The roof is one of the most important structures of a building, keeping the elements out and ensuring that all systems are carefully protected so they can function as they’re supposed to. When it comes to roofs, you don’t want to mess around.
That’s where a roofing consultant comes in. Registered Roof Consultants are extremely useful when it comes to ensuring the correct installation of your commercial rooftop and closing the gap between architect and contractor. If you’re an architect, building owner, facilities manager, design engineer or maintenance professional, you may be wondering why hiring a roofing consultant is a good idea … or even whether you should become one yourself.
Let’s take a look at both of those issues in this article.
Benefits of Hiring a Roofing Consultant
First, let’s address the benefits of hiring a roofing consultant. Their main selling point is that they can help facility executives understand how to address and fix roofing issues. While contractors understand how to remove materials and architects understand how to rebuild them and adhere to code, the roofing consultant can bridge the gap between the two distinct subsets of knowledge.
They provide a variety of services, such as determining the best possible moisture survey type depending on the roof type and the problems it’s facing. By allowing the consultant who is providing the advice pick the survey type, the facility executive has a better chance of receiving solid information that will inform the recover or replacement project at hand.
This also helps them figure out the initial problem with the highest degree of accuracy. That’s important, because it may not be a random problem or simple wear and tear; it could be that the roof was not suitable for the building from the get-go. If that’s the case, covering the roof or patching up the issue is a bad idea, and should be avoided.
Lastly, when trying to recover a roof, it’s important to figure out what type of roof is best. Weight is a factor, as is using the right type of material, so that you don’t damage structures underneath. Because there are usually multiple options, the roofing consultant can help streamline the bid documents so the facility manager has the best possible information when choosing a contractor.
What it Takes to Become a Registered Roof Consultant
Depending on what you do for a living, it might be easier to become a Registered Roof Consultant yourself than to hire one. Or you may simply be in a line of business where earning the certification can be a valuable choice. To become a Registered Roof Consultant, you have to meet very specific requirements. These include:
- 4 years of work experience in roof consulting
- Passage of the 60-question RRC online exam
- Passage of the General Consultant Knowledge exam
- 70 hours of continuing education in the roofing, waterproofing and/or exterior wall industries
- 5 references
- Application and annual fees
The exam is challenging, asking questions about codes, standards, materials and their properties, analysis of roofing issues, design, assemblies, evaluation and testing. You will need a basic understanding of algebra, geometry and trigonometry, and should expect to spend about 4 hours on the test. To learn more, head over to RCI, who hosts the study and examl materials.
If you’re a consultant, roofing contractor or otherwise in the business, hiring a roofing consultant just makes sense. However, if you have frequent enough need for one, it may make more sense to become one yourself. Then not only do you expand your knowledge base, you add to your list of offerings and build your business as well.
