Four and a half years after Messing replaced our roof, we now have in hand a settlement check after suing them for breach of contract and breach of warranty. The process of noticing the damage and suing them took a full year and a lot of money. We URGE you not to use Messing Construction for any construction project, but particularly for your roof. Messing violated Bloomington city code by a) not getting a permit; and b) not installing ice and water shield (despite the fact that the contract called for such installation). But more importantly, Messing Construction acted in bad faith with a complete lack of professionalism.
We initially appealed to the Illinois Attorney General and were unsuccessful in settling our claim. We hired an attorney in the summer of 2012. Here is what we wrote to the Attorney General:
"In October, 2008, we contracted with Messing Construction to put a new roof on our home. We had a number of problems with Messing's representatives during the construction process, including lack of communication and delayed progress on the project. After the roof was completed in November, 2008, we had a number of leaks. The first time we called Messing to alert them of the leaks, they came out to put caulk above the master bathroom. The second time we noticed leaks, this time in the living room, they claimed no responsibility.
In May, 2012, we invited a realtor to our home to consult with us about putting the house on the market. He was the one to notice the
current problems with our roof. Three and a half years after installation, our roof has a number of very obvious warps and bows. These warps and bows are in the same part of the roof where Messing replaced plywood.
When we contacted Michael Messing, president of Messing Construction, he first told us that the problem was that the boards on the roof were too thin. When that proved to be incorrect (a Messing representative tore off a few shingles to find that they were indeed not too thin), Mr. Messing claimed--and put in writing--that the problem was due to improper ventilation. We have since had four separate licensed roofers to our home to inspect the roof and they have each told us that improper ventilation is not the issue.
We have been told by four separate licensed roofers that the problems with the roof include (but are not limited to):
1. Damaged wood that was not replaced during construction (this, despite the fact that we gave Messing the go-ahead to replace any damaged wood). In 2008, we were not informed that wood other than the six sheets we paid for needed to be replaced.
2. Wood sheets that are not nailed down properly.
3. Roof shingles that are not nailed down properly.
4. The original sheeting has no H-clips between the rafters, causing the sheets to separate from one another.
5. The chimney is flashed improperly and the siding is loose around the chimney where it was loosened to install new roof
flashings. According to one expert, "there should have been flash-rite corner flashings installed on the two corners of the chimney to ensure no leaks were going to happen and it did not get installed."
6. The roof has no ice and snow shield coverage on back eves, which is a Bloomington city code violation. (Here we reference Section 25 of Public Act 91-2023, which states that "Any person engaged in the business of home repair and remodeling shall
obtain and maintain in full force and effect during the operation of the business public liability and property damage insurance...in the amount of $10,000 per occurrence for improper home repair or remodeling not in conformance with applicable State, county, or municipal building codes.")
7. There is no felt paper on the roof. Underneath the shingles is bare plywood.
Mr. Messing has refused to honor the contract we signed in October, 2008, which included a five-year workmanship warranty."
Messing will give you nothing but grief: lies, excuses, and poor workmanship--and then refuse to make good on their five-year workmanship warranty. They will cost you more money, time, and infuriation than any roof is worth. read more
