ROOF REPLACEMENT SPECIFICATIONS
By lynn Jardinico

ROOF REPLACEMENT SPECIFICATIONS

You’ve been informed that the roof on your commercial building must be replaced.  What is your next step?

Replacing a roof on a commercial building can be a harrowing experience for both the building owner and the building tenant.  This is a case where a qualified roofing consultant developing a project specific roof replacement specification can be worth his weight in gold.

Each Building is Unique

Every building has unique requirements that play a role in the development of a roofing specification.  Tenants may be very sensitive to activity on the roof and the disruption it may cause.  The building may require customized details to accommodate unusual equipment or penetrations.  The building owner may have specific design or investment criteria that impact the roofing project.  The building may be in the process of renovation for sale or for a new tenant.  In other words, no two projects are the same.

Roofing System Selection

Keeping all of these factors in mind and coupling them with state or local requirements affecting design (such as energy requirements) directs the roof system selection process.  Available budgets and anticipated building usage also come into play.  IRC Technologies will weigh each of these factors and provide alternatives for suitable roofing systems.

Roofing systems are more complex than ever.  A roof consultant can identify the systems that are most cost effective and suitable for the building, while paying careful attention to the long-term performance of selected systems.  “New” does not necessarily mean “better” in the roofing industry and consultants generally have the most current information available on roof systems and accessories.

Roof Replacement Specification Documents

Your IRC Roofing Consultant will develop the specification documents based on the roofing system selection.  In many cases, an alternate system may be included in the specification to provide the building owner with different options.  Specific flashing details are developed and included, along with a detailed roof plan.  Depending on client requirements, the specifications may also include general requirements governing the execution of the project.  General requirements include project logistics, bidding forms, bidder instructions, insurance requirements, subcontractor listing forms, etc.  The specifications are designed to be complete project documents that can be provided to selected bidding contractors.

Properly crafted specifications are key in obtaining “apples-to-apples” bids that can be reasonably evaluated on a cost basis.  Including acceptable alternates when possible or practical gives the bidding contractors some flexibility in providing the optimum pricing for their particular specialty.

The goal of a roof replacement specification is to provide an accurate representation of the roof replacement project requirements that results in competitive and accurate bids, thus saving the building owner time and money.