WeatherTight Roofing Offers Experience in Disaster Response
March 4, 2011 - WeatherTight Roofing Systems began in 1969 when founder Stephen Barbuto started out doing built-up and hot tar roofs on residential, warehouse, commercial buildings and strip malls in New Jersey and New York. From there, his company graduated to public projects such as schools, hospitals, institutions, post offices and other government buildings. Then Steve began working with single-plys like EPDM, TPO’s and modifieds. In 1981, WeatherTight entered the spray polyurethane foam (SPF) roofing market.
WeatherTight forged a relationship with General Electric and soon became one of the biggest GE applicators for SPF roofing in the United States. In 2002, WeatherTight opened a new location in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida entirely focused on spray foam roofing.
The company now specializes in commercial roofing applications and has become an expert at disaster response. Michael Tinsley, Marketing Director for WeatherTight, explains some of the company’s competitive advantages when it comes to disaster response: “Our primary competitive advantages are our ability to quickly mobilize emergency teams in order to respond to disaster zone and to anticipate the market for seasonal needs. By keeping this intuitive posture, we are able to provide the best solutions for any given scenario. For example, from experience we know that when a hurricane hits, there is a process for damage assessment regarding repair or replacement. Insurance company claims adjusters are typically not roofing professionals and as such need professional guidance to process claims quickly. Commercial property owners are not only concerned about getting their lives & businesses back to normal but also about dealing with the insurance company for all their other claims. It is a very stressful time indeed, and we are pleased to have the capability to assist with restoring that physical insurance policy we all call a roof.”
He continues, “In addition to the experience that only longevity in this business provides, we believe in solid management of our resources to remain at the cutting edge of commercial roofing. Our equipment is well maintained and our crews are well trained. Our new crew members are put through a rigorous training process and must have at least eight years experience prior to assignment on applicator teams. All work is highly supervised and inspected for quality control.”
WeatherTight’s website further describes their highly trained employees: “We have our own crews who work only for us and [many of whom] have been with the company since the beginning. We supply permanent and temporary housing for our crews, depending on where the roofing job is. We treat our people like family and it pays off handsomely by having employees who have pride in their work, who are highly skilled, who are dependable and who are trustworthy. That’s worth a million dollars to us! Most other roofing companies subcontract their labor and are constantly having problems with the skill level of their people and their dependability. We sleep easy not having to worry about that!”
Tinsley points out that another of their advantages comes from their exclusive focus on commercial applications and disaster response. “We don’t engage in residential roofing, instead have geared our company to provide emergency services, dynamic disaster response, cost effective maintenance programs and replacements for the commercial roofing market. This exclusive focus along with our ‘Fast Track Project Management System’ allows us to ensure our clients faster restoration of their roofs.”
“Commercial roofing is serious business and is best left to time tested professionals that specialize in commercial roofing. Commercial roofing requires a completely different set of standards, materials and training in the proper application of those materials. We know the public at large does not understand all the complexities of quality roofing. It is assumed everybody’s offerings are generally the same, so without solid information, consumers default to price. Price is important to be sure, but what you get for the money is far more important. Roofing is without a doubt one of those things that should not be decided by price alone. There are many critical factors to consider. The best price is only the best if it is backed up by a company that has the experience, manpower, and materials to actually produce a quality job.”
He mentions that another factor which sets the company apart from the competition is their operational process from beginning to end: “Quality begins with your choice of roofing contractor. In this business no truer words have ever been spoken. Our clients need professional services from the beginning to the end of the project as well as after completion. The success of the project greatly depends on the relationship between roofer and client, as much as it does between roofer and the application of the materials. Understanding that this is a collaborative effort, the first thing we do is develop a relationship of trust. Our clients trust us to properly install that physical insurance policy called a roof. They will rely on the quality of our install for the next 10 to 20 years. We take our business and our client relationships very seriously. Making a roof is like making a cake: Any contractor can use the right ingredients and recipe but still fail to put them together correctly. Clearly, how well it’s done makes all the difference.”
“To begin, we will perform an accurate review of the building plans to obtain the correct amount of roofing needed. Then we will discuss the options based on the budget we have to work with. Next, if the roof is pre-existing, we will perform an onsite visual inspection. After an understanding and contract are reached, thorough logistical planning is done to ensure the most efficient execution possible with as little disruption to the building’s operations. Often, timing is a deciding factor. When to execute the roof replacement has a lot to do with the weather. For this reason, we offer cost effective maintenance plans in which we keep the roof as watertight as possible until weather permits proper replacement. We do this quite a lot in Florida where the rainy season controls the re-roofing market.”
“We maintain multiple open communication channels during the entire process which allows us to handle any small issues before they become larger. After all necessary permits are obtained, all efforts are then coordinated with the building’s property manager for smooth installation. During installation, the greatest care is taken not to damage any items on the roof such as A/C units, cooling towers, vents, etc. A thorough cleanup is done after install. After everything is finished comes the municipal inspection, the manufacturer’s inspection and then the certificate of warranty is issued, thus completing the project.”
With operations in both the NY/NJ area and in southern Florida, WeatherTight experiences very different challenges at each of their locations. “Roofing in NJ/NY is very different than it is in the sunshine state. The types of buildings and the weather are both very different in the two areas. In the Northeast, you often have to deal with very vertical buildings in dense cities. This presents real logistical and safety concerns. When it comes to weather, you have greater separation of seasons with severe ice and snow in the winter and heavy rains in the spring and summer.”
“In Florida, some types of commercial buildings are limited in height in certain zones. There is also salt air on all sides which, combined with high humidity and high sunlight, produces a serious weathering effect on roofing materials. Not to mention the fact that Florida has only two seasons: wet and dry. Most larger commercial flat roofs can only be re-roofed in the dry season, so we use maintenance programs to manage leaky roofs until weather permits proper replacement.”
“Another difference between the two locations is that the building codes in the Northeast allow things that are out of the question in Florida. For example, in Florida, due to the toughest building codes in the nation, we must tear off existing roofing down to the substrate before replacing. There are no ‘go over’s’ so this tear-off requirement adds a cost factor often not needed in the Northeast. Each location presents unique challenges and we have learned from our experiences to successfully install roofing in both areas.”
About WeatherTight Roofing Systems, Inc.
WeatherTight Roofing, with locations in Florida and New Jersey, prides themselves on their experience and highly trained workforce. The company specializes in commercial roofing applications and disaster response. For more information, call 877-893-9200 or visit www.weathertightroof.com.
