Why The Customer Buys a Flat Commercial Roof

This is just my opinion, based on 32 years experience. It is also possible that they do things differently here in Texas...

If it weren't for government interfearance, I don't think the owner of a warehouse gives 2 hoots about Energy Star, Title 24, or other environmental salesmanship.

A flat roof is not like a pitched roof - it's out of sight, out of mind, and all the building owner really wants from it is that it not leak and to stay that way for a long time, and not cost a fortune. He doesn't want to look at his flat roof, or to hear about it...he just wants it to set up there and keep the water out.

Oh yeah, I left something out - he wants it to do those things for 20 years, then get baseball sized hail so his insurance carrier can pay to install a new roof, then he wants to ignore it again for 20 years. :)

twill 29 RWC stands for RainWater Conductor (drains) And on flat roofs, rainwater discharge is slowed down, whereby flow is dependent on the head (height) of the water.

Because it leaks.

Logical or ill-logical/calculated preventitive bldg. maintenance proceedures. i.e., the prudent bldg. owner, or the systematic/never-mind reality, gov't. proceedures.

Convinced, ("sold" - "scared"), by a consultant or roofing contractor, that the roof is in need of replacement.

What is an RWC?

There are several good reasons, that a flat or dead level roof should be considered. If a coal tar pitch roof is employed, the owner should expect upwards of 25 years of useful service. (I have seen successful applications of 40 to 70 years, w/ old style pitch) If the roof is new construction on large installations and the specifier is prudent insofar as economics, he can save his client money in the following areas; Deck construction (flat as opposed to sloped) Smaller rainwater conduits, and less RWCs. HVAC reduction because of reduced interior volume. Collection of rainwater to provide additional insulation These advantages are of particular significance on mammoth buildings.

I should clarify that a little. If you install emulsion roofing like some guys are doing on YouTube, the cost would be much higher than other roof systems. However, when you buy the emulsion semi-bulk in 275 gallon totes, and when you use very high volume equipment that can install 150 sq. ft. in a minute with 3 men, you have a huge labor advantage over other systems.

jjshaggy Said: You guys are looking at this all wrong. The topic is why does the customer buy a flat commercial roof? 1 is cost as always an issue 2 longevity. 3 How long are they planning on occupying the property. So now lets negoiate the deal. If they plan on being there beyond the lifetime of a single ply roof, BUR is the best roof hands down, but for the price TPO,EPDM,which is also avaible in white, pvc, even mod. bit 2 ply is good system w white gran. also an energy efficent color. Im in it to sell it, install it, and make money, if im around to reroof the place in 15-30 years ill sell em the next best roofing solution,lol.

I agree with your thought process, but I think chopped glass/emulsion wins hands down in both initial cost and longevity. It seems contrary but a chopped glass roof often lasts longer than the BUR roof it went over. We have a ton of them on over gravel BUR that have been on 27 years and still have a long ways to go. I've seen some that are over 40 years old.

We had chemists from Gardner-Gibson/APOC explain it to us once: Typical asphalt ages by the oils and saturants baking out of the asphalt over time, with the result being alligatoring and cracking as the asphalt can no longer accomodate the movement of the building. Emulsion ages by microscopically eroding year after year. It gets a tad thinner every year, rather than cracking. You never see alligatoring on an emulsion roof.

Theoretically, if you come back in and recoat an emulsion roof with emulsion periodically, it'll last indefinately. And because emulsion doesn't blister, that can be done. All that said, we have recoated some emulsion roofs 4 times over the years due to hail, but the ones that haven't had hail have lasted 27 years without recoating.

I think emulsion wins in every category except R-value. If you take the cost divided by the years of life, nothing even comes close to emulsion, not even coal tar pitch. And at the other end of the spectrum, an emulsion roof costs a lot less money initially, too.

That makes it hard to explain to the customer sometimes, because they tend to be a little leery when you tell them you can sell them a Rolls Royce for the same price as a Yugo.

You guys are looking at this all wrong. The topic is why does the customer buy a flat commercial roof? 1 is cost as always an issue 2 longevity. 3 How long are they planning on occupying the property. So now lets negoiate the deal. If they plan on being there beyond the lifetime of a single ply roof, BUR is the best roof hands down, but for the price TPO,EPDM,which is also avaible in white, pvc, even mod. bit 2 ply is good system w white gran. also an energy efficent color. I'm in it to sell it, install it, and make money, if i'm around to reroof the place in 15-30 years i'll sell em the next best roofing solution,lol.

Alba Said: The thickness of the insulation is more important than the color of the roof with the exception of the metal roofs.one thing the cool roofers tend to forget to mention is that the reflektivity decreases as the roof collects dust.

Right on. They are selling the "Magic Bullet"

The thickness of the insulation is more important than the color of the roof with the exception of the metal roofs.one thing the "cool roofers' tend to "forget" to mention is that the reflektivity decreases as the roof collects dust.

jjshaggy Said: Of course they dont want it to leak, but watch their ears perk up when they learn they can save on energy costs with a cool roof system.

I think "cool roof systems" are oversold in some areas. I wonder how many roofers selling a white roof in Montana, explain to the building owner that he'll spend more to heat his building in the cool months with a white roof?

Of course they don't want it to leak, but watch their ears perk up when they learn they can save on energy costs with a cool roof system.

twill59 Said: bout the same w/ Indiana residential Tim. Used to be Id look for issues w/ the roof system. Now I need to be looking for hail damage.......and Guess what?

after a few yrs. theyve all been hit by hail. :dry:

Anyway, now it is not so much about upselling and quoting a fair price and fixing what needs to be fixed but it is about what the insurance is paying.

A total dummying down that I am trying to accept

For years I have had an "Every roof is assumed to have hail damage" approach. It's the first thing I look for in my inspection. I can't count the times the owner had no idea he had hail damage and he felt as though I created money from nothing for him.

Guess who he usually gives the contract to when he thought he was going to have to spend $100,000 for a new roof, and instead I get him a hail settlement and he gets his new roof for a $5,000 deductible?

'bout the same w/ Indiana residential Tim. Used to be I'd look for issues w/ the roof system. Now I need to be looking for hail damage.......and Guess what?

after a few yrs. they've all been hit by hail. :dry:

Anyway, now it is not so much about upselling and quoting a fair price and fixing what needs to be fixed but it is about what the insurance is paying.

A total dummying down that I am trying to accept