The Business of Repairing Roofs
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I hope your pockets are deep.Are you familiar with this installation ? You might wanna post this in "Off topic" Not sure if the Mod's will find this thread acceptable where its posted.
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I was assuming they were talking about a liquid EPDM rubber roof system such as a Skotch Kote urethane product.The material and equipment are very expensive.
But maybe they are talking about a "Roll -n-Go ?
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We did one once a couple years ago.I need to look through my paperwork and check the actual figures and process but I am thinking it was around $1500 per square.But the materials were like $400-$500 per square.I subbed it to someone who I have partnered with in the past on jobs that were out of my league in terms of total job qualifications.
To use the material you have to be certified by 3M or at least if your charging for the installation.Like I said the equipment is high dollar.Another bad thing is finding and selling this to the average commercial property owner.
When high grade commercial materials are being used around $600-$800 per square its a bit difficult trying to "Upsell" a product that is twice the price.IMO of course.
To use the material you have to be certified by 3M or at least if your charging for the installation.Like I said the equipment is high dollar.Another bad thing is finding and selling this to the average commercial property owner.
When high grade commercial materials are being used around $600-$800 per square its a bit difficult trying to "Upsell" a product that is twice the price.IMO of course.
EPDM is a cured elastomer, and is not available as a liquid. Todays EPDM really isnt a Monomer at all it is a terpolymer, but Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) has stuck as its name.
There are spray Urethane, Silicone, and Acrylic products though. Urethane and Silicone are usually sprayed over PUF Polyurethane foam. Acrylic is used to coat EPDM, Mod Bit, and Metal Roofs, Usually white for reflectance.
From the numbers you are touting there are single ply roofs that can be installed significantly cheaper than the liquid system you mentioned.
No low slope roof should ever be installed over an existing one without a non destructive moisture survey. Preferably IR if conditions permit.
There are spray Urethane, Silicone, and Acrylic products though. Urethane and Silicone are usually sprayed over PUF Polyurethane foam. Acrylic is used to coat EPDM, Mod Bit, and Metal Roofs, Usually white for reflectance.
From the numbers you are touting there are single ply roofs that can be installed significantly cheaper than the liquid system you mentioned.
No low slope roof should ever be installed over an existing one without a non destructive moisture survey. Preferably IR if conditions permit.
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I know what Epdm is,and its build up and technical data.I am also pretty sure it was called liquid Epdm.But just to be sure I will check my job cards and records for that project tomorrow.
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It makes you wonder if some of these posts are not suggestive.Like a company rep posting questions about the product(s) so others might inquire about the product(s).
You never know.
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Good point roof master, these forums are littered with people like that. Many big companies hire people to troll forums looking for anyone saying anything bad about their companies or products. As for these roof repair systems, things can change and now someone is stuck with all this expensive equipment. Here in Ohio my automotive shops invested big money in equipment and training because the state was going to have independent shops do all the emissions testing. Then at the last minute the state changed their mind. Just something to think about with any small business start up.
OP sounded like a naive kid---who is going to ask about starting a business without experience ?
Illinois requires a roofing license--not an easy thing to get--by the time a person has gained that license---they wouldn't need to ask where to look for equipment or supplies.
Illinois requires a roofing license--not an easy thing to get--by the time a person has gained that license---they wouldn't need to ask where to look for equipment or supplies.
417, Im sure you know EPDM when you see it. "EPDM" has been used erroneously even by manufacturers to take advantage of the success associated with its name.
The first manufacturer to come out with TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin, yes of course they were a tire company) called their TPO "Heat weldable EPDM"
We in the roofing industry knew this was bunk, and pressed them on it. It was TPO, not EPDM, but they did not want to call it a thermoplastic due to the failures associated with some poorly formulated PVC Membranes at the time.
I say some, because there are some very good PVC membranes that have stood the test of time. I installed thousands of squares of a membrane in the early eighties that originated in Switzerland that are still performing well today, and you can still heat weld to them.
This particular membrane is the only thing that can stand up to the intense solar radiation in the Mideast, from what I understand, and we all know that it is UV that kills roofs.
EPDM is a cured elastomer that is vulcanized under extreme heat and pressure. There are uncured elastomers like Hypalon which cure over time in the presence of moisture and UV.
There was a company in the US that put down millions of square feet of sprayed liquid Hypalon over a polyester mat, right over existing built up roofs, even gravel surfaced ones.
To my knowledge the owner of that company now lives somewhere US Law cannot get to him. "Postcard from Paraguay" Mark Knofler, if you get my drift.
:whistling2::whistling2::whistling2:
The first manufacturer to come out with TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin, yes of course they were a tire company) called their TPO "Heat weldable EPDM"
We in the roofing industry knew this was bunk, and pressed them on it. It was TPO, not EPDM, but they did not want to call it a thermoplastic due to the failures associated with some poorly formulated PVC Membranes at the time.
I say some, because there are some very good PVC membranes that have stood the test of time. I installed thousands of squares of a membrane in the early eighties that originated in Switzerland that are still performing well today, and you can still heat weld to them.
This particular membrane is the only thing that can stand up to the intense solar radiation in the Mideast, from what I understand, and we all know that it is UV that kills roofs.
EPDM is a cured elastomer that is vulcanized under extreme heat and pressure. There are uncured elastomers like Hypalon which cure over time in the presence of moisture and UV.
There was a company in the US that put down millions of square feet of sprayed liquid Hypalon over a polyester mat, right over existing built up roofs, even gravel surfaced ones.
To my knowledge the owner of that company now lives somewhere US Law cannot get to him. "Postcard from Paraguay" Mark Knofler, if you get my drift.
:whistling2::whistling2::whistling2:
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Hell Andy, I just wanna figure out how to roof indoors. Been workin on it for 30 years but, alas, still out here freezing my ass off.
I just always thought " Why do those prima donna drywall tapers get to demand the heat be on before they start work?". Ungrateful selfish bastards! :furious::laughing:
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Actually....I think you nailed it.....
About two months ago I reported a post....guys 1st post is asking if a 'product' is any good....short time later another poster comes along and praises how good it is....funny, it was his 1st post as well....then a short time later a 3rd guys comes along with another praise for the product....yep....you guessed it...his 1st post as well....and they all joined at the same time......
When I reported it I made mention that they 'might' all have the same IP address.....I was right....
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Southern California is about as close to indoors as you get. Very mild here, quite nice roofing weather for most of the year. Shorts and a tee shirt is the uniform of choice almost year round. :yes: Although it was 37 the last few morings, cant recall it being that cold here for a long time...i blame Canada.
OldNBroken, That is really funny. If you only knew how many seminars on new products where my foremen and I looked at each other, and said "Yeah, Right"
Roll it out, let it relax for 20 minutes, apply adhesive, wait 12 minutes. Not 10, and not 15, or it wont work. Do not allow any wind blown dirt in adhesive, etc. etc. etc.
And the demonstration is in a conditioned warehouse, on a new plywood mockup.
Yeah, we got a lot of those.
Roll it out, let it relax for 20 minutes, apply adhesive, wait 12 minutes. Not 10, and not 15, or it wont work. Do not allow any wind blown dirt in adhesive, etc. etc. etc.
And the demonstration is in a conditioned warehouse, on a new plywood mockup.
Yeah, we got a lot of those.
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