Rained when installing flat rubber roof

[Mahmuda L.]

There was some light rain for 5 to 15 minutes max. I wasn't on the site. I am not sure if my roof contractor is lying or not at this point. Today he took out the old 14 by 14 feet small roof and put torch down rubber roof with flashing cement. I am not sure if I should ask him to redo the whole thing with no additional cost. I told him not to work if weather shows sign of rain and am pissed that he rushed to get the work done. What should I do? I am not sure if I can trust if he says the water didn't get in the wood or that the sheets were covered when it rained. I went there few hours after rain and saw the roof surface wet. I am not sure if torch down or placing cement can wet the surface. He might just clean the surface with water after work. Best case it would be rain and rain did not get in the wood. Worst case, water actually got in the wood. What can I tell, confront or ask him at this point?

[Nathan Grabau]

I am a commercial roofing contractor. It is not ideal for roofing products to get wet, but it is very unlikely that a light rain will cause any long term issues for you. The amount of time fighting this will take you will be much more expensive even if you could get a replacement system along with removal of anything that got wet. 

To better explain this, it is incredibly rare that when we are doing leak repairs, even from substantial leaks, that we replace any roofing materials. We normally are just told to prevent the leak from occurring in the future by fixing the EPDM (rubber you are talking about most likely) on the surface of the roof. 

I am sorry this happened to you, and I know it is not ideal, but myself as a roofer, would not have the contractor redo this work if it was my own property.