Roof Damage

We purchased a home in Oklahoma last year (June). While we were waiting for the closing, etc., the seller was having things repaired. Most notably was soffit and fascia boards that were rotten and being replaced by a local carpenter. Recently, I had to replace more soffit that was rotten and found that part of the roof decking is gone and some truss ends are rotten. There are shingles that have been nailed down, with nailheads exposed, over the missing decking and they have sunk down because of no support underneath which forms a basin for water. The nails are still shiny which seems to indicate that the repair is not that old.

I contacted the previous owner, but he states he was unaware of any roof repairs and refuses to discuss it further.

I went into the attic to look at the roof from the inside and also found that the kitchen range vents into the attic, not through the roof...but I don't know if that is legal or not.


Where do I go from here?

[faithandhope]

Did you have an inspection done? If not, you should get several bids from different roofers also to confirm time range of last repairs and contact the seller along with a copy of the disclosure. Also contact both realtors, especially the listing agent and state the problem.

1st of all i would go over every inch of that place,the reason being is if he has intentionally hidden damage you may not find any more until you happen to stumble acroo it for awhile.for example i have found several defects in my house only because i happen to be doing work on something else and you only have 2yrs from date of purchase

[HomeGuru]

Also, it is against the building code to exhaust that type of vent into the attic space. Exhaust vents must vent to the exterior unless it is a self-circulating type.

and don't forget to take pictures

Thanks for the replies.

I have taken pictures and contacted the realtor. She tends to agree with me that the previous owner was aware of the problem.

The only inspection that was done prior to purchasing the home was by an inspector for the Veterans Administration and he noted no defects other than the fascia, soffit, and minor things like paint touchup, window screens, etc.

I haven't had anyone (roofer) look at the roof yet, but the bottom board of the roof decking is very soft and breaks with the slightest touch. Since the soffit/fascia were replaced on several places I might have more damage than I realized as the drip edge is missing in several places.

I believe I have sufficient evidence to file a claim against the seller and inspector. Am I correct in that I cannot get a repair estimate and take that to court (small claims) as it would not be admissable.

[HomeGuru]

As stated before, you need the roofing contractors estimate which is admissable in court. You most likely have no claim against the VA inspector since this was not a home inspector hired by you. The VA was probably an appraiser hire by the bank.