Savvy facility managers are considering roof asset management

We see it all too often. A commercial roof that’s replaced could have been repaired or restored to watertight condition with a fraction of the expense and business disruption. In fact, 85% of roofs are replaced unnecessarily, due to bad information.*

Tearing off and replacing roofs when there’s still useful life to them is an epidemic that’s costing building owners countless millions of dollars when a simple solution exists that can alleviate much of the costs. And all of the accompanying headaches.

Roof asset management.

The reality is, unexpected repairs and unplanned roof replacements can decimate a building’s maintenance and capital budgets. Roofing-related maintenance costs can easily take up the lion’s share of a facility manager’s resources, and by not managing roofing assets efficiently it makes it difficult to plan for what’s ahead.

The solution? Savvy facility managers are contracting with qualified roofing service providers to proactively manage their roofing assets.

In return, they’re getting a range of services, including:

• A comprehensive inventory of roofing assets company-wide, complete with depletion rates and remaining useful life calculations on each one
• Regular roofing inspections and analyses
• Proactive repair of trouble areas before they result in leaks
• Core sampling and roof membrane testing
• Wet insulation reports for identifying energy savings opportunities
• Detailed condition reports on all roofs
• Identification of opportunities to restore a roof to extend its life before it gets to the point of a replacement
• Data and reporting tools to allow better capital planning and budget certainty

Similar to the philosophy of practicing wellness and preventative healthcare to minimize the risk for catastrophic illnesses and expenses, proactively managing roofing assets involves spending a little money today to ward off the larger line item costs later. It’s a clear net gain to your bottom line.

Knowing what your roofing expenses will be in a year, three years and even five to seven years out is an affordable luxury that not only results in peace of mind for facility managers, but budget confidence that allows for planning and addressing other building maintenance and capital needs.

*Source: IFMA