When you are experiencing problems with your commercial roof, repair and replacement are not your only options. Restoration offers some attractive benefits that will allow you to cost-effectively gain more life from your existing – and still sound – roof. Consider the following 10 benefits of roof restoration before making the decision to replace your entire roof.
- Cost savings: Let’s face it—roof replacement is a major investment. The cost of labor and materials is substantial. While sometimes replacement is the only decision to make for roof, restoration – which requires less labor and materials –can be an effective cost savings for the property owner. For example, depending on the roofing system selected, replacement can cost between $18 and $22 per square feet, whereas restoration (coating) can cost approximately $5 to$10 per square foot. The various coating systems on the market are composed of different compounds that interact with your existing roof system differently. Make sure your contractor discusses the various coating options to choose the best system.
- New Depreciation Schedule: The federal government now allows you to take 100% of capital investments in the year that they are performed. The IRS caps the amount of capital expenditures so confirm with a licensed accountant to make sure you are taking advantage of the new tax law.
- Cool factor: “Cool roof” solutions lower the temperature of your existing roof. Since some coatings are highly reflective, they can increase solar reflectivity, which can significantly reduce interior heating costs. Please keep in mind that not all coatings are reflective in nature.
- Tax benefits: Restorations are financed through maintenance rather than capital budgets, which is a strong tax advantage. As a maintenance expense, a roof restoration means you can immediately expense your costs. Further, depending on where you live, there could be more tax advantages in the form of tax credits and rebates available for energy-efficient improvements, such as ENERGY STAR® qualification and LEED point contribution.
- Multiple options: There are numerous, cost-effective restoration options available depending on your type of roofing system.
- Safety: With some roofing systems, a restoration can upgrade your roof to a Class A fire rating. You’ll not only enhance the safety of your building, you may also be able to lower your cost of insurance.
- Heat efficiency: Since some coatings are highly reflective, they can greatly increase solar reflectivity, which can significantly reduce interior coating costs.
- Less intrusive: Replacement can be noisy and disruptive. Restoration is typically less intrusive to the people working in your commercial building. An added bonus: Restoration is faster and cleaner.
- Additional warranty: Many restoration systems are warranted by the manufacturer for up to 10-15 years. Different coating systems carry different warranties. Be sure to confirm that your contractor is able to offer the best warranty from the manufacturer.
- Think green: With restoration, there will be far fewer materials to dispose of. You’ll improve the sustainability of your building since you’ll be reusing your existing roof.
You should make the decision about whether your roof is a good candidate for restoration with an experienced commercial roofing professional. Your roofer will complete an inspection, determine the condition of the insulation and find any areas of roof penetration.
Restoration options from Core Roofing + Solar will address additional roof problems you may be facing, such as:
- Lack of surface protection from the elements and/or foot traffic
- Cracked or splitting roof with little or no internal leakage to date
- An aged roof which is no longer under warranty
