Drainage is definitely the sneaky villain of green roofs—everyone worries about weight and structure, but water has its own mischievous plans. I've seen professionally installed systems struggle after heavy storms, so your neighbor shouldn't feel too bad. Honestly, DIY attempts teach you more than any manual ever could... and hey, at least the roof stayed put. That's half the battle won right there.
Depends a lot on how sneaky that villain drainage decided to be. I've seen fixes run from a couple hundred bucks for minor cleanup and gutter repairs, to several thousand when you're dealing with damaged membranes or structural moisture. Had a client whose "perfectly installed" green roof turned into a mini-swamp after a storm—wasn't cheap sorting that mess out...
Yeah, drainage can be a sneaky villain indeed—I've had my fair share of rooftop "ponds" to deal with. Had one job where the client insisted their roof was "just fine," until we peeled back the membrane and found a hidden ecosystem thriving underneath. Frogs included. Curious though, have you noticed certain roofing materials or designs holding up better against storm damage, or is it mostly luck of the draw?
"Curious though, have you noticed certain roofing materials or designs holding up better against storm damage, or is it mostly luck of the draw?"
Honestly, from what I've seen so far, luck definitely plays a role—but it's not all random. I've worked on a few roofs after storms, and metal roofing seems to hold up surprisingly well compared to shingles. Had one house last month where the shingles were scattered everywhere like confetti, but the neighbor's metal roof barely had a scratch. Of course, installation quality matters a ton too...seen some pretty solid materials fail just because someone cut corners during setup.
Also gotta say, your frog story cracked me up. Haven't found frogs yet myself, but did uncover a mini mushroom farm under some old flashing once. Nature finds a way, I guess...
"Of course, installation quality matters a ton too...seen some pretty solid materials fail just because someone cut corners during setup."
Totally agree with this. I've seen roofs with premium shingles get wrecked just because the installer skipped proper nailing patterns or didn't bother with good underlayment. Also, roof pitch makes a difference—steeper roofs tend to shed water and debris quicker, reducing damage. Had a neighbor whose flat roof turned into a mini swimming pool after a storm...not fun dealing with that mess.
