How often is a project almost complete when it gets slowed down, or even derailed by the final details, the accessories that are necessary to complete a project's closeout? It can be frustrating for any roofing contractor who is ready to close one job and move on to the next one.

It is common for a team to focus on the big project needs first and leave the finer details until the end. ‘It’s like a doctor and a surgeon,” Angel Arroyo of Raincoat Roofing in Broadview, IL likes to say. “You need your doctor for most things, but when it comes to the fine details, you need a surgeon. We are the surgeons when it comes to roofing accessories.”

However, by leaving these finer details until the end, contractors can be at risk of rushing the final critical stages of a project. With a bit of planning and anticipation, prefabricated accessories can help smooth out the process.

Mistake #1: Using Your Most Valuable Labor Assets to Make Accessories on the Jobsite

With labor being scarce, it is crucial to allocate your team's efforts in the most effective way possible to get the most out of your time and money. When your most important labor assets are making accessories on the roof, your valuable resources are often tied up and unavailable for other high-value work.

Using prefabricated accessories frees up your valuable labor resources. On average, the time required to install prefabricated accessories is typically at least 15-20 minutes faster than field fabricating the same part. Not only do prefabricated accessories save time, but they are also made in a factory-controlled environment. These flashings go through rigorous testing before leaving the factory, ensuring that the contractor is receiving a reliable and durable product.

Mistake #2: Forgotten Details

Roofing projects have lots of moving parts, and it is common to focus on the larger parts of a project and leave the "little details” until the final moments. Leaving the little details, like accessories, until the final stage of a project can cause a major headache and lead to unforeseen issues. These issues could be errors such as incorrect sizes, wrong membrane types, incorrect colors, and a need for custom-made parts. These problems can be time-consuming issues, causing delays in your tight timeline.

Prefabricated accessories can save the day with fast delivery to the contractor's yard or even directly to the jobsite. Involving the flashing manufacturer early in the project process can ensure that the right parts arrive at the right time.

“Sometimes I just need something on the fly we might have missed,” says Mike Levesque of Warren Roofing in Santa Rosa, CA. “Luckily the manufacturer is in our backyard, and I can pick things up. While I’m there, I look around because I will always see other things we might be able to use or better ways of doing things for future projects.”

Mistake #3: Communication Breakdowns

Let’s face it, not everyone in the industry is an accessories expert. Communication between a contractor’s team in the field and in the office can be a major issue for project completion. Initial estimates can be inadequate, undisclosed changes can be made, and tricky penetrations can be uncovered during the project process.

Contacting the flashing manufacturer first is an efficient way to avoid all these pesky issues. Due to the knowledge and expertise of the manufacturer, they will ask all the essential questions that will ensure your project gets the right parts. Manufacturers also have experience with all types of jobs and can help with both NDL and discretionary work, making even the tricky penetrations seem effortless. Because time is essential, all parts in standard and custom sizes arrive ready to install in just a few days.

Angel explains, “When I talk directly with the manufacturer, we are speaking the same language. They understand what I need, or I can draw a sketch, and they can take it from there. It’s an important way for me to get exactly what I need.”

Mistake #4: Errors Caused by External Pressures

Managing a project’s timeline can be challenging, especially for commercial jobs. Weather delays or demands from the building owner or general contractor can produce a compressed schedule, making a rushed process for the accessories. 

To finish your project within this compressed schedule, contact the accessories manufacturer with your project accessory list if your job is NDL, or discretionary. For NDL jobs, manufacturers have relationships with the NDL partners to facilitate the accessories process. For discretionary jobs, the manufacturer can often get the accessories shipped out in one to three days, allowing your job to stay on time.

In addition, prefabricated accessories arrive ready to install and produce far fewer callbacks. When installed correctly, prefabricated accessories are designed to last the full lifetime of the roof system.

The Bottom Line: Details Matter

Getting the details right is, well, all in the details. Nothing can be more frustrating than delays to project closeouts, and with accessories right at the end, a faulty process can be painful. Prefabricated accessories take the pain away by saving contractors time, by providing factory-controlled and tested parts that arrive on time and ready to be installed.

The details matter, and prefabricated accessories are an essential ingredient to a successful project.