So you’ve decided to take a proactive approach to managing your roof assets. No more waiting to see water trickling in to give your roofs some much-needed attention. You’ve hired an independent roof consultant to manage your buildings’ roofs. Good move. Now what?
The first step will more than likely be to schedule a roof audit for all of your buildings’ roof assets. What does that mean? Today we’ll take a look at a step-by-step breakdown of the work involved in putting together a thorough roof audit and report so you’ll know what you should expect.
Anatomy of a Roof Audit
First, it’s important to make sure the person performing your roof audit is qualified to do so via experience and/or accreditation. Experience is more important. If you want a few tips on what to look for in a roofing professional, check out 6 Questions to Ask Your Roofing Professional.
The roof audit and reporting process should look something like this:
- Accurate measurement of all roofs – no cheating with Google Earth!
 Measuring on-site also allows us to get a good look at every part of the roof.
- Infrared Scan: an audit may or may not include a scan depending on the type of roof and customer requirements. IR scans are a highly effective tool for locating areas of wet insulation – more on this in future posts.
- Core Sampling: small sample of the roof to the deck to verify the components of the existing roof system. This must be resealed with compatible materials and should only be performed if it won’t affect the existing roof warranty.
- Examine Perimeters and Projections: areas like HVAC flashings, skylights, edges and drains are where 80% of roof problems originate. It’s important to make sure that weather, insects, birds, or visiting contractors have not compromised the roof membrane in these areas. We’re looking for splits, holes, cracks, failed seams or serious deterioration.
- Examine Roof Field: as we walk the main field of the roof, we’re looking for ponding water, blistering, failed seams, degradation, delamination of the membrane, and clogged drains.
- Adjacent Building Fabrics: we like to take a look at walls, windows, cladding and masonry adjacent to the roof in order to identify any signs of water infiltration that appear to indicate a roof problem.
- Deck Inspection: if there’s interior access to it, we’ll take a look at the underside of the roof deck to look for signs of water infiltration, corrosion or mold.
- Locate Current Leaking Problems: if clients suspect a leak, we investigate until we locate the source. It may or may not be a roof issue.
- CAD Roof Plan: drawing of roofs with measurements and areas of interest highlighted
- Roof Audit Report: includes roof plan, description, observations, recommendations, opinions on probable costs and associated timelines.
With all of the details of your roof assets and a plan to manage them in one place, you’re well on your way to extending the life cycle of your roofs, controlling costs, and eliminating the unexpected, expensive problems that go with a more reactive approach to roofing.
There are no foolish questions, and no man becomes a fool until he has stopped asking questions.
~Charles Proteus Steinmetz
Owners and managers of commercial and industrial buildings have a lot of options when it comes to choosing partners to help them manage and maintain all aspects of their facilities. One of the key partners they need to select is someone with the knowledge and experience to properly manage their roof assets. A compromised roof system can lead to so many other problems that costs can multiply very quickly.
Once you have a feel for the types of roof management services available, you can set about the business of choosing the particular partner that’s right for you and your organization. But how do you find them? And once you find them, how do you know you’ve chosen the right partner?
Key Questions for Your Roofing Partner
1. What type of knowledge and experience do you have in the roof management field?
Unfortunately, some of the people offering roof management services out there are better at selling than roofing. They are trained to make the sale rather than serve the customer. Asking some general questions about how long they have been in the business can be very informative.
Getting a little more specific can be even more illuminating. Don’t be afraid to ask your potential partner whether or not they’ve managed a project similar to yours in the past. What challenges have they faced on other projects and how have they overcome them? How willing are they to do the work necessary to really investigate your leak or other roofing concerns in order to find the right solution for your unique situation?
2. How do you manage cost control on projects?
Poorly planned roofing projects often lead to unexpected add-on costs for the customer. While there are sometimes legitimate surprises when crews begin to tear off an existing roof, proper pre-construction due diligence can eliminate some of these. An experienced roof consultant knows what to look for and saves you money and headaches in the process.
3. Who is issuing the warranty?
It’s imperative that customers understand whom to call if something should go wrong with their roof in the future. Who is accountable for the cost of repairs and under what circumstances? Will it be the materials manufacturer, the contractor, or the roof consultant? Clearing this up ahead of time can help you avoid the finger-pointing circles that are all too common in this industry. It’s also important to note that most warranties require regular maintenance in order to remain valid, so make sure you understand what’s required of your organization in advance.
4. Can you share some references?
Any experienced roofing professional will be able to provide you with at least 3 references you can contact. Try to get references to people or companies with roofing requirements that are similar to yours. An inability or unwillingness to provide references is a red flag and a good signal that you should probably move on to another candidate. Of course, it’s a great idea to actually call these references, and even better, to actually visit the referenced project(s). Find out how past projects went, how the candidate handled any problems, and whether they’re still using their services.
5. Does your company carry errors and omissions insurance?
Error and omissions insurance is carried by many service professionals to ensure that they can bear the cost of any claims of negligence. In addition to reassuring customers that they have recourse in the case of a roofing professional who does not deliver the products or services specified, it also provides them with some peace of mind regarding the financial stability of the firm.
6. How are you paid?
This is perhaps the question customers are most squeamish about asking directly. But aside from the knowledge/experience answer, it’s probably the most important one of all. The manner in which your roof management partner is paid will determine their motivation.
If you’re working with a manufacturer’s sales representative, they are being paid a percentage of the materials cost. So it’s in their best interest to include as much of their own materials as possible in the specification. If you are using a roofing contractor without any objective third party to hold them to account, they may choose the cheapest (as opposed to the best) system for your project in order to win the work . Once the job begins, you have no way of monitoring the contractor’s work to ensure they are delivering what they promised.
If you are working with an independent roof consultant, they are paid to look after your interests. They will take responsibility for choosing the correct system, inviting reputable contractors to bid on the installation, conducting quality assurance inspections as the project progresses, and performing a final inspection to ensure that all outstanding items have been completed.
Some customers may feel awkward asking so many questions, but a true professional won’t mind answering them. After all, it’s your money. You trust your roofs to protect all of your assets. Why trust just anyone to protect your roofs?
Never has it been more difficult for a facility manager or owner to determine a proper and cost effective solution for their roofing needs. There are literally hundreds of different roofing systems, configurations, and roof managment business models throughout the industry. It’s easy to fall victim to a variety of sales schemes out there – some old, some new, and fresh money-making schemes coming to market regularly. How can you find a knowledgeable, reliable partner to help you mange your roof assets efficiently?
4 Ways to Manage Your Roof Assets
Absent dawning a fall arrest harness and maintaining your roofs yourself, there are 4 main ways to manage your roof assets:
1. Roofing Contractor in Residence
Some companies have a preferred roofing contractor who performs most or all of the roof maintenance for their buildings. This can be a decent option for companies with smaller buildings provided the contractor provides excellent service. Problems can arise, however, when larger projects are required. It’s always a good idea to tender these projects out to a variety of contractors in order to get the best value for your dollar. But your contractor in residence may feel entitled to the work, having considered your company a “house account”. Less competition usually means higher pricing for the customer.
2. DIY Bids
Some building owners manage their roofing on a project by project basis. When roofing problems arise, they tender the project to a variety of contractors, managing the bid process on their own. This may work out if the owner or manager has a great deal of knowledge about roof construction, design and materials. If not, however, it’s difficult to know whether the specifications reflect the optimal design for your building and budget parameters. It’s important to note that contractors competing with one another will often specify the cheapest system available in order to win the work.
Choosing a solution on price alone can end up costing a lot more in the long run. Our consultants are often brought in to represent the owner’s interests in situations where roof systems have been improperly designed or applied or where contractors are trying to invoice for unreasonable extra costs. Quality assurance inspectionsby a professional roof consultant can help you avoid these hassles.
3. Manufacturer’s Sales Representative
Some roofing materials manufacturers hire sales professionals to offer “all in one” solutions to facilities managers. They offer roof consulting services, often starting out with a “free” inspection. Some of these sales reps use very aggressive sales tactics and are often much more knowledgeable about selling than roofing.
This model is typically the most expensive and least transparent way to manage your roof assets. The consulting fees are usually buried in materials that are sold at prices around 10 times industry standards. These inflated costs are often justified by material formulations that are tweaked slightly so that the specificationsare proprietary. That means the manufacturer has a unique opportunity to put as much of their material as possible into the spec. Make no mistake about it: the aim of this business model is to sell the company’s roofing materials.
4. Independent Roof Consultant
An independent roof consultant does not work for a manufacturer or a contractor. They work for you. Their job is to design a cost-effective, long-term roof management plan that provides you the best value for your money. They can choose the best materials for your unique building and budget requirements and set up a preventative maintenance plan to prolong the life cycle of your roof assets. Regular preventive maintenance inspections ensure that problems are detected while they’re still small. Quality assurance inspections during a project mean the roof is applied correctly and according to the specifications.
Roof consultants typically work on a fee-based model where they charge a set fee for specific services or a percentage of the project value. Either way, these fees should be spelled out in advance so you know exactly what the project will cost. This is the most cost-effective and transparent roof management model out there. It’s worth noting, however, that there’s some variability among consultants in terms of how much accountability they will take on for projects. Make sure you understand who’s accountable for problems with design, materials, and application before you commit. The aim of this business model is providing roofing expertise that represents the owner’s interests.
 The 2011 winter solstice is almost upon us. Winter officially arrives on December 22, marking the shortest day and longest night of the year. What does that mean for your roof assets?
Normally, we highly recommend that every commercial and industrial roof should be inspected prior to the onset of winter. Once the seasonal deep freeze sets in, it’s much more difficult for roofing professionals to get on roofs, to properly assess their condition, and to perform remedial work.
But what if you’ve been so busy that you simply haven’t had a chance to schedule your pre-winter roof inspection. Is it too late?
As long as there’s no snow on your roof, it’s not too late to make sure your roof assets are ready to handle the ravages of Old Man Winter. Depending on what the weather’s been like recently in your area, you may be able to sneak in a pre-winter roof inspection. Generally, as long as your roof is clear of snow, a professional roof consultant will be able to offer a very good assessment of their condition.
Roof audit tools like infrared cameras can be more difficult to use when the mercury dips, but a sunny day – even in December – can offer us the opportunity to get a reasonably accurate infrared scan of your roofs. As a matter of fact, we very recently took advantage of a sunny day in Ontario to scan a building for a client with some roofing concerns.
Why Inspect Your Roofs Before Winter?
Freeze-Thaw Cycle: Think about what the freeze-thaw cycle does to the roadways where you live during the winter. Water can enter any tiny crevice, expand it when it freezes and then leave an even larger crack when it thaws. The same thing can happen on your roof. A small void, open seam, or weakened area of membrane can literally be torn open, allowing water infiltration once the ice thaws. All may seem well while temperatures are below freezing, but sudden warming temperatures will tell the truth about your roof’s resilience.
Fall Clean-Up: The vagaries of the freeze-thaw cycle can be compounded by the presence of fall debris. Leaves from trees and surrounding vegetation that fall to the ground frequently clog roof drains, scuppers, downspouts and eaves troughs. If water cannot properly drain, large ice buildups begin, raising the possibility of structural overload, overwhelming of flashing heights, and the associated damage potential that comes with these situations.
A pre-winter roof inspection can identify potential problem areas before they cause more extensive – and expensive – damage to your building and its contents. Preventive maintenance is always cheaper than reactive damage control and a pre-winter inspection is a very cost-effective component of your roof management plan.
What If Your Roof Is Less Than 5 Years Old?
Roofs begin to degrade and wear from the moment they are installed. The sun’s UV rays, wind, rain, snow and ice are constantly attacking the membrane that you rely on to protect all of your company’s employees and assets. Regular roof inspections should start immediately in order to achieve the longest possible life for your roof assets. We recommend roof inspections at least twice a year (spring and fall) to assess the wear and tear on your roof systems and nip potential problems in the bud.
Your roof assets should also be assessed following any major weather event, especially those involving high winds, lightning, excessive rainfall, ice or snow storms. Even a brand new roof can be compromised by the elements at any time. Identifying potential problems as soon as possible is the key to making sure they don’t intensify, shortening the life cycle of your roof system and causing an unnecessary expenditure of time and money.
The Roofchek team was at the Construct Canada show in Toronto, Ontario last week. We met a lot of great people at our booth. While we definitely love to share our roofing knowledge at these conferences, we also make a point of listening carefully so that we can better understand what’s on the minds of existing and prospective clients. A few salient themes seemed to arise from our interactions in Toronto this year and we’d like to share those with you today.
Challenges Facing Facility Managers
Facility managers (FM) and property management (PM) professionals face a number of challenges in terms of planning, budgeting and executing strategies that offer the best per dollar value to building owners. Roofing is just one of their concerns, so it’s important that they enlist the help of knowledgeable partners who can make their job a lot easier. Here are 3 of the trends we noticed:
- Zero Budget Mandates: Many FM and PM professionals have been told to spend as close to zero as possible on roof assets. We’ve faced quite a bit of economic uncertainty in Ontario (and globally) over the past few years, so owners are understandably reluctant to part with capital. This presents managers with the challenge of maintaining roof assets with little or no budgeted expenditures.
- Fly-By-Night Solutions: Several visitors to our booth pointed out this trend. Unfortunately, the slowing economy also seems to have given rise to a few organizations promising unproven, quick-fix roofing solutions in the interest of hit-and-run profits for the company offering them rather than viable long term solutions for the building owner. The end result is usually an inflated capital outlay for the owner down the road, and the original service provider is often long gone once problems start to surface.
- Honest Roof Assessment: Many of the people we spoke to were genuinely concerned about the status of their roof assets. Having put off routine maintenance for the past couple of years due to budget constraints, they know that they are, at least to some extent, playing with fire – or more appropriately, water. They just want someone who knows what they’re doing to give them an idea of where they stand so that they are not faced with leaking problems or outright roof failure during the winter months.
Cost Effective Roofing Solutions
The main takeaway from the show seemed to be that people are spending a lot of money not maintaining their roofs. They know it, and they’re starting to get a little concerned about it. The good news is that routine roof maintenance can be a very low cost way to ensure the extended viability of roof assets.
The fact is that a zero dollar roofing budget can lead to much larger unplanned expenditures down the road. It’s sort of like putting off that oil change for your car: it may save you a few dollars this month, but if you neglect maintenance projects long enough you’re going to incur some pretty hefty repair bills and likely shorten the life of your vehicle.
There are many money-saving opportunities for owners through preventive maintenance and proactive roof management. Here are 3 ideas to get you started:
- Roof Assessment: Have your roof assets (especially those that are concerning you most) inspected by a reputable roof consultant. A roof audit is generally quite inexpensive and it can give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing where you stand. If your roofs are in good condition, you can rest easy. If they really do need some attention, you can plan for those expenses in advance. We highly recommend infrared roof scanning for compatible roof systems once every 2-3 years.
- Preventive Maintenance: Simple, inexpensive actions like making sure flashing seams are fully sealed, topping up pitch pans, and caulking reglets can save a lot of time, money and worry. An investment as little as $500 to $750 can easily save or delay thousands of dollars in expenses down the road and ensure that your assets are safe from water infiltration and the damage it can cause.
- Develop a Roofing Plan: An experienced roof consultant can help you set up a multi-year budget plan that outlines future maintenance and replacement costs so that you’re not caught off-guard when you can least afford it.
When budgets are tight, it pays to invest a little in preventive maintenance and planning in order to save a lot on future projects and costly leaking problems. We enjoyed meeting so many interesting people at this year’s Construct Canada show and we look forward to learning more next year!
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