Project Initiation

In many circumstances, the first thing that we do is a project initiation involving the company owner, the project owner, and the site foreman. This is an opportunity for the homeowner to meet the foreman and to discuss any specific details that require consideration by the parties involved. A particular home owner may want us to take special care in protecting parts of the garden, and this is an example of something that we would want to discuss at this stage of the project. The first tasks of the day are oriented toward planning and setting up the project, including the roof top placement of delivered materials, and the placement of the disposal bin. From there, decisions are made to determine the best overall plan of attack, to get the job done in the safest, most productive way possible. Safety considerations are also made on the first day, and put into practice everyday over the course of the project.

Good Communication

Keeping each other updated each day keeps things running smooth. Any problems with the original scope of work need to be discussed with the management team as soon as they are encountered. Additional materials required, and anything else “under the sun” needed to make the job go smoothly should be discussed with the management team. We are all working together to make this company run smoothly and communication is key.

Protecting Site Property

One of the key components of our overall workmanship is to prevent damage to the property while we are working. This is a very broad subject since there are many things that can potentially go wrong during a project. Material delivery and disposal bin trucks require direction when entering and exiting the job site. It is our responsibility to prevent the drivers from damaging any part of the property when dropping off materials and bins, and this can be achieved by helping them navigate through the driveways and directing their drop off points. When placing the materials on the roof, good decisions have to be made to ensure an even displacement of weight over the roof surface, and that once placed, the piles are secure. This will prevent the occurrence of broken trusses and damaged gutters etc.
Many other details are involved in day to day operations to prevent damage, the most important of which is protecting the home or building from water damage, caused by rain and or improper drainage.
When removing the old roof, special attention should always be placed on protecting the perimeters from falling debris. This can be achieved by placing tarps, and using sheets of plywood on and around areas that need this protection. This also makes final cleanup much easier since smaller pieces of waste are more likely to have been caught in the tarp system.
Minor things should be considered to prevent damage to gutters, siding, masonry, and anything else in harms way.

Keeping the Site Clean and Organized

Some crews are more organized than others, however; we expect all of our crews to display good levels of organization especially when wrapping things up at the end of the day. This is important for a variety of reasons, the first of which is maintaining an image of cleanliness, so that our clients as well any people passing by can see that we run a “tight ship”. This habit also serves well to maintain good productivity since tools and materials will always be easily accessible. Keeping the site clean is a very important task, especially the grounds around the perimeter of the home or building. Every last piece of debris must be placed into the bin. This usually means that the grounds are cleaner after the project is complete than before the project began.

Leave NOTHING to Chance

Each day work is only to begin when no rain is in the immediate forecast. A new tarp without punctures will be accessible in the event that there is a sudden change in a weather pattern and it begins raining. This prevents damage caused by “acts of god” when in the middle of completing a section of roof. It is management’s responsibility to provide the tarp on site by the time work begins.
It is the foreman’s responsibility to make sure the crew leaves nothing to chance. This means that every evening when the job site is wrapped up and secured for the day, preparations are made to protect the property in the event of unfavorable weather. We will assume that there is heavy wind and rain in the forecast regardless of any weather reports. This level of do diligence prevents water damage caused by our negligence.

IMPORTANT NOTE

To achieve the level of protection discussed above, all sections of the roof started at the beginning of the day MUST be completed by the end of the day. If circumstances prevent this, the foreman must consult someone from management for further direction. If a shortage in man-power is the issue on larger sections of roof, this must be considered well in advance. If the foreman does not believe his crew can start and finish a particular section in one day… that section shall not be started. If required, members of the management team will work with the foreman to get additional help on site, so that the particular section can then be started. Once again, these considerations must be made in advance to prevent delays caused by inadequate man-power.

Metal flashings, shingles, plywood, materials, and tools should always be secured as to prevent the wind from bringing things off the roof top. This will prevent injury and damage to property.

Quality Workmanship

It is the foreman’s responsibility to ensure that he and his crew practice all the proper methods of roofing application. This ensures quality and prevents changes after management performs its final inspections. If help is required on any detail of the project no matter how small, the tradesman can consult management for direction. It is management’s responsibility to have this information readily available for the tradesmen in this event. If direction cannot be accurately achieved over the phone, fax, or internet, someone from management will be more than happy to visit the site immediately to prevent further delay. Under some circumstances, the crew may encounter other things on the home or building that need immediate attention. These items are to be brought to the attention of the management team so that they can get further direction from the project owner.

Project Completion

When the work is complete, final considerations should be made to ensure the roof is ready for our in-house inspection. The foreman must be present at this time so that any small details over looked by the crew but encountered by the inspector can be resolved immediately. The roof must be 100% complete and clear of debris. For example there should be no clear wrappers hanging off gable ends and all nails and b-vent collars must be sealed with the appropriate color of caulking. Any products or materials required to complete the project can be delivered as long as the tradesman contacts someone from management to make the request. It is management’s goal to deliver all required materials before work on the project begins, however; this may not always occur.
Final clean-up is as important to “get right” as is the quality of the roof it self. This also means that even one over-looked nail will warrant an incomplete status during our inspection. We do not consider the project complete until all areas around the perimeter of the house or building are cleared and swept of debris including around the disposal bin. If possible, the bin should be leveled, and any protruding objects pushed back in.
Unused materials should be placed neatly behind the bin so that they can be easily picked up at the same time as the final inspection.