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Understanding 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 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.
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.
MOREProtect Yourself: Licensing, Permits and Codes Matter
Whether it’s for a roof replacement, waterproofing project or masonry tuck/point/seal, building owners must protect themselves and the building occupants by ensuring that the contractor awarded the work is appropriately licensed, has the proper permits, and fully understands federal codes affecting the project.
MOREEstablish a Clear Scope of Work
A commercial roofing, reroofing, building envelope exterior repair, or restoration project is no small undertaking. It can be a complete success for your organization or turn out to be a disaster. But, if you follow these 3 steps, it is more likely to lead to success, and your extra effort in the beginning will save your organization a lot of heartache in the end.
MOREInclement Weather Planning, Part I
Mid-way through another hurricane season, now is a good time to review the benefits of having an established Inclement Weather Plan. Mother nature can be unpredictable, and in the event you are having a commercial roof repaired or replaced, damage resulting from severe weather can add both cost and time to even the most well-planned re-roofing projects. For this reason, your roofing contractor’s policies and procedures should include an “Inclement Weather Plan”. And to protect your commercial property investment, you should request this plan from your commercial roofing contractor in advance of signing a contract for any roof work.
MORECertified Fall Protection Systems
An industrial manufacturing client recently inquired about our firm’s ability to furnish and install a certified fall protection system for the roof of a building at one of their Gulf Coast manufacturing facilities. In this case study, we discuss what it took to make this happen and take a look at the fall protection system that was best-suited for their roof.
MOREBeetles Can Bore Holes In Your Building Envelope
Over thirty years ago, our company installed the roof on The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. Just before the museum's grand opening in 1987, we encountered an unforeseen obstacle — beetles had bored into the uncured EPDM material and died under the flashing, creating devastating leaks. Read our case study on what we learned, how we addressed the issue and how it informed our processes moving forward.
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