Roof Construction Observer: Their Proper Role

Jeff Evans, RRC

The role of a roof construction observer is sometimes misunderstood by building owners and roofing contractors alike. Opinions often vary as to why roof construction observers are placed on a roofing project. Are they there to run the job, for quality control, to intimidate, find fault, or protect the owner from leaks?

Roof construction observers provide numerous functions, depending on the size and complexity of the roofing project. Several of these functions include the following:

• Quality Assurance - The roofing contractor has the ultimate responsibility for providing a roof that meets specifications. A roof observer provides an independent measure of quality compared to the quality specified. Short-comings and non-compliance with specifications are cited by the observer for correction by the roofing contractor. A full-time observer can provide a level of assurance during all phases of work.

  Project Coordination - Many roofing projects take place over occupied areas, and can impact the interior occupants through normal construction dust, noise, and smells. They can also have an impact through disruption of electrical, data relay and cooling/heating service. A roof observer can help the contractor and owner coordinate the work to anticipate disruptions and plan around such events. Roofers occasionally run into unforseen conditions that require timely decisions to be made. A roof observer can assess the options and facilitate problem resolution. On projects requiring several trades, the observer can act as an impartial arbiter and help solve disputes.

  Communication - Roof observers provide an open flow of communication between the contractor's office, the roofing crew, building occupants and owner's project representative. The daily documentation of the project and timely communication provided by the construction observer can reduce the owner's project involvement.

  Emergency response - Well run projects are not immune to sudden disruption. For example, a contractor tears off a roof on a cloudless day, and a sudden thunderstorm rolls through. A construction observer helps direct attention to the important tasks of interior protection. Once that is in place, assessment of corrective work on the roofs begins.

The following are roles roof construction observers should not be expected to fill:

• Project Superintendent - It's important for an observer (and owner) to remember that it is the roofing contractor who is installing the roof. The observer should not direct the means and methods of construction, as this is the role of the contractor. The observer may suggest more efficient alternatives, but as long as the specification parameters are being met the observer may only suggest.

  Antagonist - Every roofing contractor has had experience with an observer who either was incompetent or who felt it was his job to make the project hard for the contractor. The construction observer should do everything within his job scope to help the contractor succeed. It is the end goal of every roofing project to be a complete success.

  Helper - The roofing contractor should not expect the observer to be an additional (and free) roofer. The observer has enough to do without being expected to help lay felts, fetch materials, or hide defects.