I recently thought about last summer’s public works roofing project on the NorthEast Washington Alliance Counseling Services (NEWACS) Building in Colville, Stevens County, Washington. It reminded me that the story about small municipal and county roofing projects is more than about the roof. The project was a straightforward, flat roof recover. We provided NEWACS a great TPO 60-mil, single-ply, membrane roof. Stevens County officials knew and got exactly what they needed. Not every public works administrator knows what is needed.
It is common for many small government agencies to be unfamiliar with the roof contracting process. They frequently do not hire an architect or provide detailed specifications on the scope of work. Many times, they know very little about their roof, except that they need a new one.
This knowledge gap makes them extremely vulnerable to disreputable contractors. When a commercial roofing contractor wins a project with an artificially low bid, the contractor can submit expensive change orders that raise the total project cost. That is a big deal, because taxpayer money funds government projects on any scale. There is rarely a lot of money to spare, especially in smaller communities.
When government agencies are new to the contracting process, they lack the standards or experience to know when a contractor is taking advantage of them. That is where Spokane Roofing Company® helps to level the playing field.
You hear the phrase industry best practices a lot in the business world. It typically means commercial procedures that are the most effective, and of course, that’s something that we strive to do. But what we stand for as a longtime member of the business community in this area goes well beyond that. When we say industry best practices, we’re talking about doing business in an honest, ethical way.
It’s not necessarily our job to educate potential clients about the bidding process, but it is the right thing to do. There are so many variables in the process, and each variable represents business/project risk. When we bid a roofing project, we want to get it the right way, where both parties win. Spokane Roofing’s goal is to install a superior roofing system with a certified manufacturer warranty. Period.
Sometimes, we almost become the roof designer by default, when a potential client does not have an architect to develop project specifications. As an experienced roofing contractor, we help to identify the gaps and explain how a roof core cut, for example, can fill-in some of those gaps. There is no real competitive advantage for us in doing these things, because the lowest bid wins the project. But it is the responsible way to do business.
Spokane Roofing Company gets lots of jobs similar to the public works project in Colville, Washington. City and county officials call on us after reviewing reference lists and examining our credentials. Word gets around in the roofing business, and people know who they can trust.
Whether a job is large or small, we approach it in a way that establishes credibility from the beginning. We present ourselves professionally on every job in every way, from the way we dress to the equipment we bring to the job to the safety procedures we employ. I believe that little things make a big difference to clients. When they know that we care about little things, they know we care about everything else. We take pride in everything we do; we want everyone to know it.
Convoy Supply Ltd. supplied all of the project’s membrane roofing materials. Rolled Steel Products (RSP), Inc. manufactured new coping metal. Vestis Systems, Inc. manufactured green, commercial awnings.
Professional Piping, Inc. and Raindrop Raingutters were subcontractors.
Are you a public works administrator soliciting bids on a roofing project in your community? Then call Spokane Roofing’s experienced and trusted team of commercial roofing experts today at (509) 838-8633. We will get you the roof you need and maximize the value of your taxpayer-funded budget. Call now!