Roof Replacement - What should I expect?

[Hokitect]

I’m in the unfortunate situation of needing to have the roof membrane and some sheathing replaced on my 2021 Reflection 150 290BH and I’m looking for some insight on what to expect. The roof replacement is being performed under warranty by Grand Design and they’ve requested I use one of their dealers. They plan to remove the existing membrane, replace any damaged sheathing, add a layer of luan over the entire surface and install a new membrane and sealant. They plan to clean and reuse the existing roof vents, skylight, and accessories.

This is my first experience with a roof replacement on an RV. I’m curious if anyone else has gone through this process with a Grand Design dealer and how did the results turn out? Specifically, how has the new sealant held up vs the factory sealant? I had to replace the skylight cover (also under warranty) a few months after we bought the rig and the replacement sealant has not weathered as well as the factory sealant. Granted, this is mostly an aesthetic issue. The “new” sealant has turned brown and is impossible to clean whereas the factory sealant looks new and is easy to clean. I’ve attached a photo of my current roof where you can see the “new” sealant around the skylight is very brown while the “factory” sealant around the other elements is still fluffy and white.



I asked the local dealer to send me a few photos of one of their roof replacement jobs and I was struck by how thin and messy the sealant looked, especially compared to the factory install. I don’t want to end up with a worse roof install after the replacement. I’m including a few photos of the sealant bead along the top rear of the roof so you can see the difference between my factory install and a replacement.

This is the factory seal on my rig:


Here is the example from the dealer:


I asked Grand Design customer service about the difference and their response was canned legal jargon. The difference in appearance could be a “difference in tooling used by the factory vs. the dealer” but either is “acceptable” and “we have full confidence in our dealer network”. Of course, it’s not their rig or their investment.

So, I’d love to hear if anyone has been through this process before and what should I expect? Is what the dealer showed typical? Or should I look around for another dealer that might provide a higher quality installation? Any recommendations?

I thought about taking it to the GD factory, but it’s about 450 miles (7.5 hours) each way (and I’d have to drive it twice for drop off and pickup), which is father than I’m willing to drive with fuel above $5/gallon.

Thanks in advance for your input!

- Ben

[huntr70]

Well, we dealers do not use 55 gallon drums of sealant along with pneumatic guns with large nozzles to pump sealant onto the roofs.

We use tubes (larger than the retail tubes) and a normal nozzle, so it will never look as wide and thick as factory. 50% of factory sealant is waste anyway. You need to cover seams and edges, not 3 inches of roof.

[Hoopy Frood]

The dealer applied sealant may not be white because they may have used the color they has on hand which wasn't white. If it seals, what difference does it make? It's on the roof so no one will see it.

[NB Canada]

I would definitely upgrade my exhaust fans at this point if they are just the cheap factory ones
Never a better time

[Hokitect]

The dealer applied sealant may not be white because they may have used the color they has on hand which wasn't white. If it seals, what difference does it make? It's on the roof so no one will see it.

The dealer installed sealant was white when first installed and I resealed it with white sealant Alpha 1021 last fall. Both have turned brown and can’t be cleaned. I like to keep my rig looking good, even the roof. That’s just my OCD tendency. But I guess the most important thing it that it seals and holds up over time.

[Hoopy Frood]

It is odd that it changed color that drastically. And yeah, sealing up is the most important thing, but OCD mitigation is important too.

[Hokitect]

Well, we dealers do not use 55 gallon drums of sealant along with pneumatic guns with large nozzles to pump sealant onto the roofs.

We use tubes (larger than the retail tubes) and a normal nozzle, so it will never look as wide and thick as factory. 50% of factory sealant is waste anyway. You need to cover seams and edges, not 3 inches of roof.

As a dealer who seems to have some experience with this, can I anticipate the new sealant to discolor more quickly than the factory sealant? Any idea why? Also, would you be good with the sealant job in the reference photo if it came out of your service bay or was on your rig? No judgement, just curious and I promise not mention the name of the local dealer. Thanks!

[huntr70]

As a dealer who seems to have some experience with this, can I anticipate the new sealant to discolor more quickly than the factory sealant? Any idea why? Also, would you be good with the sealant job in the reference photo if it came out of your service bay or was on your rig? No judgement, just curious and I promise not mention the name of the local dealer. Thanks!

Can't explain why it would have discolored, unless it is a different product than what was used at the factory. There are several brands "approved" for usage on the Alpha roof. They just recommend their own, for obvious reasons.

I see nothing wrong with that dealer applied sealant. It is impossible to get a factory look sealant bead laid down without the 3" nozzle they use.