6 minAs a commercial property manager, you have a lot on your plate. You’re the person responsible for running the day-to-day operations of your building, and you probably don’t have much time to think about anything beyond the most urgent of tasks.
However, proper maintenance for your commercial property includes scheduling a routine roof inspection, even just as a preventative action. Roofing professionals can help you identify small problem areas before they become huge issues, saving you time and money down the road.
Curious to know more? Keep reading to learn how a commercial roof inspection works and how you can schedule an inspection for your commercial property today.
What Happens During a Commercial Roof Inspection?
On the day of your inspection, your contractor will likely have several items on their commercial roof inspection checklist:
- Initial conversation with property owners or managers
- Interior visual inspection
- Walkthrough on the roof
- Sending you the final report
Initial Conversation
First, your roofing contractor will talk with you about any issues you’ve had regarding the health of your building’s roof. If you’ve noticed any leaking, damage, or other causes for concern, this is the time to bring them up.
Your contractor may also ask if you have any information about the history of your property, the age of the current roof, and any acute damage that may have happened recently as a result of falling debris, severe storms, ice dams, or other weather events.
Interior Inspection
Next, the contractor will complete a visual inspection of the inside of your commercial building. They’ll be looking for leaks, stains, and other signs of damage on your interior walls and ceilings.
Roof Walkthrough
After that, the contractor will head to the top of your roof. The contractor will take note of any water stains or pooling water on your roof. They’ll also note if there’s any debris that needs to be cleared from the top of your roof and gutters or if they see signs of cracks, warping, or missing roofing material.
Once the contractor has done a quick glance across the roof, they’ll walk the entire surface area, starting with the roof perimeter and working their way inward. Any time they see a leak, bare spot, or other items of note, they’ll take a picture of that area of the roof and note the nature of the damage. They’ll also look around your HVAC system, satellite dishes, and any other seams where water could be sneaking beneath the roof surface.
During their walkthrough, your contractor will likely take at least a couple of core samples from your roof. A core sample is when they dig out a tiny piece of your roof to inspect the interior of all your roof layers. They’ll take note of how many roofing layers you have, how old they are, and how much water has seeped through the layers of your roof.
Inspection Report
After the inspection is complete, the roofing contractor will write up an inspection report and share it with you. The inspection report summarizes their findings, highlights any areas of concern or necessary emergency repairs, and names any preventive action required to avoid further damage to the building.
It might take them anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to get this report to you, but it’s well worth the wait. Most inspection reports come with pictures of the damage, detailed descriptions of what’s causing the damage, and a thorough breakdown of why the contractor is recommending a specific plan of action. This plan of action will also come with a cost breakdown for all the services they recommend, highlighting the most cost-effective solution for you in the long run.
How Much Do Regular Inspections Cost?
It’s good news on this front: most roofing contractors will do a commercial roof inspection for no charge! All a roof inspection should cost you is about an hour of your time.
If a roofing contractor tries to charge you for an inspection, we suggest finding another roofing professional to work with. After all, if you order multiple inspections to find the contractor that will give you the best rate and quality of work, paying for all those inspections could add up before you even begin your roof repair project.
What’s at Risk if I Don’t Schedule Regular Inspections?
Roof problems occur over time; most major structural defects and damage can be avoided in when problem areas are identified early on. Think of paying for routine maintenance as a capital investment toward the long-term health of your building.
Sometimes, a building owner’s budgetary concerns cause them to avoid scheduling routine inspections. However, with free inspections provided by most professional roofing contractor companies, there’s no financial reason not to get them done.
Sometimes, building owners mistakenly believe that if they can’t see damage to their roof surfaces or don’t know of any roof leaks, that means there’s nothing to be concerned about.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always true. Damage can sometimes occur even if you can’t see it happening. Only a trained roofing professional can identify all potential causes for concern.
Without knowing about areas of damage on your roof, you can’t complete the recommended repairs in a timely fashion, meaning that you’ll likely be in for even larger and more expensive repairs in the long run. Not only that, but the integrity of your entire building may become compromised if the damage is left unchecked for too long.
How Do I Schedule an Inspection for My Property?
Scheduling an inspection with your roofing company is very easy. Simply give them a call or fill out their online form, and they’ll send a roofing specialist your way in no time.
Work With Us Today
Proper facilities management includes scheduling a commercial roof inspection for any properties you own or manage on a routine basis. From standing water to leaks in the wall, a thorough inspection will help you find all areas of concern and address them before they turn into larger issues down the road.
At Tectum Roofing, we’re passionate about providing you with the roofing service you need. Our roof inspection program is designed to give you timely recommendations on roof repairs at a price you can afford.
Ready to work with a reliable commercial roof contractor? Reach out to schedule your free commercial roof inspection today.
