Jeff Richard is the Sales Manager with Royal Roofing where his role includes sales and project management. Jeff is no stranger to the roofing industry, having spent 21 years in the construction field. While managing his sales team and working with clients, Jeff understands the importance of good customer communication. InvestProp asked Jeff 5 multifamily relevant questions. More information can be found on his website or you can contact Jeff directly at (763) 567-9226 or jeffr@royalroofinginc.com.
1) Tell us about the services Royal Roofing offers to multifamily owners?
Royal Roofing offers services ranging from preventive roof maintenance to complete roof evaluations and replacement. Royal Roofing services multiple types of roofs from shingled to EPDM and TPO and work with small to large budgets.
2) What type of product or installation warranties do you offer and are they standard or an added charge?
Most steep roof warranties (standing seam, composition and cedar shingles), have the cost built into the base price of the product. These warranties can range from 25 years to life time warranties. All of our warranties come with a 2 – 10 year workmanship guarantee; this is additional to your manufacturer’s warranty.
Low slope flat roofing products have an additional cost above the base price based on square feet. This pricing is based on the number of years the customer would like the warranty to run. Having a manufactures warranty guarantees that the roof was installed per manufactures specifications. When choosing a roof system some of the factors that we look at are: environmental and roof top foot traffic. Remember not one type of roof system performs well for all situations.
3) Royal Roofing installs a lot of TPO flat roofs on apartment buildings. Briefly detail that type of roof and how it is different—cost and quality—from a standard EPDM rubber membrane roof?
Thermoplastic polyolefin, or TPO, is the fastest-growing segment of the commercial roofing industry. Fueling this growth is the increased use of TPO in structures where reflective, energy-efficient and cool roof products are becoming the norm. TPO membranes are ENERGY STAR-Rated and Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC)-certified. They have been directly attributed to a reduction in a building’s energy use and cooling costs. One of the primary benefits of TPO membrane is the ability to fuse the sheets together with a hot air weld. The welding process results in a bond that is actually stronger than the sheet itself. Now this differs from traditional EPDM roofs where the seam are glue together. Flashing details, such as exhaust vents, pipes and parapet corners are also completed using hot air welds.
4) Multifamily roofs often have multiple layers of old roofs. What major issues should an owner be aware of in this situation ranging from code compliance to tear off costs?
Most if not all roofing companies will add an additional cost to you project if the roof has multiple shingle layers or roofing material. Just in the last couple of years the state of Minnesota adopted from the Universal Building Codes that all buildings with shingle in style, roof systems must be tore off down to the decking. The days of 3 layers of shingles on a home are a thing of the past. Low slope / flat commercial roofs can still have up to (2) Two roofing systems as long as none of the layers are wet or saturated.
5) Multifamily owners are often faced with the question of repair or replace. Do you have any wisdom or rules of thumb for owners faced with a roof near the end of its useful life, but maybe not at it?
Royal Roofing will begin by conducting a roof analysis. At the end of the analysis, we will discuss the findings and results of our findings. This Report is for you to keep in your records and refer back to it when necessary. We usually will recommend roof repairs, if the repair can extended the roof performance another 2- 5 years. We also set up a repair budget to improve the condition of your roof so it can be maintained effectively.
If the results of the analysis indicate that the roof is beyond repair, we will estimate the time remaining on your present roofing system so that you can budget in advance for this important part of your building envelope that protects everything you value inside.
Preventive Maintenance is a key factor on how well your roof will perform. Even if you buy a new car, you still need to have maintenance completed to achieve the best performance from your investment. Having a yearly roof inspect can prevent major problems from starting.
Lunch & Learn
Please join InvestProp for its monthly “Lunch & Learn” event on July 24, 2012. InvestProp will begin with a brief market update, followed by Jeff Richard’s, Sales Manager at Royal Roofing, Inc. An open Q & A and networking opportunity will conclude.
