There is no shortage of comparisons between Marvel’s massive box-office hit The Avengers and its latest record-breaking movie Guardians of the Galaxy. For example, CNN summed it up by stating The Avengers are more like the New York Yankees while Guardians of the Galaxy are more like the Bad News Bears. One has a team of professionals and the other – well they have great intentions but don’t always come together in the easiest or most seamless way. Of course, it’s just fiction, so in all cases, the heroes save the day.
When you apply the superhero philosophy to who you might need to save the day for your commercial property, getting a leaky roof fixed, the best assessment performed or the right preventative maintenance provided, the reality is you would prefer a more professional team – one that has a cohesive approach, provides an experienced team, and frankly can tackle any challenge you may have.
“A professional commercial roofing company will have spent time evaluating the best services for their customers, ensuring they have a well-trained team, and keeping everyone safe on the job,” said Steve Little, president of KPost Company. “When it comes to assessing and repairing a commercial roof, you definitely want the right team.”
Picking the Right Commercial Roofing Partner
You have choices when determining who to select as your commercial roofing partner. First, let’s consider that word – partner. The right company will view their customer relationships as partnerships, and do everything possible to ensure the best end result for you and your commercial property. As part of that partnership, the right company will align with your timeline, as well as brings high levels of expertise and professionalism. Keeping the assessments on track, getting the information to you in a timely manner and then providing the correct preventative repairs based on your timeline is key to keeping your roof in tip-top shape.
To select the right professional commercial roofing company, the following list provides you with an outline of characteristics you will want to include in your list to find the best fit:
Positive Track Record – the company should be willing to provide customer testimonials and references that prove cost savings and on-time execution. In addition, they should be willing to provide proof of an excellent safety record through letters verifying their experience modifier rating.
This Matters Because – customer testimonials provide a third-party, unbiased reference to ensure that the company can back up their claims. The experience modifier rating is also an unbiased, third-party verification via the insurance company to prove that the company’s safety record is, in fact, quite good.
Specialty Crews – teams that are trained and specifically focused on repair and preventative maintenance.
This Matters Because – there are commercial roofing companies that have crews that do everything; sort of a “jack-of-all-trades.” By ensuring that the team that performs the preventative maintenance work on your building is trained specifically for that work, you know that you are getting some trained in exactly what to look for, where to look and how to prioritize repairs needed. There’s no guesswork involved, ensuring that any quotes for work provided are spot on.
Prompt Response – teams that are well-trained with a large fleet of service trucks so that they can respond to your immediate concerns.
This Matters Because – ideally you do not have an emergency and there is no water streaming in your building. But if you do, it gives you peace of mind to know that the commercial roofing partner you’ve selected has a large enough crew with the right training to promptly respond to any issue.
Strong Expertise – teams that have strong expertise in the areas of roof and waterproofing, inspections, repair and preventative maintenance.
This Matters Because – commercial roofing is one, albeit important, aspect of the responsibilities you have in keeping your property maintained for your tenants. Waterproofing is another important piece, as is ensuring that the team who performs your inspections and preventative maintenance is experienced in their specific area.
Easily Accessible – ability to rapidly schedule and respond, as well as provide access to current and historical records online.
This Matters Because – obviously if there is a leak, you want the team to respond quickly. It is also beneficial to be able to look up prior repair calls, maintenance visits and assessments performed so you can keep track.
Excellent Assessment Reports – detailed and transparent, with specifics as to what repairs are required with a recommended timeline and explanations on how to fix the issue. The report should include annual and 5-year budget forecasts, roof plan and warranty information.
This Matters Because – assessment reports can give you detailed information that ensures you prioritize and budget repairs appropriately. Without a good assessment, you are at the mercy of the company providing the report. An excellent report empowers you to make the best decision at the right time.
“It simply becomes more expensive to postpone preventative maintenance repairs, and can turn into significantly larger repair bills in fairly short order,” said Steve. “The most effective means of minimizing repair bills is to work with a qualified, competent commercial roofing contractor who understands the multiple facets of keeping your roof in the best shape.”
