes and seen what was out there, but I didn't learn that lesson till after. The day of the install all seemed well and the task was done quickly.
But I soon discovered the wrong skylight was installed in the bathroom; fixed instead of an opening unit as had been discussed (like the skylight in the kitchen they also installed that day). I was told there was little excuse for the mistake as the work order was in the hands of the guys on site. There were also two holes in the roof above the porch which were discussed prior to the roof being replaced. I came to discover a few days later only one had been repaired, the other was just tiled over or ignored and leaked like a fountain when it rained that Monday. (Which begged the question of whether or not ice and water shield had even been applied). Someone came out to replace the skylight and examine the hole (supposedly). The skylight was replaced and the paperwork and hardware for it tossed through the opening onto the bathroom floor below. (Also I'm not sure if it is customary for the installer to attach the hardware for skylights but it was not done for either of mine. Stickers were still left on them along with smudge marks and tape residue. I have no issue climbing onto the roof with a bottle of Windex, but I started to wonder exactly what all this money I was spending was getting me).
The 2nd hole above the porch was also supposedly checked, but was still there in all its glory when I got home and looked myself later. When the assistant manager came out to look himself he concurred the plywood should be replaced. He thought maybe the hole was missed because it was under an eave and some soffit, but even inside the crawlspace you could see the water damage on the old plywood stretched along the gutter line away from the eave. So a few days later they returned to rip up the section and replace the plywood.
It seems whatever garbage plywood, shingles, nails, flashing and razor blades they didn't throw through the hole into the crawlspace during the repair ended up in the stones and bushes outside my front door (large pieces too, not fragments that might be easily missed).
Another thing I witnessed on the install day, that I didn't even want to deal with investigating, was one of the guys spray painting a silver mushroom vent black. I assume they ran out of black vents for my roof and decided to make do instead of getting an additional vent, but with everything else that went wrong it seemed pointless to mention it. I'd gotten to the point where I just wanted the entire ordeal over with.
The assistant manager seemed genuinely upset with everything that happened, as did the neighbor who had recommended their services. To be frank I'm concerned overall that the roof might start having issues down the road. Not to mention worries that other issues (holes, leaks, etc) may have been uncovered and then just covered back over with the new shingles.
My old man told me I should have been outside all day watching everything they were doing. Even joked that I should have had a lawn chair up on the roof to keep an eye on things. I thought it was overkill and left the guys alone. I certainly don't like when customers watch over me at my job. But now I understand when you're dropping thousands of dollars on something for your home it is the only way to watch out for your best interests, because the people doing the work aren't living under your roof and in this case really didn't seem to care about doing anything but the minimum (or less).
I couldn't in good conscience recommend them to anyone else and will be much wiser the next time I have to deal with a major expense for my home.
Addendum: Went on the roof to hang xmas lights in late November. I happened upon the area where they'd returned multiple times to repair the holes in the roof and discovered the flashing on two sides into the valley of the roof in that section had been beat to hell. The section of siding itself looked as if it had been peeled away from the house and was pushed back in place with a single roofing nail hammered right into the center of the sheet to "hold" the siding in place, though it seemed to be doing nothing. So, more quality workmanship on par with the rest of the experience. When I called to complain I was told that 'flashing bends easily but can just be bent back'. read more
