I sent a few of universal builders top players this
I few days ago I noticed a buckle on my 6 year old $20,000 roof. I can’t say I was surprised the installers, universal builders did a horrific job.
I am pretty handy but I am by no means a construction person. Roofs I knew had to be done right or it can be disastrous - water is the enemy of homes. Which is probably why I was pretty anxious the day my hail damaged roof was to be replaced. I came home one day to find a dumpster and pile of roofing materials at the top of my driveway. They had apparently been 'Unable to contact me' but I called them and "yes tomorrow they will be there". So I decided to work from home - which proved to be a good thing.
The universal builders roofers arrived in a banged up stretch van that was well past its prime. It’s interior was stuffed with tools and was a mess. As soon as they parked it they opened the hood to give the old girl a drink. The rest of their tools were no better. Their air compressor's hose popped off time and time again and dangerously whipped about once free. Their ladder device to carry the shingles up to the roof failed and then failed again? It was a comedy of errors except this was my home they were working on. Universal Builders promised a professional crew and quality work that they did not deliver. It was a nightmare.
I decided to sit outside and watch these ‘craftsman’. One of the crew asks me do you get snow here? (I think OMG yes it snows in Pennsylvania) a little while Later I notice they put the rubber ice shield on top of the rhino paper (today's synthetic felt paper). That would essentially make the ice shield useless. I call my salesperson “we are sending our QC guy". Rahul arrives looks up and says yeah "its wrong" after much yelling they reluctantly tore it all off and redid it. Raul didn't finish high school but he knows roofing. I ask them to redo the old step flashing that they were inclined to leave (just not good work). So if I wasn’t acting as supervisor the roof would have been done wrong. Still my knees won’t let me climb and I don’t see everything. I go inside back to work with the uneasy feeling Universal Builders promises are all a sham.
Raul tells me he was told stay and make sure its right. Still Raul slips away and then much returns after a while? The next Universal Builders QC guy (I met Several) tells me Rahul was working for multiple companies and was shown the door.
The next day saw more sloppy work -the wrong color caulking, tar staines on on my white garage door. I am sick to my stomach. I complain, again and they send someone to clean up the mess.
8 months later- we came home from Florida to discover the ceiling in the first floor kitchen has water stains. Heavy rains when we were away.. It looks like a large bit of paint is gone as well. I suspect the joint where the garage meets the main house is leaking ... Did they replace that step flashing? This roof cost 20 something thousand! (Insurance and me). I called and they are coming today - I'll have to hold my temper, getting angry accomplishes nothing.
After several attempts they fix the leak and repaint kitchen ceiling again the salesman said "yeah I guess quality slipped.'' The q/c guy tells me they'll use whatever crew they can and they figure they can fix anything.
While its true they will repair their shoddy work; the question is wouldn’t you rather have it done correctly the first time? Do you want to deal with the anxiety of a leaky roof, poor workmanship and buckles waiting to happen like costly time bombs?
This time Lewis, their QC guy says yeah the installed the OSB wrong - but he can replace the OSB and the singles. I think having a mismatched patch on my $500,000 home unacceptable. Lewis tells me he has spent much of his 4 years with them doing repairs? I speak to Jeffery at the home office who is quick to remind me my roof is out of warranty and oh we don’t use that crew anymore.
I contact a local reputable roofer and authorize a $2,500 repair. That should tell you all you need to know. Universal builders will never set foot and my roof again.
