Retro new roof flashing on 1920's stucco dormers

[Craig A. Nelson]

I'm a home owner trying to get my 1920's wood frame "tudor" style house re-roofed. The existing roof is 2 layers of 3-tab over an old cedar shake roof. Yeah, ouch. The second floor has 2 stucco dormers and 2 cedar sided dormers. I have some small but annoying leaks and have come to the realization that my chimney and stucco dormers are probably the heart of the leaks and present significant challenges to the roofers I've talked to so far.

I've had 3 roofing contractors come out and give estimates that range over $12k from lowest to highest. One wants to rebuild part of my chimney and cut the stucco on the dormers back, reflash, and refill them. The other 2 want to use a reglet against the stucco and the chimney.

While I feel better informed about the issues that my old stucco and chimney present to the re-roof, I have no idea how to assess the different estimator's approach and ability to solve my roof problems. It leaks a little now and I don't want to leak when I'm done for a long time.

While I'd love some specific technical advice from this community, I'm starting to think that what I need is someone to help me assess the problem area, put a plan together, and help me coordinate the solution with a roofer. Or even someone to recommend a local roofer that they know can properly deal with 80 year old stucco.

While I am price conscious (this is not a 7-figure house), I don't want to waste my money on a roofing solution that will leak again in a few years.

I live in Seattle, Washington.

Any advice would be welcome!

THANKS

[Carl A. Brown]

Counter flashing might work!

But this would be better.

http://www.flash.org/resources/files/HGCC_Fact23.pdf

High wind area or not.

How many times has the stucco been painted?

[Carl A. Brown]

Have you talked with any stucco contractors?

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Originally Posted by cbrown1

Counter flashing might work!

But this would be better.

http://www.flash.org/resources/files/HGCC_Fact23.pdf

High wind area or not.

How many times has the stucco been painted?

Carl you are the greatest .
You have lots of great information.
Great info I will have this with me for ever.
Too bad they did not show the nails in the hangers.


...Cookie

[Carl A. Brown]

Thanks Roy!

It is a GOVT DOC... They allways leave something out!

More often then not it is the important stuff.

[Craig A. Nelson]

Originally Posted by cbrown1

Counter flashing might work!

But this would be better.

http://www.flash.org/resources/files/HGCC_Fact23.pdf

High wind area or not.

How many times has the stucco been painted?

Thanks! That doc has great information and clearly illustrates the different flashing layers. It may just be that I don't live and breathe this stuff but I don't see how my old stucco fits into these diagrams.

The paint layers on the stucco are pretty thick. I've scraped a lot of thick crusty old paint from some other areas of stucco and figure it's been painted 5+ times, once by me.

How do I find a good stucco contractor in my locale?

[Carl A. Brown]

If and when they put counter flashing on the sealant they use will be no better than what it is applied to, such as the paint.

How do I find a good stucco contractor in my locale?

You might ask the roofers good contractors follow each other around often. If you feel you have good roofers.

[sfigert]

Contact your local brick yard. They usually know most of the masonary contractors around that also deal in stucco work or know of someone.