by Stephen J. Wessling
Stephen Wessling
Some real estate and property management firms hire contractors directly to perform medium and large-scale commercial roofing and building envelope repair work. Some hire consultants that only provide roof consulting services who sometimes lack the knowledge of the entire building envelope. There are numerous things that can drastically go wrong with this approach including relinquishing product and design decisions as well as entering into a project without set, concise specifications and a clear scope of work. This is a very s capital at stake!
The answer to the question: “Why hire an Architect for your roof repair or replacement project?” is complex, but best summed up by the word “protection.” To elaborate on this aspect, we mean protection of all parties such as:
• The owner (their asset and investment) • The tenant (their critical role in the property as lease/renter) • The property management firm (their performance and professional reputation)
Of course the protection and performance of the physical asset is obvious. Budgetary concerns are always included in the overall evaluation process and all available options are considered for the project.
The logical decision is to team up with a qualified architect who specializes in building envelope design and restoration. While many engineers and roof consultants understand roofing and are an asset to the industry, they quite often do not understand the entire “building envelope” as well as other aspects of the buildings architectural features and components that interface with the roofing.
Using a competent and experienced architect is cost-effective in several ways. You save valuable time by having the required review and evaluation take place resulting in the best approach for the roof project. A comprehensive evaluation and design process actually saves money by developing proper designs and specifications from the start, thereby dramatically reducing the potential for short or long-term problems. All evaluation data is integrated into a complete set of contract documents for bidding.
When different contractors are called in to bid, there is no standard for them to follow. Critical project items such as roof insulation thicknesses vary between contractors bids that lead to an “apples and oranges” comparison scenario. Another common roof detailing flaw is the improper roof perimeter edge terminations to the exterior façade walls.
With our knowledge of the available contractors, we at Wessling Architects target the appropriate contractors that fit the specifics of your project (type of roof system, manufacturer approved contractor, size of project, complexity of metal work, schedule requirements etc., etc.). We then promote the project and coordinate the entire bidding process for the project.
All the contractors are brought together in a pre-bid conference to be shown the project and briefed of the project specifics. A question/answer period is always provided at both the pre-bid and during the entire bidding period. Final bids are organized and listed in a bid spreadsheet for review and recommendation. Low bidders are then de-scoped to confirm all project specifics have been included.
Repair and/or complete replacement can in many instances cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Wessling Architects provides comprehensive evaluation to develop an approach to your project which considers all existing conditions and architectural concerns.
While input from roofing contractors or manufacturers is helpful, this advice may leave you with confusing and incompatible data that can lead to erroneous decisions regarding your roof expenditures. Contractors and manufacturers can also be biased and have a conflict of interest in the roof, especially in effectively determining if the roof should be repaired or replaced or if the roof is a candidate for less expensive overlay roof or full replacement.
Certain contractors are also better suited for certain roofing systems. The roof system that the contractor/manufacturer recommends may not be best suited to your building. A contractor or manufacturer may not provide the thorough review of the existing conditions of your building that may be currently deficient.
Consulting with an architect who specialized in roofing and building envelope design and restoration will ensure all aspects of your building are evaluated and considered. Identifying current deficiencies in the evaluation process will allow the designer to address and remedy any shortcomings.
Wessling Architects provides visual evaluations with field roof test cuts as the first step in your roof evaluation process. The type of roof, its age, condition, composition, design, thermal efficiency, roof deck type, overall quality installation are all evaluated.
