Contractors charge $2,850 to nail tarps on victims roofs

MercuryNews.com | 09/29/2005 | Expensive fix to victims' roofs: "Expensive fix to victims' roofs

TARP INSTALLATION TO GULF COAST HOMES COSTING 10 TIMES THE NORM

By Aaron C. Davis

Mercury News

and Jay Root and Seth BorensteinKnight Ridder NEW ORLEANS -- Across the hurricane ravaged Gulf Coast, thousands upon thousands of blue tarps are being nailed to wind-damaged roofs, a visible sign of government assistance.

The blue sheeting -- a godsend to residents whose homes are threatened by rain -- is rapidly becoming the largest roofing project in the nation's history.

But it isn't coming cheaply.

Knight Ridder has found that a lack of oversight, generous contracting deals and poor planning mean that government agencies are shelling out as much as 10 times what the temporary fix would normally cost. The government is paying contractors an average of $2,480 for less than two hours of work to cover each damaged roof -- even though it's also giving them endless supplies of blue sheeting for free."