Managing a commercial roof replacement

From the first report to the final payment

A commercial roofing job prepared without urgency spans several months. The roofer's calendar fills up early, and the expense must first be approved.

• Know what you have. Inspection, test cuts if needed, a report on the membrane and the insulation.
• Set the scope. Repair, redo a section or redo everything, then choose the system. At this point you check what the City requires, what the insurer demands and, if the roof's weight changes, what the structure can carry.
• Have roofers compete. The same written specifications, a roof visit, questions, then the comparison.
• Sign. Scope of work, dates, payments, warranties, insurance.
• Carry out the work. Kick-off meeting, follow-up, updates for occupants.
• Close the file. Final walkthrough, touch-ups, handover of warranties and documents.

What the City of Laval publishes

The City publishes no process page specific to the roof of a commercial building. Its known rule, no permit when the covering is replaced with the same material and a permit when the material changes, is written for a residence. For a commercial building, ask the City's Service de l'urbanisme (urban planning department) before you set your schedule.

Section 380 of the Code de l'urbanisme (Laval's urban planning code) requires main and accessory buildings with a flat roof to have a green roof, a white or whitened material (paint, reflective coating, white ballast), or a material with a solar reflectance index of at least 78. The Code does not say what applies to an existing roof redone identically.

One voice facing the roofer

Name a spokesperson, just one. The spokesperson takes the foreman's questions, carries the decisions of the owner or the board and keeps occupants informed. With two people, instructions often end up contradicting each other.

Also agree on the channel to use and the number to reach outside site hours.

Short meetings, notes that last

The first meeting comes before materials are delivered and settles access, storage, hours and the order of sections. After that, a quick check-in at a fixed interval is enough, even on a large roof: progress, weather, upcoming sections, problems.

Each meeting produces minutes, sent to all participants. When memories no longer agree, the minutes are what people reread.

A contract written for surprises

No one can see under a membrane before removing it. Tear-off can reveal wet insulation over a wider area than expected, a rusted deck, a drain that needs replacing. Have the contract state how this work will be measured and paid, for example through unit prices for deck and insulation, and that no extra work starts without your written approval.

Written approval also applies to a change you want, such as an added section: anything that affects scope, price or dates is put in writing before it is carried out. Finally, keep a margin in the budget for discoveries.

The roof closed up every evening

An open roof does not forgive a downpour. The roofer should limit the day's tear-off to what can be covered before leaving. Ask how the joint between new and old is sealed at the end of the day.

The proof to require

Have the contract include:

• Photos of each layer before it disappears under the next one.
• A final walkthrough before the last payment.
• A closing file: written warranties, technical data sheets, as-built roof plan.

This file opens the maintenance log of the new roof.

Frequently asked questions