A High-Quality Roof Actually Costs Less
The quality of materials used on your roof, workmanship and maintenance make a difference between a positive return on investment for your roof and a disaster causing costly interior damage and wasted energy costs. If you’re getting a new roof it’s important to understand the difference in quality of materials being used. For example: let’s look at the roof membrane. The membrane’s purpose is to perform as a weatherproof covering, protecting your building from rain, wind, snow and ice. You can go with a Single-Ply system, a Built up Roof (BUR) system or 2-ply SBS modified bitumen. The 2-ply system is higher in quality and lasts the longest.
Quality materials won’t be as effective if they’re not installed properly. Only contractors that are members of the Roofing Contractors Association of BC (RCABC) can offer the Roof Star Guarantee. RCABC members maintain safety certification, are insured for liability and are bonded. Members must complete the Certificate of Recognition (COR) safety program, a third-party safety program audited by the BC Construction Safety Alliance.
Once you’ve got the roof there are two basic ways to manage it. There’s the reactive way and the proactive way. Guess which way makes the most of your investment and saves you money. Yes, the proactive way. Being proactive is always a better way to go. You plan for success by avoiding costly emergencies and repairs. You know that warranty on your roof? The one that will cover your damage and repair costs if there’s a leak? It doesn’t protect you if you’re not maintaining it. Manufacturers of roofing material, the ones who provide the warranties, require proof of inspections and maintenance before they’ll process a claim.
Whether or not you are replacing your roof at this time, you must make the most of the investment. Being proactive means following an annual maintenance program; Small problems creep up. If your roof is being looked at and these issues are resolved, the damage will be significantly less. Ignoring the roof and waiting for a leak is costly. It’s an unexpected expense and you have little control over the extent of the damage that will ensue. Even debris build-up can cause big problems over time. It’s the same as periodic oil changes and engine checks for your vehicle. Can you imagine what the extent of repairs on your car would be if you didn’t maintain it?
Check out this ROI calculator that shows a 500% ROI on roof maintenance.
| Maintenance Calculator | ||
| Expected life of roof | 10 | years |
| Cost of new roof | 1,000,000 | $ |
| Depreciation / year | 50,000 | $ |
| Maintenance / year | 5,000 | $ |
| Actual life of roof | 20 | years |
| Additional years of roof life | 10 | years |
| Total Maintenance | 100,000 | $ |
| Value of additional years of roof life | 500,000 | $ |
| ROI on Maintenance | 500% | |