Breaking Down the Cost and Installation of a Roof

When estimating the costs for a new roofing system, whether new construction or re-roof, there’s a saying that whomever makes the biggest mistake wins.  Hence, the “bottom line” needs to factor in a number in intangibles. With different materials and techniques involved, hidden short- and long-term costs related to installation, maintenance, durability and warranties add up quickly.

When estimating a roof project, it’s important to account for every aspect of the job and consider practical elements such as installation costs in terms of demands being placed on the roof, as well as scheduling and coordinating with other trades. Whether working on a re-covering job or a whole new roof, you want to minimize labor and material costs by doing it right the first time and get a roof that lasts for decades and inspires trust. 

Time is Money

Proper planning and a skilled crew can go a long a way to improving efficiency and maximizing the investment in the installation process. Beyond the direct costs of labor, a roof project can disrupt the routines at a job site and slow other work down. The quicker a roof gets done, the better. With commercial jobs often exceeding 50,000 square feet, the savings on installation time and hassle adds up quickly.

More than Square Feet

A membrane roof is more than just rolls of fabric, so the type of membrane matters in terms of overall  value. Some products may weld faster but increase imperfections due to welding too fast.  Opting for speed at the sacrifice of security can lead to call backs that eat up profits.All roofs require detail work around vents, and other penetrations.  Here again ease and efficiency matters. This requires additional material and more labor, so be sure to factor in the true costs for the details. The following flashing materials include premolded accessories and can save thousands of dollars in labor and material waste:

• T-Joint Covers: Wherever three membranes intersect, they often require a 4x4 cover patch, so costs can add up quickly. Each patch takes time to install, and each box of material costs money. This adds up to thousands of dollars and many hours of labor on an average job. FiberTite may not require any T-joint covers if special attention is paid to these areas to ensure solid welds, saving considerable material and labor expense.
  
  
• Premolded boots and corners: The use of premolded pipe flashing and premolded corners can offer huge labor savings, improve labor efficiency and contribute to better overall aesthetics.
  
  
• WRAPID Flash: FiberTite’s injection molded pipe flashing makes wrapping any cylindrical penetration simple and consistent. The single injection molding allows for faster and easier installation and produces stronger and better looking seals around rooftop conduit and pipes.

Transferring Value

Replacing or maintaining a roof can get expensive quickly. From an owner’s perspective,  be sure to consider every factor. We’ve covered installation issues and project costs, but there are other factors in the overall value proposition. All is not equal among manufacturers.  Some things that appear comparable at a glance have critical differences:

• Warranties. Make sure warranty language is the same. Many providers do not cover issues related to ponding water, gale winds or chemical exposure, for example.
  
  
• Reputation. Warranties are only as good as the company behind them. Find a provider with a long track record of success that will be around to back its product.
  
  
• Support. A committed resource during the installation process can provide peace of mind and help avoid problems down the road. FiberTite’s technical representative is an expert on the product and installation process, and will inspect the job as its in progress. This allows for correction of issues at the time of installation and helps ensure excellence.
  
  
• Puncture resistance. Maximum protection is important if you’re dealing with a high wear area, or a building that may sit below trees or face severe weather. Stronger material makes for much lower long-term repair costs.

Measuring the value of a roofing project goes well beyond material cost. Ensure you’ve covered all the bases by carefully evaluating the true and total cost of whichever product option you select.

More about how FiberTite compares to other products can be found here.  

What do you consider when measuring the value of a roofing project? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!