Independent Roof Consultants offer value-add services. They evaluate the condition of a roof using a combination of roofing skills and the latest technology. Roofing experience, visual techniques and advanced technologies are the tools required to accurately identify roof related problems, make repair & maintenance recommendations and forecast funding requirements.

Services range from annual survey's & due dilligence inspections to planning maintenance and forecasting expenses. Professional Roof Consultants may offer long term Roof Management Solutions for continuous return on roof system investment analysis, asset life-cycle and/or TCO ( Total Cost of Ownership) tracking.

A Roof Consultant is your single source of information on roof maintenance management. Value-add services help Real Estate Investors and Property Managers understand roof asset investments and navigate complexities of the Roof Management Cycle.

Product manufacturers have national networks of Account Representatives that offer free roof consulting services. These Account Rep's may be employed by the manufacturer or work for a local Manufacturer's Representative company.

Manufacturers Rep's have experience with an isolated list of materials, manufacturers and types of roofing. If your building includes multiple types of roof systems, you may need to consults with several local account representatives.

Manufacturers Rep's understandably promote thier products and they may not be prepared to advise on local regulations.

Roofing Contractors have long offered free roof evaluations and consulting services. Contractor expertise is usually isolated to a particular technique and such recommendations may not fall in line with the property owners investment objectives.

Contractors offer access to a wider list of products and solutions than a Manufacturers Rep's but thier proficiency in any particular material or type of roofing may be hidden. Buildings and real estate portfolios with multiple types of roof systems usually require several roofing contractors.

The sales rep objective is promoting thier solution as the best and least expensive. Its important to separate solution selection from pricing decision so contractors are best consulted with during roof solution selection for comparison of technical details.

General Contractors who guarantee quality roof solutions contract Independent Roof Consultants to assure the lowest bidder doesn't compromise quality. Other general contractors relay on a roofing contractor to recommend a solution.

Hybrid Roof Consultants combine professional and trade services under a single umbrella to offer turn-key roof inspections, maintenance and repairs.

There are two types of Hybrid Roof Consultants:

• Hybrids originated with Roofing Contractors who added Roof Consulting Services as a marketing tool to funnel maintenance, repairs - subsequently resurfacing and replacement to the contractor side of the business. Vendor companies may have the same or different names but the primary principles share ownership and/or interest.

• Professional hybrids emerged where an organization of independent vendors offer full turn-key solutions managed under a common Roof Consultant. Professional hybrids offer full turn-key Roof Management Cycle solutions.

Roof Repair Contractors also offer roof consulting services as a marketing tool to drive maintenance and repairs to the trade side of the company. Since Repair Contractors do not resurface or replace roof systems, they tend to prolong roof reconditioning.

• Property Managers run the risk of prolonging roof replacement and subsequent damage to the substrate.
• Repair Contractors tend to recommend maintenance intensive solutions like foam roof systems that increase annual cost.