Commercial ROOF REPAIR & MAINTENANCE
What Is a Roof Maintenance Plan and Why Do You Need One?
At CR Systems, Inc we know that investing in a new roof can be one of your largest expenses. We work with building owners and facility management staff to maintain the roofs they have and budget for new roofs. Once a new roof is installed the maintenance is not over and we are here to help you maintain them!
A maintenance plan for a commercial flat roof is facilitated by a commercial roofing contractor to perform regular inspections, cleaning, and maintenance to prevent more severe damage from occurring.
Enrolling in a maintenance plan, or contract is an easy way for building owners and managers to ensure their commercial roof remains under warranty and in excellent condition while staying within their budget.
A typical roof warranty requires at least one roof inspection to be performed a year by an authorized contractor. This requirement is beneficial for the property owner and the company that issues the warranty. During the yearly inspection, the inspector will check for not only current problems but areas that could turn into problems in the future. This allows repairs to be made before they grow larger and become costly.
A good maintenance plan will go a step further; they will clean your gutters, mend your flashings and perform minor repairs for the cost of the program. Having a service team visit your roof regularly not only gives you peace of mind, but it expands your roof’s lifespan and keeps you within your warranty guidelines.
In addition to scheduled maintenance, it’s more important to have your roof maintenance team to your facility before and after severe weather (such as tornadoes, thunderstorms, hail or winter storms) to make sure any damage from the weather is minimized. Keep in mind that you want a contractor that has an emergency line in the event of water entering your building or any other drastic roof damage.
COST OF A MAINTENANCE PLAN
The cost of your maintenance plan is determined by the square footage of your building. On average, the basic commercial roof maintenance program includes:
- Roof inspection
- Cleaning of gutters and drain baskets
- Inspection report
This basic maintenance plan will cost, on average, $0.03 – $0.04 per square foot* and an additional fuel charge of about $0.75 per mile*. Anything more than the basic roof maintenance will need to be quoted by your maintenance program provider.
The great thing about maintenance plans is the ability to pay in advance for a year’s worth of visits (2-3 visits) from your contractor at once and forget about it for the rest of the year.
WHAT AFFECTS THE PRICE?
Many factors affect the cost of your maintenance program. If your roof has special circumstances such as the size, condition or layout, it can increase your price. It’s usually best to have a contractor look at your roof and provide a custom quote for your maintenance plan.
ROOF CONDITION
If your roof is not in good condition, it will cost more for the maintenance team to get your roof into running order. Unless you upgrade your maintenance package, there is a chance that you could be billed separately for repairs.
The best time to sign up from a maintenance plan is after you have work done on your roof. This is the best way to ensure that your roof stays in good shape.
ROOF LAYOUT
If your facility has multiple roof levels or has areas that are difficult to get to, it could increase the cost of your maintenance plan. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about this, it’s best for your contractors to work safely and slowly, which means spending more time on your facility.
ACCESS TO ROOF
Not all commercial roofs are flat; not all roofs can be walked on. Additional costs can occur when your contractor has limited access to the facility roof.
Height and distances of the roof can be multipliers for the cost of your roof maintenance. Sloped roofs often require the contractors to use a man lift or rappelling gear for roof installation. Contractors may need to rent conveyance equipment such as a crane or passenger hoist to move the crew and equipment.
HOW TO SIGN UP FOR A COMMERCIAL ROOF MAINTENANCE PLAN
A reliable roofing contractor that performs installation and repairs should be able to offer you a maintenance plan for your commercial roof. It’s best to hire someone that you trust. As with any service industry, you have good contractors, bad contractors, and people who aren’t contractors at all. You want to find a contractor that will work within your budget, on your schedule and leaves behind a long-lasting product.
In most cases, you will continue with your original roofing contractor that installed your commercial roof. But when you need a new contractor, it’s important to ask a lot of questions and to vet your contractor thoroughly.
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”
-Benjamin Franklin
