What Does a Commercial Roofing Consultant Do?
October 10, 2021
When commercial flat roof problems arise at your facility, it could mean one of two things. The first is that you need commercial roof repair in Mississauga from a commercial flat roofing company or, you need a complete roof restoration to cover the problems you face It is a great responsibility to maintain a commercial flat roofing system. That is when you need a roofing consultant to help navigate the myriad of details involved when work needs to be accomplished to extend the life of your building. When you work with us at Integrity Roofers, you can count on our staff to be ready with consultancy services to help dictate decisions that need to be taken to remediate your roofing system. We assume the stress, so you don’t have to, and our deep well of experience in the roofing industry will be the salvation you need to get your roof to perform for decades when we take control of the situation.
Who are Commercial Roofing Consultants?
To understand what a roofing consultant does, we need to define the role of the consultant to establish what part they will play in any roofing job. Simply put, the roofing consultant provides professional advice based on years of experience in the business. The advice will be a comprehensive overview of all facets of the commercial roofing job – it doesn’t matter if it is a complete roof restoration or a repair job – the consultant has experience and advice at the ready for any project that you are engaged in.
When seeking advice, the first rule of thumb is that you need to trust the consultant you are working with to represent your best interests. If you don’t, you need to find another consultant. The consultant will have responsibility in the following areas: cost of the work, the equipment needed to complete the work, the installation process and the materials needed to complete the job. There is no guarantee that the contractor you hire will be an ethical one. Your due diligence will help filter out the non-performers. Be sure to quiz your contractor on all aspects of the job because it is important that you and the contractor have the same mindset when working together.
The contractor and his consultant should be providing an education to help you understand the problems and the solutions offered to create a happy ending when the job is complete. Now that the role of a consultant has been defined, let’s look at a list of duties that the consultant will assume during the repair or replacement of the roof.
How Can a Commercial Flat Roof Consultant Help?
- The consultant will conduct inspections and surveys to determine the lifespan of the roof.
- He will locate leaks and find the sources for repair.
- The consultant will write the specs for the project – whether it is a repair or complete replacement.
- The consultant will ensure that quality workmanship is provided and conduct regular inspections throughout the job to ensure the work is being done correctly.
- The consultant works with the construction industry and helps with information that is required for insurance claims.
- When the time comes for asset management, he will break down the roof as an asset to derive the value.
- The consultant will be the point person in the bidding process and manage the competitive process to receive bids.
- A consultant will assess the moisture content of the roof through the use of a survey.
- The consultant will be your advocate during any legal proceedings as an expert witness to protect your interests.
What to Expect from a Commercial Flat Roof Inspection?
When a roofing contractor inspects your building, they start on the inside. The consultant will be looking for signs of leaks – watermarks on the walls and the ceiling. If you have an HVAC system on the roof, leaks can occur from the condensation unit. Once the interior inspection is complete, a walking tour of the circumference of the building is next, and the consultant will narrow the focus to the centre of the roof. Once the roof has been visually assessed, a layered sample is taken to determine various things.
- The consultant will check for the number of layers of roofing material present on the roof at the time of the inspection.
- The substrate material will be identified.
- The moisture content and level of saturation will be measured.
- Then the age of the roof will be marked.
There are many telltale signs of roofing problems, and that is where your roofing consultant earns their money. During the inspection, issues they will look for include ponding or pooling water, damage to the roof membrane like cracks, blisters or holes in the substrate, seams separating, and loose nails and shingles.
Do You Need Commercial Roof Consulting Services?
If you are not a professional roofer, you need a consultant for any commercial project you are prepared to conduct. The old expression, ‘if you don’t know, ask,’ has never been more important when roofing work becomes a necessity.
A big problem for building owners is identifying contractors who hold valid insurance for the work they do. Without it, a building owner could be on the hook for thousands of dollars in costs due to shoddy work or work not done in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines. Here are some examples of why it is always a good time to get a second opinion:
- You have been advised that you need a complete roof restoration, but you have a nagging suspicion that the diagnosis might not be the case.
- You receive a project estimate that seems way out of line for the work you need to be done.
- You have requested bids from a number of contractors, and you need to compare and contrast their respective bids.
Contact Us for Commercial Flat Roof Services in Mississauga
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