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By proactively scheduling roof inspections and performing regular maintenance you can extend the life of your commercial roof, plan for more timely replacement and save your bottom line!

As a business owner, investor or property manager you know the importance and value of your property’s roof. A properly maintained roof will keep your staff and customers comfortable, keep your products dry and keep your business open and safe.

Many property owners have an interest in the roof longer than the loan payments on the property – for this to happen you need to be pro-active with scheduling your roof maintenance! By not taking the time (and money) needed before the roof fails you could be setting yourself up for a very untimely and expensive repair.

Avoid those emergency service calls

Not only can regular maintenance extend the life of your commercial roof, but it can also save on emergency calls for leak repairs. An untimely leak depending on where it is located can cause loss of business for the time it takes to repair. Leaks if not identified early one can cause extensive damage to interior walls, flooring and building contents. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you plan your new year roofing expenditures.

Don’t skip your annual inspection!

Contracting an experienced roofing expert with The Liberty Group you can be assured that your roofing assessment will be complete and include suggestions to help you extend the life of the existing roof with a preventative maintenance list. You will also be provided a log of maintenance as well as a plan for eventual replacement. These tools will help you better prepare for large budget replacement costs and not be sidelined with emergency repairs.
The following is a comprehensive list of services that are a part of roof maintenance and replacement prepared by Phillip D. Miller, Assoc. AIA, AssocRICS and Jay T. Henning, RRC, RRO – excerpt from Globest.com

*Roofing System Condition Assessment (RSCA) – specialized assessment of roofing materials and systems resulting in a written Roofing System Condition Report (RSCR) with anticipated immediate and reserve costs. This can include opinions of ongoing maintenance practices and costs (Roof Management Plan) if specifically requested by the client.

*CAD Generated Roof Plans – an add-on supplement to the RSCR, detailed measured plan of the roof area identifying locations of significant issues or deficiencies.

*Core Samples – taken, with written authorization from Owner, to determine exact composition of a roofing system (also used during moisture scans).

*Warranty Review – assists in deciphering the available warranty documentation to determine coverage, transferability, etc.

*Moisture Scan (generically called IR scans but may also include electrical capacitance or nuclear depending on roofing materials) – identifies potential areas of entrapped moisture within a roofing system, targets area for repair/replacement and is also utilized to determine if a recovery system can be utilized in lieu of full replacement. Core samples are taken to verify the presence and degree of moisture within the roofing.

*Code Review – determines current local building code requirements (used for planning replacements)

If, in consultation with a roofing inspector, it is determined that you really do have to reroof, there are two key ways to keep costs down. One, obtain a re-roof assessment, which can include various services from moisture scans, core samples, warranty review, and code review mentioned above. This will be essential information to conduct a proper rebuild. Second, and most importantly, obtain apples to apples bids from contractors to find the best fit for your project.

To help you make sure that the roof replacement process occurs on time, on budget and results in a quality final product, consider these additional solutions:

*Roof Rehabilitation Program Development – work with consultants to produce a full set of construction documents (specifications, drawings, bid forms, contract documents, etc.) for use in competitive bidding of a project. This will facilitate bid solicitation (release for competitive bidding, pre-bid meeting, answer RFIs, review submittals), contractor selection (review bids, review contractor qualifications, make recommendation) and prepare critical contract documents (such as the owner/contractor agreement).

*Construction Progress Monitoring (CPM) – During the installation of the new roof, observation of work being completed will verify that the work is being completed per the specifications outlined in the plan of work, and that the budget of work being completed aligns with the contractor’s payment request. Taken together, these services increase the likelihood that the project is completed on schedule and on budget.

Engaging with experienced roof consultants is essential to help you analyze your existing roof assets and can provide you with a range of services, from a basic maintenance list, all the way through design services and project management, should you need to re-roof your building. This is a high-level overview list, but a specialized review of specific areas or issues can be tailored to fit client needs for any roofing type.