KatieDidIt Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Drove by on Memorial yesterday, and 5 houses west of the Beltway, one was burning to the ground. Looked like there was a remodel (wheel barrels on the roof and tarps) in the process but flames were pouring through the roof.Looked like a way to collect a check, build new construction and pocket some serious cash. I know,I know, but when I see things like that I always wonder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdadm Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 I don't know the details, but it sounds like maybe they were reroofing. Did the house have a flat or low pitched roof? If a built up roof was being applied with the hot tar it very well could have been an accident. It was explained to me by my roofers that the tar (and the hot mop) is VERY combustable when it is in the high, high temperature liquid state that it needs to be in when applied to the roof.Just a persapective for you to consider.Don B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasdago Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Wait... that's not a poster's house, is it? He was restoring a house and seeking historic designation. I'll go check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 this one? http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=8158 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marty Posted September 14, 2007 Share Posted September 14, 2007 Mods are beautiful houses but they are subject to fires with the hot tar roofing. We only do asphalt shingles jobs because of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieDidIt Posted September 14, 2007 Author Share Posted September 14, 2007 I don't know the details, but it sounds like maybe they were reroofing. Did the house have a flat or low pitched roof? If a built up roof was being applied with the hot tar it very well could have been an accident. It was explained to me by my roofers that the tar (and the hot mop) is VERY combustable when it is in the high, high temperature liquid state that it needs to be in when applied to the roof.Just a persapective for you to consider.Don B.Might be the situation. Drove by this morning and the house was totally tarped. Bricks removed in places, like they are putting windows in,and wheel barrels and workers all over the roof. Have no clue if its the house in the pictures, the outside just looks like a red brick box.The traffic noise in this location must be unbearible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmakt Posted September 14, 2007 Share Posted September 14, 2007 "Conveniently on fire" sounds very slanderous to me. Again, I would like to address the issue of mean spirited posts. All facts should be investigated before implying ill will. Convenient would be having the house burn to the ground in October 2006 before all attempts to restore and save a mid century modern home had been made, build a mansion using insurance money "if any could have been collected in the first place" and sell the joint- take your money and run. Restoring a 1956 home from top to bottom takes money for sure. KatieDidIt occur to you that perhaps all the financing was secured through Sterling Bank (I see the sign out front) before the renovations began in July? Or did you perhaps, have a rush of bad judgement making this post? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domus48 Posted September 14, 2007 Share Posted September 14, 2007 Post deleted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted September 14, 2007 Share Posted September 14, 2007 oh no - so it was this house? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieDidIt Posted September 14, 2007 Author Share Posted September 14, 2007 Ok, my bad..I even admitted that it was a bad ASSumption in the first post and had no clue what was actually occuring. But I've seen that a lot around Houston. Structures purchased and something happens the structure, fire, mold etc. And suddenly something new and much more expensive pops up.I will edit my tag line for you. oh yeah...so sorry for the 'i" instead of the "a" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasdago Posted September 14, 2007 Share Posted September 14, 2007 The house is there and kickin' away... nothing burned to the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowisp Posted September 14, 2007 Share Posted September 14, 2007 Was this house in the pictures inside or outside the beltway? Can we get progress pictures??? That reminds me, there are several houses being remodeled lately. I hope all is going well with them.By the way, mdadm is a good person to ask about roofing. Didn't you say your roof contractor had been doing the flat roof jobs for 40 years or something?I have been quite nervous this year with all the rain that my roof may leak. It is about 6 years old or so, but was done by the previous owner's contractors so I have no clue how well it was done and just keep my fingers crossed. When should I expect to see problems? I may want to talk to William Stern (renovated the Frame House and restored the Menil House) about roofs sometime.JasonThe house is there and kickin' away... nothing burned to the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenH Posted September 15, 2007 Share Posted September 15, 2007 I have been quite nervous this year with all the rain that my roof may leak. It is about 6 years old or so, but was done by the previous owner's contractors so I have no clue how well it was done and just keep my fingers crossed. When should I expect to see problems? I If it's any consolation, John de Menil's roof leaked too. He called Howard Barnstone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowisp Posted September 15, 2007 Share Posted September 15, 2007 Philip Johnson's Glass House roof leaked the night before we went there this summer. Nothing too terrible, but it just goes to show... Jason If it's any consolation, John de Menil's roof leaked too. He called Howard Barnstone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shin'enKan Posted September 16, 2007 Share Posted September 16, 2007 I have been quite nervous this year with all the rain that my roof may leak. It is about 6 years old or so, but was done by the previous owner's contractors so I have no clue how well it was done and just keep my fingers crossed. When should I expect to see problems? I may want to talk to William Stern (renovated the Frame House and restored the Menil House) about roofs sometime.JasonJason-Let me know if you find someone. We have a leak at our atrium skylight that may have developed due to the huge amount of rainfall we had this summer. The roof is approximately five years old and should have at least five more years of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domus48 Posted September 16, 2007 Share Posted September 16, 2007 Drove by on Memorial yesterday, and 5 houses west of the Beltway, one was burning to the ground. Looked like there was a remodel (wheel barrels on the roof and tarps) in the process but flames were pouring through the roof.Looked like a way to collect a check, build new construction and pocket some serious cash. I know,I know, but when I see things like that I always wonder.So we can put this one to bed: I spoke to the owner of 12923 Memorial with respect to the incident noted above. He said that late Tuesday afternoon -- no roof work was being executed as it was or had been raining -- a rogue lighting strike hit the tar shuttle which remained on the roof. Several million volts of electricity coupled with industrial tires and tar, well there was a fire but it was totally superficial. no evidence of any heat issues could be discerned from the interior. The only tell tail indication that anything happened was the now wheel-less tar shuttle and a slightly warped skylight.He stated further that the roof work picked up Friday where it had left off and by mid-day Saturday the roof was completed. "The only 'serious cash' associated with this project -- stated the owner -- was that going into the restoration/renovation effort itself."Hope this clears this item up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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