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The Impact of COVID-19 on Roofing and Building Envelope Customers
Standard Commercial Roofing and Envelope Solutions is committed now more than ever to our core values. These values include a relentless focus on the safety of our job sites, and we will be taking additional safety and security precautions throughout this pandemic along with additional steps to minimize interruptions to the schedules of our contracted projects. All of our work is performed outdoors and has a certain amount of social distancing built in to the performance of the job; however, adhering to the guidelines outlined below will help keep everyone safe and healthy and help keep your business running as smoothly as possible.
MOREUnderstanding Roof System Warranties
It's certainly preferable for building owners to understand the manufacturer’s warranty of the roofing material that is being proposed for any reroofing project prior to signing the contract. However, if your reroofing project has already been completed, it's still a worthwhile exercise to request and then read through the warranty for the roofing material that is now on your building. Building owners can request a sample of this roofing material manufacturer’s warranty from the roofing contractor being considered; or who was contracted to install your building’s roof. You should ask questions and request any clarifications in writing for any warranty terms that are not completely clear to you. Here are explanations of various roofing material warranties that are available and several important items you need to look for when reviewing your warranty.
MORESteep-Slope Roof Systems, Part 3
In addition to minimum slope ratio, sufficient ventilation and proper application of metal flashings, selecting the right underlayment is literally and figuratively “the foundation” of a well-designed and properly installed steep-slope roof system. While organic asphalt felts were popular products for this application in the past, they are no longer the preferred underlayment for steep-slope roof systems.
MORESteep-Slope Roof Systems, Part 2
In addition to maintaining proper ventilation, proper application of flashings is integral to the installation of water-tight, steep-slope roof systems. There are a variety of flashing conditions to consider, and requirements vary among roof systems. Here are just a few examples.
MORESteep-Slope Roof Systems, Part 1
There are a variety of roof systems suitable for steep-slope roofs including asphalt shingles, metal roof panels, clay tile, concrete tile, slate, as well as metal shingle systems. Our firm has installed all of the above systems, primarily on institutional facilities, including K–12, 2-year colleges, 4-year universities and colleges, and government buildings. In our experience, there are 4 components that make for a successful roof replacement project on steep-slope systems: maintaining the recommended minimum slope, ensuring sufficient ventilation, proper application of metal flashings, and installation of the underlayment.
MOREUnderstanding a Contractor’s Accounting System
Contracting can be a complicated and risky business. If a contractor doesn’t know its true financial position, then trouble can’t be far away; and when trouble arrives (and it will), no owner wants to be impacted by the fallout caused by a financially-stripped contractor. For this reason, it’s important that owners not only thoroughly vet contractors before awarding a project, but also understand which accounting and billing methods the contractor adheres to.
MOREIt’s Raining Inside
Reroofing projects are major renovations that can entail hazards for owners and contractors alike. One of the most serious risks for building owners undergoing a reroofing project is what is known as an “open-roof” event. These events are usually the result of a contractor’s crew removing more roof at a time than can be made completely water-tight before risk of a shower or rain storm develops. In the case of an open-roof event, some contractors may simply walk away from the job. Here's what to do if you find yourself in that situation.
MOREOccupied Facility Safety Planning
While the rooftop presents contractors with its own set of safety hazards to be addressed in a safety plan, the grounds around a building present hazards as well. And if the building is occupied—as is often the case in reroofing and building exterior restoration projects—one of the most important components of a site-specific safety plan is the “traffic control plan”. The building’s occupants and visitors entering and exiting the building along with the safety of the contractor’s personnel on the ground are the primary considerations when developing the “traffic control” portion of the site-specific safety plan.
MOREThe Importance of a Solid Insurance Program
In high-risk industries such as construction services, the importance of a well-rounded, solid insurance program cannot be overstated. Construction insurance programs are not only intended to protect the contractor, but to also protect the owner's property, personnel and affected third parties. Owners are well-served to verify in writing that the contractor selected to do the work has the following 4 types of primary coverages in place.
MORESurety Bonds For Projects
Sometimes referred to as Payment Bonds, Surety Bonds are posted by a contractor to guarantee that its subcontractors, material suppliers and other vendors will be paid in-full. They provide insurance in the event that a general contractor declares insolvency or is otherwise unable to complete the project they're engaged in. When our firm found itself subjected to a general contractor declaring insolvency during the construction of a large high school project in Atlanta, the Surety Bonds put in place at the project's onset helped ensure that Standard was issued payment for the backlog of unpaid invoices.
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