Waukegan Roofing

Overall, we were very uncomfortable with the INSTALLATION-​experience (finished AUG 2015) and we have a post-​install REPAIR ISSUE (reported in JANUARY 2015) that is still not resolved as Of Aug 5^th. We now believe that our project was SUBCONTRACTED by Waukegan Roofing to an independent crew. Thus far we’ve seen no problems with the roof, but we cannot climb up to inspect it. Our big disappointment has been the gutter and downspout installation (and repair). If we could make the decision over again, we’d choose a different roofing company for these reasons:
1) Instead of using traditional manufactured brackets (that you can buy at a builders’ supply store), the work crew made «homemade» brackets – strips of aluminum they cut on-​site to use as brackets. We are unhappy with the strips because:
1a) the strips have raw unfinished edges (bare aluminum) – including sharp edges and pointed corners
1b) the strips are screwed directly INTO the downspout! Holes invite leaks and this is EXACTLY one of the problems we have now with the downspout on our front porch.
1c) the homemade «strip» brackets look tacky – as if we hired a well-​meaning relative who tried to save us money. But we didn’t.
1d) When the crew finished (they left without word but when work-​noises ceased, we figured they were finished), we toured the results and that’s when we discovered the homemade brackets screwed into the downspouts. The project manager (Josh) was able to correct the problems we found with downspouts that stretched across walkways and paths (we did withhold part of the final payment until the downspout fix was made) but he could not resolve the bracket situation in a manner that satisfied us. (Note: the crew said they would go back and ADD the manufactured brackets (NOT REDO the downspouts). We realized this solution would mean PLUGGED and PATCHED downspouts – filling in the screw holes where the homemade brackets had been. We felt trapped, didn’t want to fight WORSE problems down the road when the plugs and patches began to weaken and leak.)
2) the company has been very slow to respond to our leaky downspout (discovered by us in JAN 2015).
2a) Their first attempt (JUNE 2015) at repair was sealant even though the project manager told us small sections should be replaced with one piece.
2b) Instead of using a ladder, and without asking permission, one of the repair crew stood on TOP of our Waste management PLASTIC garbage container, which is on WHEELS, to reach the upper sections of downspout
3) The downspout still leaks – from even more places – as of Aug 5^th.
4) No one with the roofing or gutter installation or repair crew spoke ENGLISH well enough to converse with us. The project manager was absent from the work-​site, so essentially, we were CAPTIVES to whatever the crew decided to do. Typically we talk with any crew working at our home – just to learn how things are going, to learn about potential challenges or listen to any good suggestions. We were entirely in the dark while this crew worked and this left us feeling helpless and uncomfortable. Had we been able to talk with the crew as they worked, we might have avoided the downspout issues we now have. The language barrier was a significant barrier to a good working experience with this company.
5) We believe we overpaid because we could have omitted Waukegan Roofing as middleman and hired our own bunch of guys. But we wanted to deal with a professional roofing & gutter company with many years of experience. Waukegan Roofing disappointed.
6) Our advice, before you contract with this company: a) find out whether your crew is subcontracted or employed by Waukegan Roofing, b) if you want to have any input during installation, ask if the crew can speak English well enough for you to communicate effectively with them, and c) ask HOW they plan to install your gutters and downspouts. Will it be professional or some homemade «strips of aluminum» solution? Regarding the tear-​off and shingling we cannot advise because we cannot view the results of their work firsthand.

Very satisfied with the service that Josh at Waukegan Roofing provided. We had a small leak in our roof and for months, I tried to find it, but with no success. I called Waukegan Roofing to come out and take a look. Within 15 minutes, Josh not only found the small leak, but quickly caulked it and took care of the problem. What I also liked was that Josh could have reshingled the whole area at a much higher cost. But he felt that this was needed and that a good caulking job would seal the hole.
I would recommend that you give Waukegan Roofing a call if you have any roofing needs.

Weird.
So, there was this big wind storm. Just like always. But this particular wind storm took a piece of the edging of our roof with it. But it was a really big wind storm and we weren’t the only people who lost part of their roof. And it was all snowy and that makes it hard to fix a roof. I called a bunch of places and they laughed at me. Not really, but you could hear it. That little undertone that said, «Sure, we’ll fix your roof. You and everyone else in Lake County.» Waukegan was nice enough to say that they’d put me on the list. Cool. Nothing seemed emergency like so, great.
Then one morning, about 8:00, there was this really loud pounding noise. And, like every good wife, I pushed at my husband until he got up. But he didn’t come back to bed and the pounding didn’t stop. Men are so useless, I thought as I went downstairs. But turns out there wasn’t really anything he could do. The roofers had shown up, without a call, with out any warning. The fixed the roof part that the storm took. They inspected the whole roof, found some loose tiles, fixed those.
As for quality… my roof seems to be working, so two thumbs up.