Imagine this:  It's 1999, and you're in the middle of the longest run of thunderstorms to hit the area in years.  Heavy amounts of water hitting the roof have finally made their way to the interior of the building, damaging ceilings, walls, carpet, equipment, and more.  It's obvious that there is no alternative to installing a new roofing system.  What's the first thing you do?

For facilities professionals across the country, choosing a good roofing contractor can be as frightening as the realization that the roof is leaking.  Why?  A new roofing system is a major investment and finding a qualified, reputable contractor who will do the job well, and on budget takes some extra work.

Never fear, the experts are here.
Protecting your roofing investment means expecting high-quality workmanship.  Facilities professionals can help guarantee a certain level of quality by first asking the right questions. "A good contractor is more than a guy in a truck with a ladder," says Kent Mattison, president of Cedar Rapids, IA-based Benchmark Inc., a roof consulting and planning firm.  "Take time to evaluate each contractor.  Choose a contractor based on performance capabilities first, and price second," he says.

Benchmark makes it mandatory that every potential contractor fill out a credentials questionnaire for prequalification.  "We weed out a few contractors that way," says Mattison.  "Remembering that bigger isn't always better is a good idea as well.  There are plenty of qualified small businesses out there that do a fine job."  Benchmark suggests the following criteria be mandatory for any prospective contractor:

• Be a certified applicator of selected roof systems.
• Have sufficient experience and skill with selected roof systems.
• Offer references on a number of projects of similar size and complexity.
• Have project and manufacturer references.
• Offer proof of bonding capacity/financial stability.
• Be within close proximity to achieve optimal service response time.
• Offer qualified repair capabilities for other roof systems on the site.

In addition to prequalifying contractors Kevin Ernster, senior consultant at Benchmark, suggests getting down to the next level of craftsmanship -- the foreman.  "Building owners should also get references on the foreman and crew that will do the work.  [The foreman's] reputation and that of his/her crew are as important as the contractor, because they're the ones who will do the work," he says.

Ernster encourages building owners not to go strictly by what the contractor says.  "They're salesmen, trained to convince you that they are your best choice for the job," he cautions.  "Be sure to check all references and always contact the manufacturer of the chosen roofing system to verify that the contractor is certified to install the product."

According to Ernster a practice new to the industry, known as "contractor roll-ups," has begun to creep its way onto the New York stock exchange.  Contractor roll-ups are conglomerations made up of contractors that have merged their assets to form a holding company and issue stock on the exchange.  Participating contractors for a single holding company are located across the country.  This latest phenomenon is catching on slowly, but has the potential to boom over the next few years.

The danger to building owners is two-fold:  First, this new practice is triggering a less-competitive market among contractors: secondly, the contractor who bids on the project may or may not be the contractor who does the work.  Both scenarios make quality control in a project nearly impossible.  "This thing is so new that it is even unclear as to who is liable if the roof faila," says Ernster.  "With 10 to 15 contractors merged into one holding company, it is unclear who is responsible for the bonding and insurance of these individual contractors as well."

Asking specific questions during the bidding phase is one way facilities professionals can safeguard against potentially risky partnerships.

Cover you assets.
Choosing a contractor is just part of the process.  It is important for facilities professionals to hold the contractor/foreman accountable for legal issues as well.  Next, be sure to file all appropriate paperwork prior to the start of a job.  Benchmark insists that the following should be filed upon receipt from the contractor:

• Performance bond.
• Labor and material bond.
• Certificate of insurance.
• Contractor's "Notice of Award" to the manufacturer.
• Schedule of values.
• Product literature and samples.
• Permit and fee receipts.
• Construction schedule.

Paperwork is a mandatory part of replacing a roof, particularly with regard to warranty information and maintenance issues.  Any delays in the receipt of these materials should be a warning to facilities professionals of the ethics and reputation of the contractor.

As a part of the construction schedule, daily inspection reports from both the contractor and facilities professionals are mandatory.  These daily inspection reports should include the following information:

• Weather conditions.
• Manpower.
• Type of work performed.
• Number of hours worked.
• Any problems encountered.
• General remarks.

Recording weather conditions for each day during roof application is vital to quality control.  Rain recorded on the date of membrane application can help explain the presence of membrane blisters on the roof.  Cold temperatures could also explain blistering or membrane splitting failure (from rapid cooling of hot-mopped adhesive and consequent lack of adhesive between membrane felts, or between insulation boards and steel deck).

Though the different phases of the process are minimal, the required involvement for the facilities professional is not.  Preparation for the project can be more time consuming than the repairs and just as important.

Ernster suggests taking the time to do a thorough site inspection of a rooftop prior to, and immediately following, the application.  "Check everything: around flashing, pitch pans, rooftop equipment, and access areas for potential leakage," he notes.

The job isn't finished until the paperwork is done. 
A good contractor will already have the following documents available at the time of the final inspection.  Benchmark stresses the importance of having a close-out document that verifies the type and quality of the work completed.  A close-out document includes:

• Project description and summary.
• Signed contract.
• Preconstruction meeting minutes.
• Preconstruction damage report.
• Contractor submittals.
• Progress meeting minutes.
• Daily construction reports.
• Construction progress photos.
• Correspondence.
• Field orders.
• Change orders.
• Substantial completion forms and punch lists.
• Manufacturer's inspection report stating job is suitable for warranty.
• Evidence of payment and release of liens.
• Final completion forms.
• Final application for payment and final lien waiver.
• Applicable warranties.

Choosing a qualified and reputable contractor is just the first step in guaranteeing the life cycle of a roof.  The follow-through steps of documentation, daily inspections, and close-out documents are as important as the actual roofing materials.