How Large of a Team Do You Need to Replace a Commercial Roof?

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Changing the roof of a business premises is a complex process that involves several considerations and steps. The size and composition of the team who works on this project depends on several factors, such as the size of the roof area, the type of roof to be changed, the condition of the existing roof, and the timeline available for the project.

Measuring the Size and Configuration of the Roof

The first important factor to consider is whether a particular roof is big or small or how it is constructed. Warehouses and big box retail stores have larger roofs that would certainly necessitate more workers just to cover the area. Also, buildings with complicated roof structures, such as steep roofs, multiple floors, and numerous skylights and projections, demand more consideration in terms of inspection and safety.

Choosing Roofing Materials

Choosing the materials for the roof dictates the number of people in the team, especially since new roofing materials come in different types. For instance, putting up a standing seam metal roofing will be more time-consuming to teach a worker. It requires more discretion on the part of the worker compared to putting up asphalt shingles. Other seam-based membrane types of roofs are TPO and PVC, but they often call for heat welding tools and expertise.

Removing the Existing Roof

If there is more than one commercial layer, or if the current roof contains dangerous materials like asbestos, removal will increase the labor requirement. Furthermore, if the existing roof is in such a state that the decking underneath has also been affected, additional tear-off and deck work will come into the picture. Remember when considering all this to include the cost to rent a dumpster and the cost associated with disposing of the old roofing materials.

Installation Time Frame

Sometimes, the client may ask for an early installation timeline once the tearing off is done, or the project’s plan demands the same. The quantity of daily roofing work influences the crew size to be put in place. When hurrying through such a project, accidents occur, and workers face serious risks. Ensure that the timeline you set is in unity with the scope of your business and your resources.

Safety Considerations

It is essential to understand that commercial roofing always involves certain risks. The company must properly supervise safety procedures like fall protection, safety checks on tools, restricted roof entry, and awareness of heat conditions. The safety oversight accountability should be divided between the foremen and the supervisors. Still, these should not overpower their leadership accountability.

Other Project Logistics

Prepping materials, extending power to tools, and, most importantly, repeatedly getting the crew and equipment onto the roof requires careful planning. Therefore, support staff on the ground are essential to ensure smooth running to prevent any mishap. For the best results, the ground crew should meet the roofing crew in terms of size.

Once all the above factors are weighed, determine labor needs as follows:

Crew Chief/Foreman

The crew chief/foreman will manage all activities performed on the roof and ensure the effective and uninterrupted execution of the plan. He/she will provide safety, quality control, and adherence to project timelines or schedules; they typically will need at least five years of roofing experience.

Roofing Installers

These workers will lay down the new roof system, which includes a combination of concrete and tiles. The number of installers is determined by the size of the roof as well as the cost, kind, and availability of the materials used. It is possible to implement several crews with their own Foremen, though it is not a strict necessity.

Support Staff

Support staff members are those who deal with stocking materials, running tools and/or equipment, supporting the ground safety ropes, picking up debris, and supporting the tear-off. They lead to higher output in terms of productivity from the installers.

Specialty Tradespeople

Roofers must not be hindered by electricians, metal workers, carpenters and other tradespersons such as those required for repairing or replacing roof decks, installation of flashings, mounting of equipment, etc. Their working time must be programmed in a way that does not interfere with roofing crews.

Supervisors

Project or general managers are in charge of the entire process, including its time frame, location, personnel, and costs at various sites.

In Summary

In this article, it was made clear that replacing a commercial roof does not entail simply hiring many employees. The roofing contractor with experience assesses the dimensions of the roofing team in size and composition depending on the specific roof, the materials, safety measures, the time frame for the roof work, and the support staff that will be required and will know how to properly organize the working process with the tools and avoid unnecessary risks.