Roofing Projects: The Importance of Contractor Pre-Constuction Meetings

Meeting of the minds

One of the most important steps in the entire process is the pre-construction meeting. While the contract specifications spell out the work to be performed and the type of roofing system is to be installed, managers and contractors must work out additional details before the start of work. The specifications might spell out some of these but not all.

Contractors will need a location on site to store materials for the installation and stage their operations. Managers must identify those locations. If the location will affect employee parking spaces temporarily, then notices must go out to building occupants before work begins.

Depending on facility activities, contractors might face restrictions on the hours they can work. While the contract documents spell out these restrictions, it is a good practice to remind contractors before work begins.

Pre-construction meetings also are an ideal time to establish the channels of communication between managers and contractors. The two parties need to provide contact information for the building project manager and contractor representatives, including the superintendent and the foreman.

Finally, the meeting should establish a timeline for the project. Managers can use this timeline to keep building occupants informed of activities that might impact their operations.

By following these steps, managers can successfully plan even the most difficult roofing project to maximizing the benefit and minimize the disruption. But once the new roof is in place, the entire process must start over again preparing the facility for the next time that the roof must be replaced.

James Piper , P.E., is a national consultant based in Bowie, Md. He has more than 30 years of experience with facility maintenance, engineering and management issues.

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