3 Reasons for Roof Specifications

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3 Reasons for Roof Specifications

For the casual property owner or property manager, replacing a roof on a building can be a mystery if you don’t know what you are doing. Most owners and property managers will typically call 2-3 roofers and get 2-3 estimates and never have proper roof specifications. How do you know which one to accept? Is the lowest price necessarily the best roof for my property?

These are important questions, and if you don’t have experience in the roofing industry, you can end up feeling like you are at the mercy of the roofing contractors. However, when partnered with a roof consultant, a property manager and/or owner can have more confidence in the roof replacement process with the execution of a roof replacement specification.

What is a roof spec?

Roof specifications are construction documents written by a roof consultant or architect that establishes guidelines for the re-roofing project. In the roof specifications document, the roles of the owner, consultant, and contractor are defined; the proper roofing system and acceptable roofing materials are established, and desired warranties are outlined to protect the owner’s investment, and they provide a roofing system that meets the budget of the property owner or manager.

Thus, roof specifications can be an invaluable asset for the building owner or property manager who are facing a re-roofing project. Here are three reasons why you need roof specifications when replacing a roofing system:

  1. Roofing Specifications Define the Quality of Construction

Roof specifications versus a contractor estimate are going to define the quality of the roofing desired for the re-roofing project. When using a roofing specification, the contractor is given specific instructions to adhere to during the installation of the roofing system. Further, they are not allowed to substitute products or details without the approval of the designer/consultant of the roofing system.

      2. Roofing Specifications Refine the Contractor Base and Allow for Consistent Bids

Another benefit of roof specifications is that they refine the contractor base for the competitive bid process, and they accomplish this three ways:

    • Roof specifications are used to define the desired warranty for the roofing system. High-level warranties are tools used by manufacturers to control their contractor base. Conversely, they can be used to identify top-level contractors and ensure that quality contractors are being invited to bid.
    • Roof specifications define the specific roofing system to be installed and quality contractors are going to be selected who can install that system to meet warranty criteria.
    • By establishing the desired roofing system and warranty for the re-roofing project, the roofing specifications provide a consistent roofing system to bid on, meaning: the contractors have to bid the same roofing system which keeps contractors from bidding different roofing systems, makes the bid competitive, and allows the owner to save money.

     3. Roofing Specifications Can Design a Roofing System to Meet the Budget

A final benefit of roof specifications is that the design of the roofing system can meet the owner’s needs, specifically if there are financial restraints. Not all roofing systems are the same and there are replacement options for roofing systems that can satisfy the need for a new roofing system. Knowing the budget, a roof consultant can write a roofing specification for a roof that not only meets industry standards but stays within the confines of the owner’s budget.

Think your building’s roof needs to be replaced? Before you hire a contractor, check out our free roofing information guide, “10 Most Costly Mistakes When Buying A Commercial Roof.” Inside the guide, you’ll discover the pitfalls many building owners and building managers make when replacing their roofs and how you can avoid them.