IS COMMERCIAL ROOFING HARD TO DO?

Is commercial roofing hard to do?  The answer to this question usually varies based on a number of different factors.  In fact, whenever most people think of the job of a roofer, they may automatically envision someone who repairs a leaky roof. Yet, even though this may be true, it is important to note that some roofers are trained and skilled in a wide diversity of tasks. 
With that being said, everyone should know that there is a huge distinction between the residential roofer and the commercial roofer. 
Typically, one of the most commonly known differences is the training and experience that a commercial roofer is required to acquire over a period of time. For instance, the commercial roofer is trained to work on large buildings instead of smaller residential structures. In fact, here are some of the roofing systems that you may see a commercial roofer working on today. 

• office buildings 
• Warehouses
• Shopping malls

Therefore, the residential roofer’s training is geared more toward the smaller projects and structures, while the commercial roofer is trained to work on much larger scale projects. So,  if you want to know additional information about how hard commercial roofing is, here are few things that everyone should know. 

Projects Involve Working on Thousands of Square Feet in Size
Unlike the residential roofer's job duties and responsibilities, the commercial roofer works on projects that are a lot bigger in dimensions. The roofing sizes can range into the tens of thousands of square feet and more. Commercial roofers are also required to complete training that prepares them to work safely on buildings that are several stories high in the sky. For example, the commercial roofer must take the appropriate precautions while working on a roofing system for a small or large company.  Some of these requirements include learning how to work safely on surfaces that are 6 feet or higher. To protect commercial roofers from severe injuries and fatalities, it is important that they are skilled in one or more of the following:

•  warning line systems
•  personal fall arrest systems
• safety net systems
• guardrail systems 

Commercial Roofing Teams Need Specialized Equipment
The type of equipment used to work on commercial roofing is also specialized. Ladders and scaffolders are not sufficient enough for roofing projects that involve commercial buildings that are several stories high. Instead, the commercial roofer will need to acquire the knowledge, skills and experience to operate the following:

• cherry pickers
• Cranes
• boom lifts
• other types of construction equipment

This type of construction equipment has been designed with numerous necessities in mind.  For example,  these types of construction machines are designed to give roofers the capability to access extremely difficult-to-reach areas on their commercial roofing projects. It is also important to note that this type of equipment is not a luxury but a necessity for the commercial roofer. 
 
Time Of Project Completion
Commercial roofing jobs are usually accepted as long-term projects that may take several weeks to many months to complete. Dissimilar to the deadlines set for residential roofing repairs or replacements, completing these jobs in a few days is never enough time. This is primarily because commercial roofing building installations and repairs tend to be a lot more complicated due to the following key factors.

• multiple levels
• ventilation systems
• other features that need to be factored in

Larger Teams Required to Complete Commercial Roofing Projects
Depending on the scope of the commercial roofing project that needs to be done, a large team of commercial roofers may be hired for the work. These teams may be made-up of a diverse crew of talent, including project managers, engineers, truck drivers, and commercial roofers.

Different Types of Installation Methods
Residential roofing jobs tend to be a lot simpler than commercial roofing jobs. This is because commercial roofers are often trained in repairing and installing a wide variety of different roofing types and methods of installation. Therefore, the expertise required to do these varieties of different methods is essential to this career.  Here is a list of the different types of roofing that these professionals are trained in installing efficiently and properly.  

• PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
• Liquid Applied Roofing 
• Roof Coating Systems 
• Green Roofs 
• EPDM Roofing (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer)
• Modified Bitumen Roofing Systems 
• Built-Up Roofing Systems 
• Metal Roofs

Each of the above commercial roofing types is also known for having its own set of installation requirements. This means a commercial roofer job may get a little bit more difficult to do, especially if the company that is hiring for the job needs these particular skill sets right away.  For example, if the commercial roofer is installing a flat roof (i.e. modified bitumen roofing), they will need to know how to install the roofing in layers.  
Additionally, if the commercial roofer is going to use the right products and resources to do these jobs correctly, they may need to purchase cold presses or adhesive torches. And, once all of the equipment and products are available to do this job correctly, the method of installation must be completed with the greatest precision.  If not, the quality of the roofing installed may be compromised in a way that will not last as long as originally intended. 

Is commercial roofing hard to do?  As mentioned above, the answer to this question can differ greatly depending on a number of different essential factors.  Unlike the residential roofer, the commercial roofer must be equipped with the knowledge, skills, experience, and special expertise to do a commercial roofer’s job duties and responsibilities. 
Since the work that they do involves repairing and replacing roofing systems for buildings that are several stories tall and tens of thousands of square feet wide, a project manager may hire a team of workers to do these jobs safely. Also, these teams of professional commercial roofers must be familiar with the latest commercial roofing materials and modern technology in advance before getting started. Therefore, many of these installations can be a little more difficult than most people may think.