This is a hand-stacked rock wall at its intersection with the roof.

Hand-stacked rock is beautiful, but fraught with expensive risk to the homeowner. Once it starts leaking it cannot be flashed unless the wall is first taken apart by a rock mason willing to get on a steep and high roof. If you see this in a home you are interested in buying  – beware.  There can be costly issues downstream, leading to an early roof replacement.

OSHA training requirements enter in for the mason. But the mason is not the only issue.

If the water is coming in through the rock work itself, neither the roof nor the flashings will have any effect on stopping the leak. Although the leak will appear as a roof-related issue, it is unlikely that any roofer will be able to resolve it.

Flagstone rock, the kind that is flat like walking paver stone, can be flashed and kept watertight. Hand-stacked stone is a different dilemma.

Echols has a standard policy we apply to everything we do: If we are not positive we can do it right – we do not bid on it. This was an Atlanta roof replacement estimate we were forced to pass on bidding to the homeowner. Most roofers are going to take the job to get the check and just hope it never comes up. If a leak does develop here they will then explain to the homeowner that it is the rock and not their roof and therefore not under any warranty. They will, of course, be correct, but we think it best to avoid such unpleasantness.

Passing on anything we cannot do well is why Echols has had no complaints with our BBB and enjoys a great reputation in the roof replacement atlanta area. If we take it, we can certainly do it – and with no hidden surprises!