Strata Roofing Questions

Our strata is starting to plan a re-roofing program. There is a lot of information available from manufacturers and also from the multitude of roofing contractors? Where is the best place to start as none of us have experience in roofing and a lot of the information available is conflicting and confusing?

Roof Tech recommends that you start with an evaluation from a qualified consultant such as Roof Tech. This evaluation will first provide you with vital information about your existing roof system including its estimated remaining service life, any recommended maintenance and informed budgets for planning purposes. All these items are organized into a comprehensive written report including photos and details of specific concerns. The roof consultant can then provide you with a step by step process of how to set up your re-roofing program.

At what age should a strata complex consider re-roofing?

How long a roof system endures is subject to many factors including quality and type of original materials, workmanship and environmental factors unique to the location of the structure. The best way to determine the estimated remaining service life of a roofing system is to have a qualified consultant attend the site and provide a written report to the strata (otherwise known as an evaluation). The strata can then make informed decisions on planning or executing a reroofing program and ensure that reroofing is tended to when required. Often stratas find out after a thorough evaluation that re-roofing may be able to be delayed without concern.

Our strata was re-roofed 4 years ago and we are nearing the end of the warranty period. There have been a few issues throughout this period. How do we ensure I am not left with a host of problems after the warranty expires?

The best practice is to have the installation professionally inspected before the warranty expires. Roof Tech provides qualified inspectors and gives you a thorough independent report that you can then approach your contractor with to ensure any lingering issues are corrected before the warranty expires.

Our 1 ½ year old house in strata is covered by a new home warranty program. Do we need to be concerned?

Although your warranty should cover you for expenses incurred. The level of your coverage may change after 2 years of age from ensuring work is properly completed to only stopping active leaks. Roof Tech recommends that inspections should occur prior to 2 yrs. and 5 yrs. To ensure deficiencies are corrected in a timely manner and your installation is serviceable for its full potential lifespan. Properly installed roofs can remain serviceable well beyond the 5 year warranty. Poorly installed roofs often require replacement anywhere from 3 to 7 years.

Our strata is unsure if we have a need for a consultant. Isn’t re-roofing fairly simple? Are we taking a risk managing the project on our own?

Roofing is simple. Managing a roofing project and the personnel required to complete it is not. Expanding this to include managing a strata re-roofing project is vastly more complicated. The threshold required for documentation to protect not only the strata but the council members tasked with the planning process far exceeds what your typical homeowner should consider managing on their own. When the actual cost of a consultant is considered it more that pays to hire a good consultant to ensure all areas of the project are run professionally and work is properly completed. Should the project go awry, lacking a full understanding of what everyone’s obligations are can result in losses easily in the 100’s of thousands. If you are on a strata council and are wondering if a consultant is a valuable asset, consider that without one, you may be found liable for losses incurred or be required to address the dissatisfaction of other owners should they not agree with your decisions. An experienced consultant can steer you project to a successful conclusion and protect not only the strata but the members of the council overseeing it.

Our strata was re-roofed last year. There are seemingly unending problems with concluding this project. We did not have a consultant or inspection service involved. Is it too late to have the work inspected to determine when it is completed properly?

Although the best scenario is to have a properly tendered project with a qualified roofing contractor, Roof Tech is often called to help in such disputes. We can very rapidly determine what work is remaining, what deficiencies require further action, or if required provide a comprehensive report on which to base legal action against the contractor. It never to late to do something.