Roofing contractors have a lot to keep an eye on when it comes to roof replacements of any kind. But one area they often overlook is the importance of proper drainage on existing structures, said RC Legal Insights expert Trent Cotney. The issue can became a profit killer for roofers if certain conditions aren’t part of the contract.

“There's a lot of potential liability there because oftentimes, when you're redoing a roof or you're working on exteriors and you're putting on new systems, the existing drainage may not be capable of handling whatever the new flow is,” said Cotney, partner with Adams & Reese, in this brief videochat.  

He added that if the customer won’t allow you change the drainage, that it’s critical to disclaim it in the contract. Watch the full conversation here.