Roof installed without permit, license worries Omaha resident

Snow has been piling up on houses but there shouldn’t be any worries if you have a new roof. That’s what an Omaha homeowner thought until she looked into her contractor.

After the installation of her new roof by Roofing Plus about three months ago, Marlys Sidel Sobota had a negative reaction. She said, ”It doesn’t look right.”

So she got a second opinion from Omaha licensed contractor James Pull who inspected the other roofers' work.

James Pull of Premier Exteriors said, “It’s not salvageable no, it’s too sloppy of work. Any repair I couldn’t warranty it and no company would want to warranty it because you don’t know what’s underneath. ” Pull recommends pulling off and replacing the new roof.

After a second opinion raising red flags over the roof, then the homeowner contacted Omaha City Permits and Inspections.

Chief Building Inspector Mike Wilwerding said, “There are no permits here for a roof.”

He called the owner of Kearney based Roofing Plus with a warning.

Wilwerding said, “If we catch them in town doing work then we will have the cited. We will call the police, and have the police office write them a citation and they can explain to a judge why they’re doing work in Omaha without a contractor’s license and without permits.”

Too late for Marlys Sidel Sobota who regrets not checking up on the roofer before installation. She said, ”It does make a homeowner mad because you do trust these people. You trust that they’re doing it correctly, that they’re pulling the permits and they have licenses. ”

Sobota still holds on to the insurance checks and has not paid the contractor. So demanding payment of $14,600 for a roof, gutters, window wraps and overhead, the owner of Roofing Plus sent a certified letter that he intends to slap a lien on her property.

The homeowner said, ”I’d pay them for what they’ve done right, like the gutters. The rest, I’m not sure, I’m at a loss for words.”

Though living under a roof she’s not paid for, Marlys Sidel Sobota said there’s no city permit or inspection on it either. So she refuses to settle up if all the shingles won’t lay down.

The owner of Roofing Plus Luke Schaneman sent a statement.

“We try to do a good job for all our clients. We’re going to make this right. We are working with the city to get an inspection done and we will be complying with anything the city needs addressed.”

All permits and licensed contractors can be checked on the