4 New Trends in Commercial Roofing

1. Maintenance is back in the front seat

As the focus on maintenance and regular repairs continues to grow through in 2019.

Many commercial building owners are wise to the fact that regular maintenance is much less expensive than large-scale repairs or a full replacement when significant damage is done to a structure. While maintenance and repair are important, it’s just as important to make sure the person doing the maintenance is honest and transparent about the needs of your roof.

One key point people point to for not scheduling inspections or regular maintenance is the prevalence of unnecessary repairs that cost money and do little to improve the function of the roof.

2. New Tax Laws

In the USA, commercial roofs will be added to section 179 property, which will double the deduction to $1,000,000. The New tax law also reduces the commercial roof depreciation scale. Prior to tax laws, the depreciation schedule was 39 years for commercial roofs. This is changing to 25 years going forward. The reason this is an important change is that building owners can now choose to expense up to $1,000,000 for roofing improvements in a year or spread the deduction over 25 years. Make sure to sit down with a tax expert to work the numbers out before you make any large decisions about your roof.

3. Sustainability: Expanding

The sustainability factor is back in the spotlight, and rightfully so. We are seeing another push towards green products and solutions that not only meet the basic criteria but exceed it. Many different companies have developed green alternatives, however overall there is still lots of room for improvement in this area. Heading into the next 24 months, a renewed effort is being placed on products that utilize waste materials. Keep an eye out on the job site for various eco friendly products like ours HERE.

4. New Technological Advances

Technology is being utilized across every industry to improve efficiency and innovate new solutions. The same is true in the roofing industry. Tools like drones, digital maps, and paperless billing are quickly becoming norms in the industry to streamline the repair process for contractors and building owners alike. Virtual and augmented reality tools are newer trends in the industry, well-suited for showing building owners what the final repair or replacement will look like.

Technology is also reaching safety in the roofing industry. GPS in safety equipment helps pinpoint dangerous locations on the roof to help other workers avoid problem areas. Tools like heart monitors, sensors in helmets, and some companies are looking into integrating airbag-like systems in safety vests to help protect workers in the event of a fall.