# inspection verbage... sounds cheesy?



## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

1. This roofing system only consists of one layer, therefore a lay over or coating system may be possible. Though a PVC roof system should not be installed as a lay over application due to asphalt compatibility issues with modern roofing membranes including PVC. Furthermore roofing lay-overs generally don’t have the same life cycle ratings as tear off applications. In other words a lay over or coating system would require less upfront investment, but won’t last as long. For lowest cost of owners ship when taking into account the life cycle of the roofing system, a tear off with PVC membrane offers the best overall value and lowest cost of ownership.


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## shazapple (Dec 3, 2010)

It's a little confusing, all the info is there but mixed around. I usually word mine like so:

The current roof system is (description of roof, problems, estimated life span).
Recommend (description of tear off and installation of new and cost) because (pros/cons).
Optionally, (description of second roof system and cost), although (pros/cons compared to recommended replacement).


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## LCG (May 30, 2011)

Honestly, I am just happy to see you actively pursuing the PVC upsell.:thumbup:

Are you finding it's easier than you once thought?


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## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

LCG said:


> Honestly, I am just happy to see you actively pursuing the PVC upsell.:thumbup:
> 
> Are you finding it's easier than you once thought?


No. Most people still want cheap. Also, when modified bitumen is the standard, it's sometimes difficult to sell even TPO because customers are so conditioned to modified they don't understand single ply. They buy what they understand. 

I bid one job earlier this year, 500 square warehouse with all PVC, they won't even return my call. I found out someone else got the job with EPDM.

Having said that the PVC is ALOT more money than the TPO. I'm still trying to upsell it, but very few fish are biting. I have been putting tpo and pvc prices on each proposal. I give them a base 15 year tpo and an option to upgrade to a 20 year pvc. Once I grow a pair, I'm thinking of changing that to all PVC (50 mil with upgrade for 60), but logistically only ONE of my suppliers in the area even stocks PVC. That should tell you a little about my market. 

We're working on a PVC job right now (I didn't give them an option, but to be honest this job is so phucked up that the membrane cost was the least of the job price), and if I can bring our ratio up to 50% PVC on low slope, that's my goal. 

In this case (the job I mentioned in my original post) the customer found us by searching for a pvc roofer in the Chicago area. I'm not sure what keywords he used, but that's not important. He wants PVC and I am up against a Duralast contractor, I got from picking his brain. 

I believe if the customer is the kind that does their research and wants PVC because they want a great roof, we're going to be their roofer. But for the rest, it is a hard upsell. I don't have high hopes on this one however, for numerous reasons. By the way we come up #1 & #9 in google for the keyword "chicago pvc roofer".


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## LCG (May 30, 2011)

I will dig out my old laptop tomorrow and shoot you over some Duro pictures. If I can't find them I will see if I can climb back on that building and take some pics. I inspected the roof at 15yr 3mo's from the date of installation. The failure was at least 2 years old. Mainly plasticizer migration on a 40mil sheet, little swirl cracks, and massive UV damage adjacent a parapet wall. Similar to TPO. 

I contacted Duro and they would not cover their product. 3 months out of warranty! I even asked if they would give the customer a break on purchasing new Duro material which was promptly shot down. Needless to say I gave them a bid for IB. At least I know IB will last as advertised. We basically coated the roof and patched several area's buying her some time so she could save money for a new roof. 

When I talked to their tech. rep he said, and I quote, " Just slap on another 40mil and they will be good for another 15 years!" 

NO THANKS.


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## ColoradoRoofer (Dec 13, 2012)

*Please research and go with a coating*

Guys, 

Recover is great if the conditions are right "No Moisture" or less than what is excepted; which means less than 6%. Anyways go and check out Soprema's PMMA. This is the future.


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## Billy Luttrell (May 3, 2010)

Oddly enough, I just finished a hot job. I rarely sell hot unless they customer wants hot...

I priced the job for TPO and gave them a hot price for comparison, they faxed me the contract back a week later with hot. I called them to ask them if thats what they really want.....they did.

The hot price was over double the TPO price.


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

I miss hot jobs. So much better of a roof.


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## Billy Luttrell (May 3, 2010)

1985gt said:


> i miss hot jobs. So much better of a roof. :d












The smell of hot asphalt in the morning always reminds me of money :thumbup::whistling:


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

I spy a fish mouth!

Do you guys mop right out of the hot buckets instead of a cart? 

I always knew there was something wrong with Alabama!:thumbup:


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## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

The smell of hot asphalt makes me sick to my stomach and always has since I was a kid, and truth be told if hot were still the dominant form of low slope roofing, I wouldn't want anything to do with low slope roofing. The vapors from bonding adhesive took me a long time to get used to as well. UGH I literally passed out in a puddle of mud the first FA epdm I ever did.


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