One of the major challenges in offering commercial roofing maintenance and repair services is finding right-sized equipment and materials that allow you to maintain production efficiency while providing quality work. Many repair jobs don't necessitate hauling around big machines and extra materials, which require larger vehicles, more time, and increased manpower.
If you're thinking of adding roofing repair and maintenance services to your offerings or want to help and enhance the profitability of existing repair and maintenance services, it pays to find products, tools, and materials that are designed to help you succeed. GAF offers a line of industry-first products that can help make your new venture successful. Here are the key details to know.
Challenges of Maintenance and Repair Work
When it comes to providing commercial roofing maintenance and repair services, the inherent inefficiency in the process can be a recurring obstacle. With production speed tied closely to profitability, worker downtime and wasted materials can really add up.
Time Constraints
Even for small repairs and maintenance work, significant time is spent traveling, setting up, and getting the right materials and tools to the jobsite that it could be challenging to offer these services affordably.
Even applying a welded patch on a membrane roof could require multiple steps, including bringing the welding equipment up to the roof, preparing the surface, cutting the patch, heat-welding it in place, and probing the seam for gaps. Depending on the conditions and complexity of the repair, this process can take a significant amount of time.
Required Machinery
Performing repair and maintenance work often requires a hand welder and a small generator, plus materials. This often means making multiple trips up and down from the roof.
Needed Manpower
Providing manpower for repair and maintenance work requires pulling workers off larger projects, which can potentially slow down production on your most profitable work. In addition, time spent traveling, purchasing materials, and getting oriented on the new site may also lead to higher overhead costs and reduce job profitability.
Material Considerations
Finally, a common challenge faced by commercial roofing contractors is that most products come in only bulk quantities (one gallon or more), and material often gets wasted between jobs and repair calls. You then have to pay to transport this waste, in addition to refusing dumping charges, all of which can reduce your bottom line.
Commercial Roofing Tools Designed for Maintenance and Repair Services
Understanding that the challenges outlined above create unnecessary friction for contractors, GAF developed a line of commercial roof maintenance and repair products specifically designed to address these issues.
The newest additions to the GAF commercial roofing system include industry-leading aerosol products and self-adhered EPDM flashings:
- EverGuard® TPO Seam Cleaner Aerosol cleans TPO seams prior to heat welding, removing debris and residual soap and revitalizing aging membranes.
- EverGuard® TPO Primer Aerosol preps surfaces and substrates to ensure good adhesion.
- EverGuard® TPO Quick-Spray Adhesive Aerosol is a solvent-based contact adhesive used for bonding membranes and various substrates (also available in a low-VOC formula).
- EverGuard® SA Flexible Flashings Self Adhered EPDM Flashings are factory-built, easy-to-install EverGuard® Self-Adhered 6-inch, 9-inch, and 12-inch uncured white EPDM flashings, patches, and T-joints for use on TPO roofs. Used for addressing challenging details and stripping-in TPO edge metal, this accessory can help reduce the risk of leaks and callbacks and helps create a uniform aesthetic without the need for welding.
These compact, lightweight TPO repair products can enable you to effectively repair membrane roofs. The GAF EverGuard® Self-Adhered Vent Boot can also increase efficiency when flashing pipes and vents on TPO roofing systems by allowing for easy, leak-resistant installation without welding.
For projects where welding is required, the GAF Backpack Welder helps you get on and off the roof faster without the need to set up generators, deal with messy fuel, or run long, awkward power cords.
Small Jobs Can Help With Big Margins
Purchasing GAF repair products specially designed for small jobs can potentially help you to recoup lost efficiency and profit. Having right-sized equipment and materials can allow you to buy only what you need, potentially reducing overall job costs while eliminating the need to transport large amounts of materials or big equipment.
In addition, GAF aerosol products can help speed up production for small jobs. Thanks to their quick and easy application method, they can help reduce downtime and better leverage manpower.
How to Add New Roofing Service Offerings
If you've decided to add professional roof maintenance and repair services to your business offerings, you'll want to ask yourself a couple guiding questions and plan a few preliminary actions. Here are four steps you can take to expand your offerings:
Consider what services you will provide. Clearly define what types of roofs you'll work on, the type of repairs you'll make, and who will complete them. This can help you stick to standard work orders and stay within your profit margins.
Make sure your team is properly trained. Once you've assembled a group of commercial roofers to help provide the new services, you'll need to ensure they're up to the job. Offer training around assessing a roof's condition and identifying the appropriate repair processes.
Establish a pricing structure. Another good way to avoid losing money on smaller jobs is creating a pricing structure that suits both you and your clients. It should be profitable for you, but not so expensive that you risk losing existing customers.
Market your services. When you're ready to start taking on new jobs, set aside some time to update all your marketing materials. You'll want to optimize your website, social media, and vehicle branding to showcase that you now offer maintenance and repairs.
Turn to GAF for Right-Sized Equipment
As you reconfigure your commercial roofing business to offer new services or speed up your existing repair and maintenance services, rest assured you've got the support you need. The GAF team is there to supply you with the products, materials, and information you need to make your business a success.
Curious to learn more about the right-sized equipment and product solutions offered by GAF Commercial? Explore the repairs and maintenance webpage to find the tools you need.
