Learn to see every roof as a restoration opportunity

CCS Influencer Greg Hlavaty says that you should start by assuming that all roofs are restoration opportunities and then work backwards, looking for reasons not to restore.

I am going to start off by saying that in my 50 years of experience I have found that over 60% of reroofs have been restoration opportunities. There are many factors that go into making the decision whether to reroof or restore. Many of those decisions have nothing to do with the roof itself. It is often about the type of knowledge and experience that the contractor has. If their experience is in traditional reroofing then that is what they will be drawn towards. The same can be said of consultants. “Sell what you know” is often the easiest road taken. 

In most cases roof failures occur in less that 10% of the roof area and often in less than 5%. So we are ready to haul a roof to the landfill that is performing in over 90% of its surface area. What a waste. It is a good thing we don’t tear down walls when they need painting or tear up our floors when they need resurfacing.   

I believe that you should take the approach from the other end of the spectrum and assume that all roofs are restoration opportunities. Then work backwards, looking for reasons not to restore. And there are definitely reasons to perform a complete reroof. But not as many as you might think. Severely wet substrates that cannot easily dry out would be one. Severely damaged or rotted decking might be another. But even in that case, if it is a small percentage of the deck it can be replaced effectively in the areas needed. Poor adhesion or attachment of the existing membrane might be another reason to opt for reroof over restoration. If the building already has too many roofs then that might also qualify it for a complete tear off and reroof. But keep in mind, many restorations do not count as a completely new system so they may be able to be used without tear off (check your local codes). Restoration systems are very light so weight is usually not a factor. 

Most importantly get to know your restoration system manufacturer and their systems. Do they have testing and ratings for installation over the existing system you are going over? Is the system you are considering tough and durable enough to give the building owner the value in years they deserve? A 20-year-old severely weathered roof may not be candidate for a simple, non-reinforced coating but might do very well with a fully reinforced restoration system. Today there are excellent quality restoration choices to go over almost every type of existing roof system you will come across. That includes BUR, mod-bit, PVC, TPO, EPDM, SPF and even gravel.

Finally, bring in your manufacturer to express their benefits and value to your sales/estimating team.