The Value of Accurate Roof Inspections and Estimates

roof estimateThe first step when looking for a new roof is to gather a budget. The better your roof estimate, the more a project could save you ten-fold in the long run Whether it is for your home or commercial building it’s important to find a reputable contractor with experience and insight to local, state and federal building codes. When looking for an estimate it is a good idea to get a second opinion and read into the numbers. One may be cheaper but there are always reasons. It could be a great deal because they are giving you a far inferior product or not following guidelines that could cost you more in permits, fines, and building code violations in the not-so-distant future. An excellent example of this is occurring in the City of Denver, Colorado. 

In January of 2018 the city of Denver imposed the Green Roof Initiative. This set of building codes affected new construction building floor plans and remodels for existing buildings of at least 25,000 SQFT. Later referred to as the Green Building Ordinance, this set of new rules and regulations has immensely affected the commercial roofing industry in the city. When looking to reroof in Denver one must now take into consideration the cost of sufficing these new rules. This could look like a different colored membrane, beefed up insulation, vegetative space, and a plethora of other options. This is where the confusion arises. 

As a building owner you want the best and ideally the most affordable option. The conversation that now must happen is how can we provide the best solution for your building that meets the requirements of these new codes. As a commercial roofing estimator, I can tell you this answer varies for every building individually and there is not one solid answer. The easiest catchall answer is to put a green space on the roof. This solution tends to check most of the boxes of the initiative, comes with the highest energy savings, and can add usable square footage to the building, but is typically the costliest. For owners on a budget there are plenty of options as well, but this can require more follow up and more hoops to jump through in the long run.

Some roofing contractors have been able to keep up with the (GBO) and some have chosen to disregard it. That is why it is extremely important to fully understand your estimate. After reading and understanding the scope of work, make sure you comb through the exclusions and always follow up with questions. Ask if there are any permits you need and who is going to cover them. Are all city and state building codes being followed? With the ever-growing pressure of liability in our society being prevalent in every business decision, make sure it is clearly defined and understood by all parties to prevent any unnecessary costs and issues moving forward. A reputable contractor and estimator will have no problem hashing these details out as it is a process of good business. 

If you want an honest and accurate roof estimate, contact JR & Co. today!