Operational oversight of data center property inevitably falls on management while investors, architects and general contractors hash out the particulars of cost and design. How AEC documents construction will determine if these facilities (housing the most advanced technologies) participate in the digital transformation in real estate.

High risk tenants house the latest electronics (BestBuy), apparels (Burlington) and servers (Digital Realty). Watertight roofing is essential to business continuity with data centers facing the greatest disruption and loss. Design of data centers, the roof substrate and waterproofing should prioritize how this use case interacts with routine requirements for maintenance and scheduled upgrades.

Performing Roof Upgrades

Installing a replacement roof is difficult at best and operationally disruptive to most data center tenants. Design considerations and planning can help new data centers work around these challenges in future upgrades.

It’s incredibly difficulty to shut down any portion of a data center facility to perform a roof upgrade. The risk of dust and debris below the substrate during roof improvements can restrict server operations. This usually requires tenants install drop protection above the computer equipment but that may not be possible.

Those most likely to encounter roofing events tend to be long term tenants. Inasmuch it’s advisable to install waterproofing that can endure multiple lease terms, minimize risks of moisture intrusion, effects of weather, deterioration and disruption to tenant operations.

Long term design objectives will help maximize ROI for tenants and owners. The standard for design and build of new data centers should emphasis sustainable waterproofing over price. Conversion of existing buildings may require agreement between stakeholders on waterproofing objectives, shared interest and common goals.

CRS Roof Consultants in Silicon Valley is familiar with the internal workings of data center operations. “Preventing a single outage justifies the expense of best practice roofing techniques but amortized through lease rates would be priced at pennies per square foot to recover costs in ten years, said Kevin Cardoza, a Technical consultant at CRS.

The impact of moisture intrusion on facilities that house computer servers has the highest risk of loss in the property industry. Roof leaks no longer affect just one user and computer in a ten by twelve foot cubical. Data centers can hold more than forty servers in a footprint just two feet wide by a depth of three feet.

Data & Equipment Value

The value of data a server contains could easily exceeding $1M per device. Depending on the number of processors, the cost of server equipment can be well over ten thousand dollars. And a standard server rack can hold 42 servers with equipment cost over $400,000 per rack.

A facility with dimensions of 100’ x 50’ can hold more than 80 server racks and up to 3,360 servers. The entry level price of $5,000 for a server would value the equipment at nearly $17M. Obviously, roof leaks present considerable risk so it’s important that roof designs, material and leases minimize exposure to property owners, management and tenants.

Data center operators are best advised to take ownership of rooftop waterproofing before building out the interior. Consider the impact of substrate design, wear and deterioration from weather, rooftop airflow or restrictions thereof and personnel servicing equipment.

It’s a similar situation for big box stores that maintain inventory on open showroom floors. The only difference is the type of inventory and potential for loss. The cost of roofing and impact of disruption linked to moisture intrusion is the same.

Delayed Roof Upgrades

However, the cost of roofing is not constant by any means. The ability to postpone a roof upgrade is perpetual and proportionate to a tolerance for repairs but how effective is this expense. Every year markets face inflation and regulatory influence on the price of roofing.

Size matters but the price to sustain watertight conditions of aged waterproofing over three years can be half the expense required to upgrade the roof to a twenty year serviceable life in year one. Four years later roofing expense can be 24% to 48% higher (at recent inflation rates) or $136K± on average for a roof system originally priced at $100K.

Best Practice

Experts at CRS in San Jose, CA advise moisture adverse tenants to proactively engage in the planning of rooftop waterproofing and working around scheduled improvements. The national average on roof replacement is about 83% or 17 years on a 20 year install. Long term tenants should plan appropriately and consider waterproofing with a 30 year serviceable life.

It is important that new build projects consider the requirements of future roof upgrades in current designs. Implementing flexibility that avoids disruption during maintenance, servicing and upgrades creates long term value. Raise platforms and pillow blocks go a long way towards preserving roof integrity and maintenance, facilitating upgrades and replacement. In contrast, high parapet walls around tight stuffed equipment wells create heat islands that deteriorate most roofing materials.

Material Options

Single-ply (SPY) offers the best overall waterproofing solution. Correctly welded seams create a solid bond that is consistent across the entire roof. The difference between 20, 25 and 30 year configurations is 20 mils or a 60 mil and 80 mil up to 120 mil systems. No additional equipment, material or manpower is required between these choices.

SPY sizes are also published as 115 & 135 mils for asphalt overlays and adhered installations. The additional 55 mils is a layer of fleeceback fabric attached to bottom of the SPY membrane.

SPY offers natural reflection of UV light where weather is dominated by low cloud coverage and little rain. Conversely, the sun reflection on SPY can accelerate deterioration of the membrane. Fortunately these membranes can be fully restored by ‘bonding a patch’ over affected areas.

Not all SPY membranes are created equal so the choice of manufacturer is critical to overall expense, maintenance and sustainability. In simple terms, the best choices in single ply manufacturers include Carlisle, Johns Manville and Sanafil.

Built-up roofing (BUR) both asphalt and SBS versions are great in high traffic areas or roofs with a lot of equipment and service personnel. However, they’re less practical in sunny regions, require five plies for 30 year warranties and can take much longer to install.

Fluid applied (coatings) performs well when retrofitting an existing built-up (cap-sheet) roof if we understand the difference between a simple coating and a polyester reinforced system. Notably, this solution offers two types of fluid – acrylic and silicon. Polyurethane sealants are best to use on concrete.

A coating provides a protective layer of reflectivity and will seal the cap-sheet but a twenty year material warranty does not constitute a watertight “roof system”.

If fluid applied is your choice look no further than acrylic and only acrylic without an emulsion underlayment. Its best to price two plies of polyester reinforcement set in nine gallons of acrylic (per ft²) for a twenty year system warranty. Manufacturer choices may depend on location of the property.

Service Providers (Roofing Contractors)

We look beyond the roofing company itself and focus on current personnel, said Cardoza at CRS Roof Consultants. Field supervisors with a proven history of quality control can be more valuable than a practiced contractor.

Installation of roof waterproofing is essentially produced (manufactured) onsite in an uncontrolled. The cost to roof a 100,000 square foot facility can easily exceed a million dollars. Configuration tweaks allow others to price it much lower but at a cost. The trade-offs include the quality of material, personnel and attention to detail. Diminished performance requirements typically affect the quality of contractor deliverables.

Long term utility, untimely disruptions and the sensitive nature of server operation are all variables best taken under advisement at the point of build and improvements. Waterproofing of high risk facilities should preemptively focus on minimizing disruptions, deterioration and upgrades every fifteen to twenty years.

Industry standards suggest twenty five years is a reasonable expectation on a thirty year waterproofing system. A good material and contractor with skilled personnel will be instrumental to achieving a thirty year performance.

Upgrades & Future Technology

Anticipate traditional scenarios in the perspectives of real estate’s digital transformation. Property often faces new ownership, changes in management and a generation of roofing contractors are set to retire. The waterproofing, its installation and maintenance history should be well documented.

Reliable and accessible data enables analysis by AI who will be advising future property owners and service provider ecosystems long before new build and improvements require a replacement roof. Digitally compiled technical data on systems and equipment create value today for tomorrow markets.

Until then, proactive annual inspections combined with preventative maintenance reduce the risk of roof leaks, damage to server equipment and more often exceeds the expected serviceable life of roofing.

Exploring price & project scope

Before discussing project cost with owners, property managers are likely to request soft quotes from contractors. Be conscious, any number of factors and variables (including material brands) have a direct affect on pricing. If you don’t have a roof consultant, ask three different contractors for material recommendations and a soft quote.

If the building is 30 years or older you’ll need a recent core sample and photographs showing a cross section of the roof system(s) and type of deck to determine pricing requirements.

Soft quotes are exploratory in nature and never meant to compare! Your objective here is to determine the project type, selecting a type of roofing material and brand recommended by contractors. The selections you make here help assure prices will compare when you go to bid.

Set pricing expectations high early so there’s room to reduce expense once official bids are in. Defined a 20 year warranty term, use top rated material and consistent system configurations when budgeting a new roof system upgrade. Its easier to fall back on a reduced configuration than it is to increase budgets at the last minute.

Also, never compromise on skilled contractors, the quality of material and installation. A quality roof installation requires 80% to 90% less maintenance minimizing annual expense for many years to come and they last longer than industry standards.

Steps Involved

There are seven steps to upgrading a roof system.

Steps include:

1. Determine Project Requirements
2. Selecting a material make and model
3. Preparing a scope of work
4. Requesting price quotes
5. Selecting a contractor (best price)
6. Preparing and executing contracts
7. Scheduling a project start date

Variables Affecting Price

Building codes define whether you can overlay an existing roof system or if it must be removed. A current core sample will help determine if there is one or two roof systems installed and identify the type of roof substrate.

If two roof systems are present, you’ll need to perform a full tear-off. Avoid any recommendation to remove only one of these waterproofing systems as you’ll be adding a new layer of roofing to a forty year old system diminished to powder when disrupted.

The type of project (overlay vs tear-off) and roof substrate determine approved materials, component configurations and methods of installation.

The warranty or expected serviceable life also influence price based on approved configurations and installation methods. Always price a 20 year warranty term or higher. Critical operations like data centers, cold storage and box stores that house their inventory on the sales floor should price thirty year configurations.

Material brands are critical to the budget and longevity of your new waterproofing system. Be careful contractors don’t mislead you by recommending a Carlisle system and pricing a Versico brand of single-ply over the parent company Carlisle and its Sure-Weld brands. They’re not the same! But this applies to nearly all roofing materials so we have Cadillac’s and clunkers.

Similar differences can be found when pricing a GAF brand compared to John Mansville and Carlisle. GAF requires up to two inches of insulation to qualify for a 20 year No-Dollar-Limit (NDL) warranty. When installing insulation, the expense for roofing increases by up to 50% or 60%.

How to Plan, Bid &
Analyze Roofing Cost

What Consumers Need to Know

Timing your RFQ and Installation Dates

Planning roof upgrades at the end of year provides considerable advantages to pricing, prep-time and scheduling.

As favorable weather subsides in the fall roofing contractors are forced to moderate active projects and look towards scheduling work in the spring. Suppliers also face the seasonal demands of roofing and challenges planning inventory requirements. Combined they provide an incentive to offer and guarantee favorable rates ahead of the new year.

It can take four to six months to plan and start a commercial roof installation. Starting the bid process in October provides enough time to review material options and rates, select a contractor, negotiate configuration options and pricing and sign contracts.

Contractors require the latter to establish and schedule project manpower and resources for the installation. Generally we work around tenant activities but owners are best advised to schedule installation of most roof types in the best weather (60° to 80°).

Commercial property owners and management should also consider how the building and roof size will affect duration of installation. On average the time to install waterproofing on a commercial property starts at six to eight weeks. Large and complicated roofs can require five or six months and any number of unknown variables can delay a roofing project.

Schedule the start of a roof installation with enough time to complete the project by mid-October (or earlier in northern states). Upgrading a large roof should start no later than May unless the contractor can dedicate enough manpower to guarantee completion by fall.

Bidding Projects

Randomly requesting quotes provides obvious information for budget and planning purposes but often requires each contractor define their own recommended deliverable. The result is individual contractors pricing different waterproofing system configurations and rates that may appear low but are not the best for that roof system.

It’s not unusual to provide contractors with a system outline to quote but components contractors include can be entirely different. A single word in a roof system description or perceived value of a warranty can represent a significant technical consideration that impacts the expected deliverable.

Committing a roofing project to bid assures contractors price the exact same deliverables on common terms. Bidding construction is not much different than technology – it’s technically complicated. A roofing bid specification is nothing more than a detailed description with technical references that outline a binding deliverable until altered by disclaimers and rewrites.

The scope of work (SOW) outlines approved brands, how products are to be configured and in roofing the method(s) of installation. In build, it’s best to price the SOW separate from unrelated works, configuration options and potential change orders.

The objective in bidding is to compare contractor price rates based on a standard of performance. Bidding may also define how contractors present rates to simplify analysis, identify variants and configure project expense.

A roofing scope includes a manufacture, brand and type of material and no dollar limit (NDL) warranty term. Using the NDL reference is a simplified statement of contractor, material and installation performance requirements. It’s also an easy to understand reference to complicated roof configurations.

The required components of any roof system are uniquely different between various manufactures and even brands of the same producer. No dollar limit warranties outline what components (like insulation) are required by the manufacturer to qualify for an extended guarantee from that manufacturer.

Wood and concrete decks influence the method of installation and most commercial property owners follow regulations to define the type of project as an overlay or tear-off. States similar to California have the alternative to an overlay in resurfacing. Certain existing roofs can be upgraded with a reinforced fluid applied acrylic system.

Also ask roofers to include the number of workdays they expect the project to last. Divide that by five to get the number of weeks it will take to complete the installation.

Analyzing Price Quotes

The complexity of roofing systems and loosely defined requests for quote (RFQ) can be confusing to consumers. System configurations intended to reduce cost inevitably affect the quality and sustainability of the buildings waterproofing.

According to industry reports, roof system life-cycles in the U.S. last just under seventeen years. The average serviceable life of a 20 year roof system in the U.S. is 17 years. And its not unusual for a roof to last under 16 years in sunbelt states where excessive sun deteriorates roofing faster.

Inconsistent price quotes confuse consumers said Anthony de Kerf, author of Structured Pricing. When technologies are too difficult to compare objectively, buyers fall back on price as the deciding factor.

Price rates on a common roofing specification generally fall within 3% to 8% of each other said Gary Davis, CIO at RFQGuides. Above this range raises concern highlighting where contractor configuration variables affected their price and possibly the quality of deliverables.

It’s not unusual to see price differences greater than 10% between quotes. But large price variations raise questions and red flags for any type of construction job. It’s important to match the type of contractors invited to quote.

Union shops are consistently higher than independent contractors. It’s not a matter of quality or expectation of greater performance. The manpower costs at union shops are generally higher.

In complex products like roofing, significantly lower rates usually result when contractors quote different materials, system configurations or don’t understand deliverables.

Bids managed by property managers demonstrated this in three rounds of pricing between five contractors. Initial quotes could not be compared due to inconsistent configurations and price differences of $200,000 between contractors.

It followed months of confusion before CRS Roof Consultants was asked to assist. CRS qualified three contractors and ownership requested an additional vendor be included. That contractor was consistently low in previous quotes and on the CRS bid specification. Upon review, the $542,000 difference was barely enough to cover material costs.

In addition, ownership requested an additional quote from a union roofer in a no bid situation. This contractor priced the $850K project closer to $700,000 but configured two entirely different roof systems.

Unfortunately, in no bid situations it’s impossible to determine if buyers get the best price, said Kevin Cardoza a technical consultant at CRS. Admittedly this contractors’ price was substantially lower. But they replaced the waterproofing with a lower cost solution. Project success faced two immediate challenges.

The service providers’ workload and schedule delayed the project another two months. And, work didn’t start until mid fall when the material could not be installed due to cooler temperatures.

Within a month, Cardoza continued the entire project was shut down until spring. The existing roof system was half removed with only 60 out of 380 feet of new waterproofing installed.

The lowest price isn’t always the best contractor to choose, said Davis. Project scheduling can be an important factor to meet tenant expectations, funding requirements or getting the roof installed ‘before’ winter.

Property investors concerned about property valuations note the ROI of waterproofing has an immense impact on the sale of most property. A poorly installed, aged or failing roof system is one of the first things to be discounted from the sale price. Assuring integrity of new roofing improves property valuations by avoiding higher priced discounts at a future sale.

It’s also important to define best practices over generally accepted methods and techniques. This is critical to minimize tenant disruption and annual maintenance requirements. Equally, a well described labor warranty can be leveraged to improve the contractors’ attention to detail during installation.

What Goes into a Roofing Quote

There are dozens of variables that influence the requirements and price of roofing. A good contractor will walk you through the options but comparing expectations with technical specifications can be challenging. In this article we help readers understand how variations in system configurations affect contractor rates and how wide swings in contractor pricing identify performance concerns.
 

Type of Project

Industry outlines two basic types for roofing projects. An overlay is the installation of a new roof system over an existing roof and ‘tear-off’ is the complete removal and replacement of existing roof(s).

Building codes define whether owners can resurface or overlay an existing roof and when previous roof systems must be removed (tear-off). Regulatory requirements are intended to avoid a roof collapse by assuring substrates can support additional weight.

More importantly, removal of previous roof systems facilitates inspection of the substrate for deterioration. This is essential if the roof has a history of leaks, low areas holding moisture, soft decks and substrates that don’t properly disperse water towards drainage.

Deck deficiencies that collect moisture over night are considered obvious points of failure. Membrane wear due to moisture leads to weather related penetration but waterproofing and insulation previously infiltrated by moisture may appear to leak to lesser degree on sunny days.

If any of these conditions are present removal of the roof system is recommended to eliminate existing moisture, inspect the substrate and perform repairs.
 

Configurations & Price

At its core the expense of roofing is configured around material warranty terms or the consumers expected serviceable life for the new roof. The lowest qualifying flat roof configuration is ten years with the highest at thirty in five year steps.

The most used configuration for commercial roofing is twenty years but there are use-cases like data centers and cold storage that warrant thirty year installations.

It’s important to understand that not all brands, material configurations and related pricing are created equal. Higher quality materials can be laid down with minimum of components. However, some brands require insulation to qualify for a fifteen year or higher warranty term.

California regulations suggest any new roof system requires insulation to meet energy codes but there are a number of exceptions including local adoption. Many contractors leverage this mandate to promote materials that require insulation to qualify for an NDL warranty.

California regulators impose a considerable economic impact on property owners and tenants. New commercial roofing priced without insulation at $200,000 will cost closer to $300,000 to install with insulation. Its advisable to price insulation and other contractor recommended enhancements as line items included by all quotes. This allows the expense of enhancements and optional components to be compared individually, considered, added and/or removed from the base price (SOW) to configure a final project cost.

California and brands requiring insulation put consumers at a disadvantage if property owners and managers don’t understand the market and nuances of roofing. Not all California municipals require roofers to install insulation and the best materials don’t require insulation to guarantee performance.

Understanding material brands that require insulation to meet performance expectations is critical to the bottom line. Brand A with insulation should always price higher than Brand B without but price doesn’t guarantee equivalent waterproofing protection or material performance.

NDL Warranty

A no dollar limit (NDL) warranty isn’t always the savior many believe. An NDL may do more to protect material manufacturers than building owners. First and foremost, an NDL requires annual inspections which can cost $1,500 every year.

Any claim against an NDL also requires the manufacturer to perform an additional inspection starting at $500. NDL language is a legal interpretation of what is covered by exclusion or disclaimers. They also define building owner performance requirements (ie: inspections) which can extend to the legal course that must be followed if a claim escalates.

We’ve seen language that suggest the purchase of an NDL or material warranty property owners give away certain legal rights and remedies. Some documents require arbitration in the manufactures preferred state before making a claim in court. And NDL language may be limited to material failures, only if and when a roof system actually leaks.

As with most single ply systems, we might be able to identify material failures as they manifest. But if the roof isn’t leaking yet, the NDL may not cover these manifestations. If the roof does leak, the manufacturer’s responsibility is often limited to repair of the waterproofing.

Alternatives

As CRS Roof Consultants (CRS) in San Jose, CA states, “the best warranty is one you don’t need”. This means choosing the best material and a quality contractor over the latest innovation or lowest priced configuration. In contrast, high price quotes don’t guarantee quality contractor or the best configuration.

RFQGuides developed eScope for Roofing to help buyers write bid requirements with artificial intelligence (AI). At a fraction of the cost for professional roof consultants, roofing buyers get a digital roof advisor. Basic eScope features include a written bid specification detailed for apples to apples price comparison. Contractor bid submissions are presented side-by-side and in a spreadsheet where the budget can be configured around project and material options.

This assures contractors are pricing the same configuration and performance requirements. Bid rates should be based on a consistent contractor expectation for deliverables. Any notable deviation in contractor bids are highlighted to alert users a contractor may have overlooked important factors.

Bid Rate Deviations

The most difficult task is identifying contractors who may price projects considerably lower to win business but use change orders to make up the difference. It’s not that unusual said Kevin Cardoza, a technical consultant at CRS. In 2024 we ran a second round of bidding after property management received inconsistent highly confusing quotes from several contractors.

A significant factor was matching qualified contractors. In this case CRS invited four independent (non union) service providers to the bid-walk. All bids were within 4% of each other except one that was six figures lower. An analysis of the bids and project cost determined the lowest bid contractor would require a change order immediately after the project started. The lowest bid contractors’ price could not cover the cost of material.

Skirting high priced change orders paid off for this property owner . . .

eScope for Roofing was developed for property owners and managers who don’t have the time or the $7,500 expense for a roof consultant. Emerging is a new breed of contractors born in the digital age who are very comfortable with computers and technology.

A defined scope of work establishes contractor accountability to assure bids price a quality installation in accordance with best practice and manufacturer’s specifications. eScope pays for itself by minimizing time and manpower, identifying risks and low ball contractor’s, generating reliable bids and alerting buyers when price comparisons deviate from market standards.

More Info

To assist roofing consumers, RFQGuides publishes several papers with the insights of consultants on performing roof upgrades. In addition, eScope partners can provide remote assistance for a modest $1,000 fee. These independent roof consultants offer professional advice on material selection, SOW review, identifying and matching contractors and decoding the bids. Include them in your project users for help validating budgets around the final system configuration.

Rooftop Solar & Waterproofing

by: CRS Roof Consultants

A management client recently asked the perfect question regarding solar panels and roof system upgrades. The team is about two years ahead of the capex event so timing was perfect.

Explaining the project profile, our client asked, “what would be the best way to approach this, and what would be the most cost-effective method”.

The short answer, “It all depends on how solar is mounted” seems simple enough but regulations on weight and a roof fully covered in panels create complications.

Structural Support

Generally, a single roof system can be resurfaced or overlaid with various types of material. The term ‘generally’ does not take into account the added weight of solar panels and mounting hardware. Accordingly building codes on roofing side with safety relative to structural design and supported weights.

Roofing professional always consider whether structures and substrates can support the weight of additional waterproofing systems and equipment. Reports from contractors that previously installed a solar system can offer insight on system weights, distribution and community approvals.

In the case of roof resurfacing and overlays this data is required to determine structural capacity for a second roof system alongside existing solar equipment. Weight shouldn’t be a concern when waterproofing is completely removed and replaced with a lighter material.

Conclusions

Spiraling cost of energy made the concept of solar benefits an intriguing opportunity for property owners. For some, the idea of third party ownership and management of solar energy on their property was difficult to ignore.

Surface mounted techniques provided a competitive edge for service providers eager to promote their solutions. This type of installation is convenient, non-intrusive and may cost less but overlooks the long term expense related to wear and encountered during scheduled upgrades.

Wear caused by equipment and support personnel can shorten the serviceable life of waterproofing. We’ve also seen shingles on sloped roofs age ten years in the time it took to install the solar. Rest assured, buyers looking for ways to reduce the purchase price will closely examine the timing and expense of upgrading the roof and cost of installing an elevated platform for an existing solar energy system.

An elevated support structure may cost more at the time of installation but significantly reduce the effects and cost of long term maintenance, repairs and replacement. At current inflation rates, the price to elevate solar in the future will be twice today’s cost and likely fall on new ownership.

Best Practice Notes:

• When third parties are involved in the ownership and installation of solar, make sure waterproofing remains accessible for inspection, system upgrades and repairs. Understand in advance if its required and who covers the expense of relocating panels during roof service events.
• Roof systems under NDL Warranty include performance requirements for both ownership and contractor compliance. Solar service providers should use the property owners preferred roofing contractor to waterproof penetrations and repairs.
• Logistically, the best time to install solar is when the waterproofing is being upgrade or replaced.
• Independent elevated support structures allow solar equipment and roofing to be installed and serviced independent of each other.
• Maintain all records, engineering reports and regulatory approvals on solar installations. This information will be required in ten or fifteen years when the waterproofing is upgraded or replaced.
• Diligently verify engineers and local building departments approve the additional weight of solar including proposed framing and distribution of cinder blocks used to stabilize surface mounted solar panels. Each of the blocks pictured above weigh 33 pounds or 99 – 132 lbs. per frame.
• During roof installation, avoid the temporary storage of panels in isolated areas of the roof. This creates islands of weight once evenly distributed across the substrate into much smaller centralized locations.
• Do not allow use of sand bags for platform stabilization.

Waterproofing Expense Effects:

• Elevated support structures assure accessibility while reducing wear on the waterproofing, service fees and disruptions during repairs and the inevitable roof system upgrade.
• Surface mounted solar panels may cost less but can restrict movement or flexibility of the roof system. Owners can expect increased maintenance and higher repair cost due to restricted access which may double the expense of a routine roof upgrade.