PW McCallum Roofing

roofing contractor located in beautiful Shawnigan Lake BC  

 

PW McCallum Roofing

roofing contractor located in beautiful Shawnigan Lake BC  

Standing Seam Metal Roofing      VS Snaplock/Prolock Metal Roofing

Recently I received a call from an out of town customer, with a question about metal roofing. His question was simple. “Why do some roofing contractors bid the roof replacement with standing seem metal. While others bid with Prolock/Snaplock roofing”  My answer was very simple, I asked if the standing seem price was from a larger roofing company and was the price a lot higher, His answer was yes. It appears that this has become a marketing trick by some of the larger companies.

So what are the pro and cons of both systems, Standing seem metal roofing is generally more labor intensive and requires lots of special tools. Standing seem metal roofs do perform better in low pitch applications 3/12 and under. But this is where it ends for standing seem. Standing seem roofs are very hard to repair should a branch spear the roof. There is generally no manufacturer warranty on paint and should the company go out of business and your paint fails there isn’t a lot  of recourse.

Prolock roofing is generally a lot less cost, provided it is bought from a reputable manufacturer it will have a warranty on paint. Prolock panels can easily be repaired should one become damaged. Prolock panels can uplift in the wind if it is not installed properly. While in the Cowichan Valley roofing we noticed a lot of substandard installations of Prolock panels. Prolock panels should always have a starter flashing that locks the panels down.  Installing a starter flashing makes the roof installation a lot more labor intensive and is often skipped.  

Posted 223 weeks ago

Synthetic Roofing VS Tar Paper

Synthetic Paper     When synthetic paper first came out, the sales rep told me this was the “best thing going.” Now, we are finding that in our west coast rain forest environment on Vancouver Island this is not totally true. First, I was told that it leaked if you didn’t use the plastic washer nails. After being told that, just a box of regular roofing nails was acceptable and if they were hand nailed, could be left to the environment for a year! Wow that’s incredible! But all good things must come to an end. Now we are finding that if the material is not cut back or if it is hanging down the typical 2”,  it will suck up water from the gutter i.e. “Wick”. We’ll also been told that some synthetic under-layment’s do not breath and cause moisture to be trapped on roof deck. We have found on two roofs in regular rainfall that the synthetics leak even with plastic washers used on an 8/12 pitch (that’s steep) and tarps had to be placed. We did however change brands and the problem was resolved but buyer beware. It angers us as we are professional roofing contractors the products were sold and promoted by our suppliers can be so faulty. I find myself over the years I have becoming very wary of new products. We have lost sales over this, however we feel it is worth losing the contract over putting on a roof that could be faulty.  

ROOFING PAPER     Today’s tar paper is nothing like the paper used in the 1970′s. Today tar paper is called number 15 and 30 paper and is made of recycled paper and a Tar mixture and fails rather quickly. Pre 1970′s, the tar or pitch was mixed with rag and felt fibers. This early form did stand up well. That being said if you’re willing to do some research when you purchase tar paper. New versions can be found that utilize polyester fibers, this product does perform well. Most often when a roof estimate is provided in the south island Victoria, B.C. and Duncan, B.C. the contractor is trying to be competitive. At PW McCallum Roofing we try to inform the customer, that best price is not always in best interest of the customer. We offer 7 generations in the industry as experience and 3 generations of that on Vancouver Island. We don’t always offer the newest trend on the market but will offer products with a proven track record.        

Posted 369 weeks ago

NEW ROOFS & ROOF REPAIR

With spring just around the corner its time to start think about getting that leaking roof under control. At PW McCallum Roofing we offer fast same day roof estimates. We offer choice of the best asphalt roofing shingles. Brands like Owens Corning, IKO or Malarkey. If you have a flat roof we can also help with that as well, we have many great choices in flat roof membranes, like TPO or Torch on roofing. IF you’re done with replacing your every 20years we offer Metal Roofing be it pro-lock hidden fasteners for the home or office. Duraclad for the barn or shed we can help. One of our expert estimators with help you make an informed decision. We have the best roofers and they will takes the time to do the job wright. We are centrally located in beautiful Shawnigan, Lake we can serve you whether you’re in Victoria, Duncan, or Nanaimo we can be there in an hr. We also offer Roof repair for all types of roofs Asphalt Tiles, cedar shingles, Fat Roofing and Metal Roofing.  

Posted 371 weeks ago

Why should I have snow blocks? We often hear this when we install a new metal roofing in the Cowichan Valley and Victoria. Snow is very heavy and when it starts to slide it can quickly become very dangerous. If someone was standing under this it could result in injury or even death. Most often the gutters are ripped off, and damage is rather minimal. However I personally have seen sliding snow crush a sundeck into the ground, snapping large support posts like tooth picks. We didn’t have to look hard for some examples of the dangers around the Cowichan Valley. In the pictures you can see that the roof in question is on a drive up mall. Unsuspecting customers are parking right in the danger zone. In the small section in the picture that has broken free there is likely in excess of a 1,000 lbs 1 tonne sliding at free fall speed.

Posted 372 weeks ago
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Posted 372 weeks ago

PW McCallum Roofing Reviews

I decided to write an informative brog post regarding reviews true and false. Trolls are common on the web these days. It seems as soon as you get any sort of web presents, trolls show up. Problem with today’s review sites is anyone can write anything with no regard for the truth or anything resembling it. We do not respond to these people as it is the attention they seek. In some instances we have successfully sued these trolls for slander liable content. I’ve noticed we are not alone with this problem. If you’re coinciding a new roof read our real reviews or ask for a call list. We have a large list of happy recent and old customers that would be only too happy to tell you of their experience.    http://www.pwmccallumroofing.com/customer-reviews.php

Believe me if you installed a roof that leaked and you didn’t repair replace it, people would take you too court not write a review.  If you are a troll reading this, we are a large company with a very good reputation that we will protect. We will come after you, so move along and do something good with your day. There are lots of charities that need help. I can provide you with a list of ones we support.  

Posted 373 weeks ago

Metal/ Steel Roofing

    Metal roofing is really buyer beware, what makes a good metal roof from a bad one is not easily seen. Level of quality changes geographically for instance a pro-lock metal roof installed in Victoria will be installed with a bottom starter flashing used and metal panel folded around it. In Duncan and the Cowichan Valley the bottom is almost never installed this way. We have found that though metal roofs are more common in the Cowichan Valley, this level of install is somewhat poorer quality than roofs installed in greater Victoria. Of course I’m sorry to say generally this applies to all roofing materials and their application in the Cowichan Valley. I’m not saying that every installer in the Duncan area is doing a poor install just that we have noticed poor installers do go unnoticed in the Cowichan Valley for longer periods of time. At PW McCallum Roofing our goal is to provide the best steel roof for a reasonable price and professionally installed.

    One of the biggest myths I hear when it comes to the purchase of a metal roof is question that the roof may be noisy in the rain. We feel that people come to this conclusion after staying in a trailer or something. However when roofing a house in metal there is an attic space in between that dampens the rain noise.  A modern home with an attic and a very thick layer of insolation, we don’t feel noise would be a problem when weighed against the overwhelming benefits of a metal roof. The benefits of a metal roofing are great. Long lifespan, increased asset value, many colors and styles plus the ability to safely harvest rain water for irrigation of plants. Please feel free to contact us with any questions about steel roof estimating and pricing.        

Posted 383 weeks ago

    Roof repairs in Duncan B.C.  The 2016 fall has been very moist and warm in the Cowichan Valley. Most of the leaks we have seen this year have been leaking chimneys and leaking skylights, we’ve had some flat roof leaks and a few metal roof leaks. @PW McCallum Roofing we now offer a yearly roof maintenance package that would make a great Christmas 2016 gift. The benefits that comes with a roof maintenance are many. Your roof is inspected for possible roof leaks, leaks that may go unnoticed for long periods of time are identified saving you thousands of dollars in damages from rotted moldy attics and walls.

     Call for a free re-roof estimate,  if your roof is beyond roof maintenance. We have many roof installation locations in Duncan, and Victoria, that can be viewed. We have many types of roofing products at these locations that we offer. Flat Roofs, TPO, Asphalt tiles and metal Roofs, for more go to our web page at www.pwmccallumroofing.com        

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Posted 385 weeks ago

Moss on my roof! Is it a problem? The answer is most often yes, moss roots itself into the granules i.e. rocks on asphalt roofing. The environment on Vancouver Island is optimum for the growth of moss and algae and molds.  On roofs that we have installed in Victoria and Duncan B.C. we have found the moss will start growing within 10 years on A.R. Roofs.)   A.R. Roofs are algae resistant roofs, some people refer to these shingles as moss proof. This however is untrue as there is over a thousand species of moss no manufacture can claim they can stop moss.  A.R. “resistant” please read more at   http://www.pwmccallum.ca/moss-removal.php

Posted 386 weeks ago

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Posted 422 weeks ago