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A HECKUVA REASON TO HIT THE ROOF.


Byline: Brad A. Greenberg Staff Writer

GRANADA HILLS - Brad Hodge went through the roof over his missing shingles shingles: see herpes zoster.
shingles
 or herpes zoster

Acute viral skin and nerve infection. Groups of small blisters appear along certain nerve segments, most often on the back, sometimes after a dull ache at the site; pain becomes
.

Portions of his roof were removed by an unlicensed contractor whose crew had been sent to 17722 Tribune St. - but showed up at 17722 Tulsa St. instead.

``I understand delivering something to the wrong address, but I don't understand starting a process like that without talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to"
lecture, speech

rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to
 the resident or the homeowner,'' a dumbfounded dumb·found also dum·found  
tr.v. dumb·found·ed, dumb·found·ing, dumb·founds
To fill with astonishment and perplexity; confound. See Synonyms at surprise.
 Hodge said.

Now Hodge and his parents, who own the single-story stucco stucco (stŭk`ō), in architecture, a term loosely applied to various kinds of plasterwork, both exterior and interior. It now commonly refers to a plaster or cement used for the external coating of buildings, most frequently employed in  house one block north of Tribune Street, are scrambling to get the roof replaced before the next Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region,  downpour.

Most reputable roofers, though, have waiting lists of three months or more.

``My guys made a mistake and tore off the wrong roof,'' said Precision Roofing owner Barry Elliott, whose business is not licensed by the state.

The costly debacle started Friday about 8 a.m. when a Precision crew showed up at the home and nobody was there.

``They were walking up and down the street, and they were looking at our house,'' said John Cooley, who lives next door. ``I thought they were lost. Evidently, they were.''

When Gayle Hodge and her husband arrived two hours later to help with their son's new air conditioner conditioner,
n 1. an additive substance used to increase the effectiveness of another substance.
2. a substance added to enamel that improves a sealant's ability to adhere.
, the roofers were well into the demolition, flinging composite shingles onto the driveway and into a large truck.

``I about had a heart attack,'' said the 62-year-old West Hills woman.

``I kept asking these people for their contractor's license or a work order. They couldn't give me anything - a business card, an order sheet. Even the owner couldn't.''

The roof was 10 years old and didn't leak. David Paine, owner of Preferred Roofing in Van Nuys, who covered it with a tarp Saturday, said the repair would cost about $9,000.

Hodge has homeowners insurance, but hasn't yet filed a report. She asked Precision's owner to fix it immediately.

``He couldn't even say he was sorry,'' Hodge said. ``He didn't apologize. He just said, 'It was a mistake. People make mistakes.'

``He said, 'It would be nice if you would compensate me for this work.'''

Elliott said he offered to fix her roof for free.

``I'm trying to make a bad situation good so everyone walks away happy,'' Elliott said. ``Next thing you know she called the police and her attorney and we got kicked off the job.''

A crime report was not taken because it appeared to be a mistake, said Lt. Paul Vernon, a police spokesman.

Elliott said Precision Roofing has been in business 30 years. The Better Business Bureau of the Southland south·land or South·land  
n.
A region in the south of a country or an area.



southland·er n.

Noun 1.
 gave it a D rating in 2002 for not responding to a client's complaint about a leaking overhang Overhang

Calculated as stock options granted, plus the remaining options to still be granted, and then divided by the total shares outstanding.

Notes:
A high percentage for the overhang is usually a bad thing.
.

The Reseda-based company has not been licensed by the Contractors State License Board since 2000. It was unclear why Precision Roofing did not have a license, said Pamela Mares, a spokeswoman for the board. Elliott said he was unaware his license was invalid.

It is illegal in California to do contracting work for $500 or more without a license.

``I strongly encourage anybody to report unlicensed activities. We will go after (unlicensed contractors), put them in jail,'' Mares said.

Monday, the Hodges were more concerned with damage control.

Strong gusts whipped south from the Santa Susana Mountains The Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States. The range runs east-west separating the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley on its south from Santa Clara River Valley to the north and , flapping A condition in which a route in a network becomes unavailable and available over and over again. See route dampening.  the clear tarp.

Brad and his father, Miles, spent several hours refastening the tarp.

``It's the middle of winter. It's going to rain. What am I going to do?'' Brad Hodge asked.

The roof incident capped a frustrating frus·trate  
tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates
1.
a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart:
 week for Hodge, an alumnus ALUMNUS, civil law. A child which one has nursed; a foster child. Dig. 40, 2, 14.  of the University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission . On Wednesday he watched his Trojans lose the college football national championship at the Rose Bowl.

``Losing the game was disappointing, but it doesn't affect my day-to-day life, except I have to take a lot of ribbing from my co-workers,'' he said.

``But having to come home and see the roof ripped off my house hits you, well, right at home.''

Brad A. Greenberg, (818) 713-3634

brad.greenberg(at)dailynews.com

Tips when hiring a contractor:

Hire only licensed contractors

Get three bids

Be wary of people offering home-improvement work door-to-door

Verify the contractor's license by checking online at www.cslb.ca.gov or via the Contractors State License Board's automated phone service at (800) 321-2752

Don't pay more than 10 percent down or $1,000

Don't pay cash

Contact the contractors license board if you have a complaint.

- SOURCE: Contractors State License Board

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

(color) Brad and Miles Hodge walk over the tarp that now covers the naked roof of the Tulsa Street home in Granada Hills.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

Box:

Tips when hiring a contractor: (see text)
COPYRIGHT 2006 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2006, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Jan 10, 2006
Words:785
Previous Article:NEWHALL LAND SETTLES SUIT HOMEOWNERS TO BE PAID FOR QUAKE COSTS.
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