Thread: EPDM Roofing wrinkling and seam failure HELP!!

purchased a 1971 home in Tucson AZ ~Feb/Mar 2012- roof put on 2/2012
Previous owner to put on working roofing system per contract [flat roof with a very low slope]
They decided on EPDM [45mil] peel and stick
They used cloth tape over seams
EPDM overlapped downslope properly

Come to find out in the last 20 mins that this is NOT EPDM roofing. This is some sort of 5mil PVC with butyl-mastic

I have a contractor that used a 5mil material [PVC like] and just coated it with masti-coat white coating.... any thoughts?


there are SEVERE wrinkles covering the entire ROOF
a large portion of the seams have FAILED as seen in the pics

contractor states:
"well sometimes the adhesive sticks good and sometimes is doesn't"
roof is on 3/8" and 1/2" decking---- not even
large portions of the roof seem unsafe to walk on due to the soft decking
first coring shows wood is completely deteriorated but it was not rotten

HELP HELP HELP
contract does NOT want to do anything with this roof other than repair the locations where the seams have already failed.
this workmanship appears to be very very very poor----

please help

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Originally Posted by Tyler Barbaree

purchased a 1971 home in Tucson AZ ~Feb/Mar 2012- roof put on 2/2012
Previous owner to put on working roofing system per contract [flat roof with a very low slope]
They decided on EPDM [45mil] peel and stick
They used cloth tape over seams
EPDM overlapped downslope properly

there are SEVERE wrinkles covering the entire ROOF
a large portion of the seams have FAILED as seen in the pics

contractor states:
"well sometimes the adhesive sticks good and sometimes is doesn't"
roof is on 3/8" and 1/2" decking---- not even
large portions of the roof seem unsafe to walk on due to the soft decking
first coring shows wood is completely deteriorated but it was not rotten

HELP HELP HELP
contract does NOT want to do anything with this roof other than repair the locations where the seams have already failed.
this workmanship appears to be very very very poor----

please help

Pictures are kind of small, but from what I can see the roof is toast and needs to be replaced including the decking if it is in the shape you say it is.

If (as you stated) that the owner was to install a "working " roof per contract, then I'd start with an attorney if they didn't fulfill their contractual obligations.

Meantime, get a written repair estimate from a qualified roofing contractor so you know what's going on up there and how much it will cost to cure.

The wording :...Previous owner to put on working roofing system per contract ..." as opposed to a non-working roof system. Maybe it was just to work for X amount of time and then stop, Tail Light Guarantee. Previous Owner wanted least cost to do roof and bought into contractors solution.

But that really does not matter. The contractor is trying to get out from under a botched job. The Previous Owner will point finger at contractor. If the roof deck was/is in a deteriorated condition but not rotten it is still deteriorated. I am sure that the old roof deck was rippled and laminating between the plies making it a wavy surface. Contractor put 3/8" ply to make a clean usable surface to apply material to. New over bad is still just bad.....

As Don suggests, get an attorney and let the paper fly.

The Contractor will do only what he is forced to.
The Owner will only do what they are forced to.
The cost will be multiple the original contractor cost per contract.

You need leverage, therefore (sad to say ) an ATTORNEY FOR YOU and your roof.