ROOFING FLORIDA – April 2013

A Publication of the FRSA ◆ Florida’s Association of Roofing Professionals

Godwin’s Green Roofing Focuses on Energy Efficient Roofs The “Jim Walters” Law: Room for Confusion Partial and Final Waivers and Releases of Lien FRSA Building Industry Connections Priorities that Drive Profitability Seminar Lineup at FRSA Annual Convention APRIL 2013

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FRSA Industry Connections Benefit Members and the Industry

By John Hellein, RFM Editor Harnessing the expertise of contractors, distributors and manufacturers in Florida promotes the well being of the roofing, sheet metal and air conditioning industries in sometimes less than obvious ways. Last month, we looked at the positive effects of the efforts of the Codes and Regulatory Compliance Committee on the preservation of the Florida Building Code as it moves into the 2013 cycle.

This month, I would like to provide an overview of some of the industry connections that have been and are being developed. While building these connections may have been on the FRSA wish list for some time, the addition of a Director of Technical Services position one year ago has allowed the Association to more actively build these relationships. Strengthening industry relationships allows the Association to garner the support of individuals and organizations who have influence in the industry, increasing the influence of FRSA as a result. It also allows FRSA greater opportunity to provide leadership and to share the expertise of its members with others. As we look at the various organizations in which FRSA is becoming increasingly involved, we will look at some specific examples of how this involvement will hopefully pay dividends.

To begin, here is a list of some of the organizations in which FRSA is currently active: ♦♦ASTM International (ASTM) ♦♦Building Officials Association of Florida (BOAF) ♦♦International Code Council (ICC) ♦♦Florida Building Commission (FBC) ♦♦Cool Roof Ratings Council (CRRC) ♦♦Roof Industry Committee on Weather Issues (RICOWI) ♦♦Roofing Consultants Institute (RCI) ♦♦Tile Roof Institute (TRI)

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ASTM International In the Florida Building Code, you will find references to ASTM standards. For instance, the specifications for underlayment reference ASTM D226. This ASTM standard provides specifications to which manufacturers must comply in order to provide code-compliant underlayment to Florida roofing contractors.

Continued on page 21

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Partial and Final Waivers and Releases of Lien

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Employee Training Critical to Company’s Success

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Godwin’s Green Roofing Focuses on Energy Efficient Roofs CEIR Introduces RoofPoint™ Energy and Carbon Calculator

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FM Approvals Strengthens FM 4470 Seminar Lineup at FRSA Annual Convention The “Jim Walters” Law: Room for Confusion In Memory, James “Jake” Beecher

Priorities that Drive Profitability

A Publication of the FRSA ◆ Florida’s Association of Roofing Professionals FRSA Executive Director, Lisa Pate CEM ◆ Editor, John Hellein For display advertising inquiries and all feedback including Letters to the Editor and reprint permission requests (please include your full name, city and state) contact John Hellein at: Any material submitted for publication in ROOFING FLORIDA becomes the property of the john@floridaroof.com publication. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the author(s) alone and do not (800) 767-3772 ext. 127 imply an opinion or endorsement on the part of the officers or the membership of FRSA. No part of this RFM, PO Box 4850 publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission from Winter Park, FL 32793-4850 the publisher.

View media kit at: www.floridaroof.com/rfm ROOFING FLORIDA (VOL. 4, NO. 4), April 2013, (ISSN 0191-4618) is published monthly by FRSA, 4111 Metric Drive, Suite 6, Winter Park, FL 32792. Application to mail at periodicals postage is pending at Winter Park, FL and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address corrections (form 3579) to ROOFING FLORIDA, P.O. Box 4850, Winter Park, FL 32793-4850.

Energy-Efficient Profits Providing the option of energy efficient products to your customers that complement roofing systems and services presents a great opportunity to increase profit on any project. Here are a few “green product” ideas. Talk to FRSA manufacturers and distributors to discover the green products and services they have available.

Energy Star rated shingles provide higher reflectivity, keeping roofs, and buildings cooler and decreasing energy consumption.

Solar tubes magnify natural light and replace the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours. Unlike artificial lighting, solar tubes are not a source of heat.

Rain barrels collect water from the roof’s gutter system and store it for lawn watering, car washing, etc. The “soft water” contains no chlorine, lime or calcium, making it perfect for these tasks.

Brad Sutter ◆ FRSA President’s Report

Promoting a Profitable Culture I don’t know about you, but I value good advice. I once asked the president of a very large and profitable contracting company (about $300 million annually) what his biggest key to success was. It was simple, he told me, “I hire people way smarter than me”.

I was a little taken back but, after thinking about it for a while, it occurred to me that he had captured a lot in that brief statement.

Most contractors, and FRSA President Brad Sutter, Sutter Roofing Company of businesses in general, are conFlorida stantly looking for the secrets to improve their business, increase sales, gain market share, improve marketing or better a number of other performance indicators. Take your pick, we’re always looking for that edge. Sometimes we go it alone, sometimes we hire outside consultants or we just hunker down with our managers and try to figure out a better way to build our mouse trap. Regardless of the method, the quest for improvement proves that we are open to new ideas and change. If you aren’t thinking about ways to improve your business, be more efficient or just be a better run company, there’s a very good chance that your competitors aren’t waiting for you to do so and will figure out ways to pass you in the process.

Where will your ideas and motivation for improvement and change come from? Do you know what you want to change, improve or learn in the process? Have you considered the sources of training available to you and your company to accomplish these goals? These are important questions to ask. There are many talented professionals in our industry that routinely share their expertise with groups of our peers. In my experience, there is no substitute for being able to rely on someone else’s experience and success to help others achieve theirs.

When you have a group of people working together who appreciate the value of training and new ideas, that can create powerful results. Getting your team on the same page with defined goals can create that culture.

I’m going to insert a shameless plug here and tell you that FRSA has an excellent slate of seminars lined up for our members at this year’s Convention (see page 9 for a full list). If you don’t know where to take the first step to improving your business and success, this is a great place to find a lot of information, in a reasonable time frame, at a fair price.

In order for any training or consulting to achieve the desired results, there must be a commitment to the learning process and the resolution to stick with any changes selected. Equally important is the overall culture of the company where training is viewed as a valued and accepted part of the operation. We have to want to be better. From top management to roofing technicians, the mandate for continuous improvement has to be unambiguously promoted.

When you have a group of people working together who appreciate the value of training and new ideas, that can create powerful results. Getting your team on the same page with defined goals can create that culture. I hope that these ideas are thought provoking and lead to questioning your company’s culture and motivations.

This month magazine also focuses on “green” roofing. This is a movement within our industry that is gaining momentum and wider acceptance as a planned design component of roofing systems and exterior building components. With new building codes and ASHRAE standards being implemented and updated regularly, it’s important to stay up to date on these topics.

In addition to FRSA and our codes volunteers, another great place to learn about the trends in energy efficient is the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing (www.roofingcenter.org). This is a new non-profit group created to raise public awareness of the importance of energy efficient roofing in reducing energy consumption and mitigating environmental impacts. You can read about CEIR’s new RoofPoint Energy and Carbon Calculator on page 14. Please visit their website to learn more about this organization and the policies it supports.

I hope that you will find this month’s edition of ROOFING FLORIDA interesting and informative.

president@floridaroof.com

www.floridaroof.com

5

Trent Cotney ◆ FRSA Legal Counsel

Partial and Final Waivers and Releases of Lien Partial and final releases of lien are based upon Florida Statute §713.20(4) and §713.20(5) respectively. The statute provides basic forms that may be used, but these forms are not required under §713.20(8), which states that a form not substantially similar to either form is enforceable in accordance with the terms of the lien waiver or lien release. Standard practice in the construction industry is that desired forms are provided by the contractor to subcontractors. Since the October 1, 1996 amendment to the statute, a person may not require that a lienor furnish a waiver or release of lien that is different from the provided forms of §713.20(6). However, as we all know, a subcontractor unwilling to use a provided form may face difficulty getting paid.

While a final release of lien covers all materials and services provided, a partial release of lien specifies a specific date to release materials or services provided.

Any materials or services provided after that date are still subject to any lien. §713.20(3), Florida Statutes. It appears that the October 1, 1996 amendment to §713.20, by removal of certain language, intended a partial release to be based upon a calendar date and not upon a fixed sum but, to date, use of fixed sum partial releases remain effective and in practice.

Simply because a release of lien has been executed, it does not exonerate a contractor/owner from the debt owed to the lienor. A lienor may make a lien waiver and release conditional upon payment of the check. §713.20(7), Florida Statutes. In the event that a release of lien is conditioned upon payment, if no payment bond was posted to protect the owner, the owner may withhold payment to the contractor until any such condition is satisfied. When a release is conditioned upon payment under §713.20(7), it is conditioned upon clearance of payment, not receipt. However, if a release is not conditioned upon payment, the lienor is gambling on the fact that payment will be received. Third party’s relying on an unconditional lien release makes the release valid. If an owner has a release 6

ROOFING Florida

April 2013

Make sure to read each lien release carefully and only release your lien rights for those labor, materials or services for which you have been paid or will be paid if the release is conditional. from a subcontractor and the contractor never pays the sub, the subcontractor has likely released his lien rights on the owner’s property. That subcontractor can still pursue breach of contract against the contractor, but, under most circumstances, it has lost its lien rights.

If a final release of lien is executed through inadvertence or mistake, the erroneous execution of the waiver may be canceled so long as it does not injure third persons relying upon it. However, a partial release of lien that is clear and unambiguous on its face cannot be canceled by a lienor if the mistake was unilateral. No waiver or release may ever be canceled when the mistake is based upon the lienor’s failure to read the document.

Lastly, a release of lien must always be signed by a person expressly authorized to execute the release. Releases are not enforceable when executed by a person not authorized to do so. If a claimant of a lien has executed a false waiver or release of lien, the claimant may be barred from the enforcement of a construction lien. Providing a falsified release from a subcontractor or supplier, or executing a release prior to supplying materials or services are examples of fraudulent releases. This results in the equitable defense of “unclean hands” between the claimant and the nonpaying party, which may bar the enforcement of a lien.

Make sure to read each lien release carefully and only release your lien rights for those labor, materials or services for which you have been paid or will be paid if the release is conditional.

–RFM– Author’s note: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.

Trent Cotney is Florida Bar Certified in Construction Law, a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil and Appellate Mediator, Qualified Florida Court-Appointed Arbitrator, General Counsel and a director of the Florida Roofing Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association (FRSA), a director of the West Coast Roofing Contractors Association (WCRCA) and a member of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Pinellas County Contractors Association (PCCA). For more information, contact the author at (813) 579-3278 or tcotney@trentcotney.com.

Follow Trent Cotney at www.trentcotney.blogspot.com, on YouTube at FLConstructionLaw and on twitter @trentcotney.

FM Approvals Strengthens FM 4470 Minimum 1⁄2 in. (12.7 mm) thick, FM FM 4470 changes that affect the installation of singleApproved, water resistant, primed (factory or ply, built-up, modified and liquid applied roof assemblies field primed) gypsum cover board over the inwent into affect at the beginning of the year. For consulation. Primer can be omitted if roof cover / tractors involved in construction projects seeking to cover board combination meets a Class 1-225 comply with this insurance standard and understanding or greater without a primer. how the changes affect roof deck design requirements will allow them to knowledgably interact with project Continued on page 23 counterparts such as the general contractor and designers.

FM reviewed approximately 400 “master approvals” posted AT THE RCI SHOW WE WANT TO BE A PART OF YOUR TEAM. on the company’s RoofNav site IN ORLANDO, (www.roofnav.com) and applied START TO FINISH. 03.16.13 - 03.17.13 the new requirements to each.

AT BOOTH # The result was a lowering of ratings or a strengthening of the roof deck – or both. For instance, a mechanically attached system using five-foot sheets of single-ply membrane attached six inches on center was reduced from an FM-165 rating to an FM-120. Or, an FM-90 rating which, before the changes, required 10-foot sheets attached six inches on center on 72-inch spans using 33 ksi steel (1 ksi = 1,000 psi) now requires that the joist spacing be reduced to 48 inches and the steel be upgraded to 80 ksi in order to maintain the FM-90 rating.

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Contractor’s Attitude Toward Employee Training Critical to Company’s Success The second side of the “Profiting Through Professionalism” triangle is training. While education, which we looked at last month, focuses on contractors developing their own knowledge, skills and industry awareness training applies to making sure that employees are up to speed on everything they need to perform their tasks safely, in compliance with codes and in a manner that will promote company profitability. We will look at the importance of setting a tone within a company that not only provides channels to communicate training, but also emphasizes its importance to the employee and the company. We will also investigate how FRSA members benefit from the Association’s commitment to providing training resources.

The responsibility to set a standard of excellence within the company rests with the contractor and the management team.

Taking the time to communicate the value the company receives and places on training and the quality of the training itself can go a long way toward determining employees’ attitudes toward the training they receive.

A hurried “be careful on the roof today” on a new employee’s first day will not go very far, regardless of good intentions, conveying a sense of importance about the need to, indeed, be careful. Taking the time to familiarize that employee with safety procedures and potential hazards and then revisiting the topic during the day will more effectively communicate the seriousness with which the company views safety.

The same is true for maintaining compliance with building regulations. Florida Building Codes are the most, or one of the most, robust set of building codes in the United States. To comply with code, minimize hassle

and avoid costly mistakes, contractors must pass on to their employees code specifics as they apply to a given project. Periodic training will allow for changes in the code such as the upcoming transition from the 2010 to 2013 code cycle. When changes in procedure arise more spontaneously, open communications with field operations will allow training to flow out and for confirmation of training to be received.

Contractor Days Employee training can sometimes be accomplished in cooperation with distributors and manufacturers. “Contractor days” and similar events at which vendors provide training on the products and equipment your company uses in the field can be opportunities to provide employee training. FRSA has begun staying up to date on these events throughout Florida and will make the information accessible to members. To make this information available to as many contractors as possible we encourage you to notify staff of any events you see scheduled in your area(s) of the State.

Of course, FRSA sponsors training events as well, such as a recent CERTA torch training course. The Educational Foundation (www.floridaroof.com/education) has begun offering online seminars and this year’s FRSA Convention seminars represent an expansion of training opportunities for key employees as well as contractors. See the full list of this year’s seminars on the opposite page. You will also find more information below about FRSA-SIF’s safety orientation DVD available in English and Spanish.

FRSA-SIF Safety Orientation DVD and Tests FRSA-SIF has produced safety DVDs available to FRSA members for employee training. The kit includes pre- and post-tests. To order the DVDs, contact Erika Carruth at (800) 767-3772 ext. 123 or erika@floridaroof.com. The cost is $25 for one / $15 for each additional DVD. Answer keys are provided for both tests. FRSA encourages employers to quiz employees regularly on safety regulations and common safety practices.

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ROOFING Florida

April 2013

Seminar Lineup at FRSA Annual Convention Training Opportunities for Contractors and Employees

Crisis Management in Construction This course will provide contractors and subcontractors with an overview of crisis management in construction including addressing serious injuries and fatalities, disaster preparedness, theft and vandalism, license and identify theft, litigation and other crisis events. The seminar will focus on crisis prevention including training, security protocols and fraud prevention, as well as the components of a successful crisis management team.

Fifth Edition Florida High Wind Concrete and Clay Tile Installation Manual This course will inform attendees about the changes in the new Fifth Edition Florida High Wind Concrete and Clay Tile Installation Manual referenced in the upcoming 2013 Florida Building Code. The Fifth Edition will replace the Fourth Edition, which is referenced in the 2010 FBC. Contractors will learn about ASCE 7-10, upgraded self-adhered underlayment minimums, required procedures and the new matrix chart created to clarify which products and systems can be used together.

Florida’s Advanced Energy Code The Florida Energy Code is an integral part of improving the energy efficiency of both residential and commercial buildings. This course focuses on the changes to the Florida Energy Code with the primary focus on roofing. Prescriptive and Performance compliance methods are reviewed as well as the building envelope.

Understand the Affordable Care Act This course will help employers understand the federally mandated Affordable Care Act, better known as Obama Care. Attendees will learn: ♦♦Which insurance items are required, ♦♦What the penalties are for non-compliance, ♦♦What Health Exchanges are, ♦♦Plan changes needed to be implemented by 2014, ♦♦Essential benefits and ♦♦The main rules that set regulation for small and larger employers.

Priorities That Drive Profitability Successful business owners wear many hats. This is especially true for roofing contractors. This highly-impactful seminar helps contractors come to terms with the most important priorities that drive their profitability.

Safety and Housekeeping, the Perfect Combination This course will focus on OSHA concerns and trends, fall hazards, site safety, production flow and material handling, demolition and debris removal, programs and training and the financial impact of accidents on the job site.

Asphalt Shingles – Types, Testing and Compliance This course explains the basics of shingle types and construction, roof terminology, and testing for compliance with applicable codes. The course also covers specific code requirements, code referenced standards and related test protocols and proper installation. Design practices will be Navigating Miami-Dade NOAs and Florida Product improved by familiarizing attendees with information sourcApprovals This course will assist contractors with navigating through es such as manufacturer design guides, web based resources and locating important information found in NOAs, including and proposed code changes. how to read and understand them. It will also teach contrac- Fall Protection – OSHA’s Fall Protection Directive tors how to locate, read and understand Florida Product This class will provide instruction and discussion on the reApprovals and the difference between NOAs and Florida quirements of OSHA’s workplace safety standards for Fall Product Approvals. Attendees will also learn about the use of Protection in the Construction Industry with emphasis on NOAs and Florida Product Approvals in permitting.

OSHA’s 2011 directive rescinding its “Interim Fall Protection Standing Seam Metal Roofing This six-hour course is intended to instruct roofing professionals in basic and advanced methods of planning, preparation and installation of standing seam metal roof panels. Additionally, roofers will be taught how to correctly cut, fold and fasten accompanying roofing components and trims through an intuitive and balanced approach in both personal and group hands-on training.

Vehicle Safety This course will help educate contractors and employees about the importance of vehicle safety. Detailed discussion will be held on vehicle statistics, inspections and maintenance, safety programs, workers’ comp and vehicle insurance and the financial impact of accidents. The course will also cover driving distractions.

Guidelines for Residential Fall Protection”. Attendees will receive information pertaining to employers’ duty to provide fall protection as well as the three conventional means of fall protection. A discussion on the feasibility of providing conventional fall protection, and instances when alternative fall protection measures may be developed and implemented, will be provided as well as information and descriptions of recent advances in fall protection technology that enable employers to choose from a broader selection of systems and equipment that may be used in various configurations.

Information will be provided on free resources available from the USF SafetyFlorida Onsite Consultation Program that are designed to assist employers in ensuring safe work and a safe work place for all employees and aligning their businesses with the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

www.floridaroof.com

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Godwin’s Green Roofing Focuses on Energy Efficient Roofs

By John Hellein, RFM Editor Offering green roofing solutions has Designing around these three major factors produces the greatest reaped benefits for contractors who return for customers. have taken the time to understand To promote reflectivity, Chris how additional energy efficiency adds always highlights energy efficient value for customers and who are shingles or metal roofing and encareful to emphasize this value when courages customers to choose a speaking to prospective customroof color that will provide Energy ers. Chris Tenney at Godwin’s Green Star rated reflectivity. The amount Roofing in Gainesville has focused on and quality of insulation is always energy efficiency since he began runinspected as well. “We also provide ning the company – the results have been positive.

Chris Tenney with his Grandfather, attic insulation, when it’s needed, as part of the overall effort,” Chris Chris spent his middle school and William Godwin says. He inspects the roof to make high school summers working with his sure that sufficient ventilation exists. He says that the grandfather, William Godwin, at his Gainesville roofing company, Godwin Roofing. William Godwin, 78, company installs a lot of solar-powered roof vents started the company in 1976, ten years before Chris, 27, as a solution when an existing home has insufficient was born. Working with his grandfather, Chris grew ventilation.

As part of the green roofing effort, Chris pushes for to understand the importance of integrity and quality sustainability in the roofs his company installs. In this workmanship. instance, “sustainability” equates to roof longevity. He Chris attended the University of Florida, gradsays that he no longer installs three-tab shingles, which uating with a Business degree, and took on the responsibility of running Godwin Roofing in 2009.

Growing up in a university town, Chris was aware of its environmentally conscious culture. As a part of that culture himself, focusing on energy efficiency was a natural choice as Chris considered developing a niche for the company that would reflect his own values.

He immediately renamed the company to include the word “green” and Godwin’s Green Roofing was reborn.

In addition to obtaining his roofing contractor’s license, Chris also became certified as a Building Analyst through the Building Performance Institute. While the certification equips him to perform whole-house energy audits, he focuses on roofing systems; specifically, how green roofs bring value to his customers. “When I visit a house,” Chris says, “ I look at the amount of sunlight reaching the roof, the amount of tree coverage; I examine energy bills with the homeowner and discover how to best provide energy efficiency.”

Focus on Three Areas When developing energy efficient solutions for a home in need of a new roofing system, Godwin Green Roofing focuses on three basic areas: 1. Reflectivity 2. Insulation 3. Ventilation 10

ROOFING Florida

April 2013

have a life expectancy of 16-18 years, in favor of archi- nimble and focused on quality and the demand that such tectural shingles that typically provide a lifespan of 25 a focus creates. He mentions the possibility of adding to 30 years. a third crew but, at the same time, expresses concern about maintaining the quality of the installations.

Positive Response Chris is pleased with the response from the Gainesville A Shiny Future market to Godwin Green Roofing’s focus on en- From Chris’ perspective, metal roofs are the future. ergy efficiency. “Response has been great,” he says, “They’re taking over the market,” he says, noting that acknowledging that not every customer is interested the low price point of asphalt shingles has kept them in in making the investment and that needs and goals, of the market but metal is very efficient and very sustaincourse, vary from customer to customer. Despite the challenging economic times, the green-focused busi- able with metal roofs lasting 35 to 75 years. Including ness continues to grow, doubling every year since Chris energy efficient features such as radiant heat foils took the helm. In 2009, the company provided a living between the deck and metal roofing allows Chris to for four people. Today, that number has grown to 14, translate his customers’ investment into greater energy forming two roofing crews and a project manager. On a savings.

Godwin’s Green Roofing is a clear example of how typical day, Chris meets with the project manager and crew foremen and then spends several hours in the of- a focus on providing value to customers through enerfice processing paperwork. In the afternoon, he visits gy efficient roof solutions has brought positive results. all work sites, measures roofs and meets with prospec- Beginning to focus on green can be as simple as taking tive customers in the evening hours. the time to become aware of green products and systems Because of the growth the company has experi- available from distributors and manufacturers and then enced, Chris finds that it is sometimes taking five to being careful to explain their value to your customers six weeks to get to customers that are waiting for a new during the sales process. Extra value for your customers roof. He does whatever he can to minimize inconveshould mean extra profit for the contractor. niences, prioritizing work as situations merit, but he finds himself between his desire to keep the company –RFM–

FRSA Member Contractors Can Save Over $7,000 with Associate Coupons The FRSA Member Coupons have been sent out to contractor members up-to-date on their 2013 dues. Over 30 associate members offer great savings on products and services you use to run your business. ROOFING FLORIDA is planning to feature several of the coupon offers each month. If you haven’t received your coupons yet, contact Ann Marie Cargo at (407) 671-3772 ext. 142 or annmarie@floridaroof.com.

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11

The “Jim Walters” Law: Room for Confusion

By John Hellein, RFM Editor

The “Jim Walters” law has been invoked by some contractors to sanction the wholesale use of unlicensed, non-employee workers to complete work under the supervision of the contractor. A closer look at the statute reveals something different...

When I started researching the so-called Jim Walters law, the only thing that became immediately clear was a certain level of confusion that exists in the Florida contractor community in general about what it is and how it applies to the use of subcontractors. Discussing the topic with FRSA roofing contractors, including Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) member Carl Engelmeier, CPRC, as well as construction attorney Trent Cotney helped resolve some of the confusion surrounding the law and a similar paragraph in Chapter 489 of the Florida Statutes. As you might imagine we discovered at least one grey area. This article looks at the “Jim Walters” law and how it does or does not apply to Division I and II contractors.

Any person who is not required to obtain registration or certification pursuant to s.

489.105(3)(d)-(o) may perform contracting services for the construction, remodeling, repair, or improvement of single-family residences, including a town house as defined in the Florida Building Code, without obtaining a local license if such person is under the supervision of a certified or registered general, building, or residential contractor. As used in this paragraph, supervision shall not be deemed to require the existence of a direct contract between the certified or registered general, building, or residential contractor and the person performing specialty contracting services.

Jim Walters: Not for Everyone Looking at some of the statements made in online From the text of the law, we can see: construction forums, it is evident that the notion 1. Any work that requires state certification or lothe “Jim Walters” law equates to being able to use cal registration as a Division II contractor, as unlicensed workers whenever and wherever exspecified in 489.105(3)(d), is excluded from ists. In one post, a contractor stated, this provision. This exclusion includes sheet According to the “Jim Walter” law in Florida, metal contractors (d) and roofing contractors when working for a GC under their permit, (e). it is my understanding that we’re not even 2. The provision only applies to work done required to have a license of any type. on single family residences, including town Fortunately, the statement was debunked by the houses. end of the post, but we can see that the idea that 3. The unlicensed/unregistered individual must there is a magical Florida statute that provides for be completing work for a Division I contracthe wholesale use of unlicensed (non-employee) workers under a licensed contractor certainly exists tor: general, building or residential. to some degree in the contractor community.

Rather than making any sweeping provisions Before pinpointing paragraph 489.117(4)(d) as the about the use of non-licensed workers, the “Jim “Jim Walters” law, there was some debate about Walters” law provides a well-defined and relatively whether it took precedence over local law or not. narrow provision for the use of such workers un- While this statute clearly states that it intends to der limited circumstances. The law, Florida statute supersede local licensing requirements with the 489.117(4)(d), referred to as the “Jim Walters” language, “without obtaining a local license”, it law in reference to the late shell home builder Jim provides for the use of such unlicensed individuals Walters, reads, only under limited circumstances.

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What It Means for Roofing Contractors It’s easy to clear up any confusion about how the “Jim Walters” law affects the operations of roofing contractors and their use of subcontractors – in a word: irrelevant. As Division II contractors, roofing contractors do not meet the criteria set forth in 489.117(4)(d). As one FRSA member contractor put it, “If a roofing contractor subs out work, he must use another [licensed] roofing contractor to do the work.” No exceptions.

As I mentioned, there is a good deal of confusion even over what paragraph in the Florida statutes constitutes the “Jim Walters” law. For instance, 489.113(2) contains language that may appear similar: A person must be certified or registered in order to engage in the business of contracting in this state. However, for purposes of complying with the provisions of this chapter, a subcontractor who is not certified or registered may perform construction work under the supervision of a person who is certified or registered, provided that the work is within the scope of the supervising contractor’s license, the supervising contractor is responsible for the work, and the subcontractor being supervised is not engaged in construction work that would require a license as a contractor under any of the categories listed in s. 489.105(3)(d)-(o). This subsection does not affect the application of any local construction licensing ordinances.

The first difference between this provision and 489.117(4)(d) that jumps out is the last sentence.

While 489.117(4)(d) intends to supersede, in its limited application, local licensing requirements, 489.113(2) does not. So, for this paragraph of Florida law to be applicable, any local ordinances requiring licensure must be met. Another difference is that 489.113(2) does not expressly apply to only Division I contractors.

Beyond the Black and White So, assuming no local license is required, could a roofing contractor subcontract work to a person not covered in 489.105(3)(d)-(o)? For instance, a painter to paint fascia boards that the contractor has replaced as part of contracted work? I informally posed the question to CILB staff and it appears that such an arrangement falls into a statutory “grey area”. The only accurate way to get a more

colorful answer would be to formally seek a declaratory statement from the Board.

Summary and Workers’ Comp Reminder In review, the “Jim Walters” law does not apply to roofing contractor operations and only narrowly applies to Division I contractors. When completing contracted work covered within the scope of your roofing license, be sure the work is completed by you or your employees or by another licensed roofing (sub)contractor. As always when using a subcontractor, the burden is on you to make sure, everyday, that all subcontractor employees (or employees of any subcontractors down the line) have valid workers’ compensation coverage.

–RFM–

Do You Use Subcontractors?

If you use subcontractors, please make sure that they have active Workers' Compensation coverage: You should require a Certificate of Insurance providing evidence of coverage and you should call the Bureau of Compliance at (850) 488-2333 or visit www.myfloridacfo.com to verify that the coverage is valid. Do Not take the Certificate for face value – protect yourself and verify it. If a subcontractor does not have coverage, they automatically become your premium obligation.

The only construction industry exemptions allowed are for officers of a corporation (up to three officers exempt for each corporation) and each of the officers must have at least· ten percent stock ownership in the corporation.

Any subcontractor you use should provide you with the following documentation before they perform any work: 1. Copy of their general liability certificate of insurance 2. Copy of their state certified or registered contracting license (Required by State Law!) 3. Copy of the written contract 4. Proof of coverage for workers’ compensation insurance and/or a valid exemption form(s) with the effective and expiration dates.

Remember - Exempt contractors of corporations can have NO employees unless they have verifiable workers’ compensation coverage.

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CEIR Introduces RoofPoint™ Energy and Carbon Calculator at RCI Convention

By John Hellein, RFM Editor At the RCI 28th International Convention and Trade Show last month in Orlando, Dr. James Hoff from the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing (CEIR) introduced a new tool to provide specific energy saving calculations for roofs with energy efficient

features over a basic roof. The tool was developed in response to a need for roofing professionals to be able to quantify the benefits of sustainable roof system design.

By providing information about roof design, a

Table A: Sample Roof Specific Inputs for a “Base Case” and “RoofPoint” Roof in Climate Model City Miami Roof Surface Area

Base Case Roof

RoofPoint Roof

100,000 (ft )

100,000 (ft2)

2

Credit E1: High R Roof

R-Value for the Base Case Roof R10

Credit E2: Best Thermal Practices

R-Value for the RoofPoint Roof R20

Select type of thermal break for the Select type of thermal break for the Base Case Roof RoofPoint Roof No thermal breaks (15% penalty)

Staggered insulation, top layer(s) adhered (5% penalty)

Credit E3: Roof Surface Thermal Select type of roof surface for the Select type of roof surface for the Contribution (Solar Reflectance) Base Case Roof RoofPoint Roof Medium Reflective: Aged SR ≥30 Credit E4: Air Barrier

High Reflective: Aged SR ≥60

Select type of air barrier for the Base Select type of air barrier for the Case Roof RoofPoint Roof No air barrier installed (10% penalty) Roof membrane serves as air barrier (No penalty)

Credit E5: Rooftop PV

Does the Base Case roof include a PV Does the RoofPoint roof include a PV system? system?

No

Yes

If yes, enter the system STC Rating If yes, enter the system STC Rating (kW) (kW) –0– Credit E5: Rooftop Solar Thermal

100

Does the Base Case roof include a Does the RoofPoint roof include a solar thermal system? solar thermal system?

No

Yes

If yes, enter the system total collector If yes, enter the system total collector area (ft2) area (ft2) –0– Credit E6: Roof Daylighting

120

Does the Base Case roof include Does the RoofPoint roof include daylighting? daylighting?

No

Yes

If yes, enter average illumination at If yes, enter average illumination at floor level (FC). floor level (FC).

–0– 14

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roofing professional can calculate energy savings compared to a “base roof” (table A). According to the paper delivered by Hoff, RoofPoint “identifies a broad array of roof system attributes that influence” three primary outcomes: 1. Net Energy Savings, 2. Peak Energy Demand Reduction, 3. Renewable Energy Production.

These attributes form the basis for the six energy credits of the RoofPoint Guideline. The input provided by the roofing professional is returned by the Excel spreadsheet (there is a spreadsheet for each of the 12 climate zones recognized by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in 2009, ranging from hot moist climates such as Miami to cold climates such as Winnipeg.) For instance, in the High R Roof specification (Credit E1 in Table A), you could specify one of the following R values for “roofs with insulation above the deck”: R-10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 32. Based on the specification you provide, the calculator would return the energy savings between the base roof and the roof specified with a higher R-value. This energy savings appears in the “Output” portion of the calculator.

The output indicates, in BTU and metric tons of carbon, the comparative savings realized by the six credit areas for energy efficient and energy producing roof features. Table B provides the comparative energy savings of the two 100,000 square foot roofs configured

in Table A. In this case, a roofing professional could quantify a savings of over two billion BTU annually or a reduction of 125 metric tons of CO2.

In the paper delivered at the RCI convention, Dr. Hoff points out that even modest rooftop energy systems can offset the energy demand of the roofing system. For instance, a small (10 kW) photovoltaic array, a 120 square foot solar thermal unit and a minimal skylight system delivering 10 foot-candles of illumination would more than erase the 4,338 BTU per square foot annual energy demand of the roof system. He finds that “if these energy enhancements were upsized to the maximum levels suitable for the 100,000 square foot roof area (perhaps a 1000 kW PV array and 30+ foot-candles of daylighting), the total clean energy contribution would exceed roof-related energy requirements by a factor of 10.”

The Energy and Carbon Calculator is still in beta testing. Contractors who are interested in assisting with the initial public testing of the calculator can download a free beta version of the calculator by visiting www.is.gd/roofcalculator (Excel spreadsheet).

–RFM– The Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing is dedicated to promoting the development and use of environmentally responsible, high performance roof systems.

Table B: Sample Roof Specific Outputs for a “Base Case” and “RoofPoint” Roof in Climate Model City Miami Unit Loads (BTU/ft2)

Base Case Roof

RoofPoint Roof

1. Heating Load

686

345

2. Cooling Load

13,972

3,786

3. Peak Demand Load*

4,192

1,136

4. Thermal Bridging Penalty

2,199

207

5. Air Movement Penalty

1,466

0

6. Rooftop PV Offset

0

-4,569

7. Rooftop Solar Thermal Offset

0

-120

8. Rooftop Daylighting Offset

0

-824

18,323

-1,175

Total Net Unit Load (BTU/ft ) 2

Total Roof Load (BTU/Year) Net Energy Savings for RoofPoint Roof (BTU/Year) Plus Peak Load Demand Reduction (BTU/Year) Total Net Energy Savings Plus Peak Load Demand Reduction for RoofPoint Roof (BTU/Year) Total CO2 Energy Offset for RoofPoint Roof (Metric Tons/Year)

1,832,250,000

-117,496,041 1,949,746,041 305,580,000

2,255,326,041 125

* Not included in net load

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In Memory, James “Jake” Beecher James “Jake” Beecher passed away on March 6, 2013 at the age of 88.

He was born September 3, 1924 in Appling County, GA to Thomas and Mary Beecher. Jake was a World War II veteran and a tremendously valuable mainstay at Service Lumber Company, Service Supply, Gulfside Service Supply and Gulfeagle Supply for over 63 years and contributed invaluably to the roofing industry and the Duval County community. He was an Honorary Member of FRSA and he will be greatly missed. Here are some thoughts contributed by a friend at Gulfeagle Supply...

Jake, as everyone called him, was a long time resident of Jacksonville. He and his wife, Anita, were married for 40 years. They happily shared three children. Both Jake and Anita were business people working in separate building material businesses. Jake was an extraordinary human being who trained, directed and mentored numerous others just by sharing his time and his principles.

Jake’s contributions at Gulfeagle Supply were an important factor in the company’s success. Several years ago, Jake wrote (in a personal interview) the following regarding his success and philosophy:

the hard way. They're what I call, real people.

Theory on Success: To be successful in business you have to do everything.

I open up at 4:30 in the morning and get the trucks going. I buy the roofing materials. I make sure the day gets going. When you serve roofing people, you have to get to work early. Service is your most important product.

Example of Good Service: When someone comes into this office, they're giving me something you can't beg, borrow or steal, their time. If we promise them something anytime during the day we'll deliver within 30 minutes.

If we can't, we send someone out to the site to tell them the problems we had. We don't let a customer sit out and wait on us.

Best part of the job: Meeting and helping people.

Worst part of the job: I just got to an age where I can't really work full days like I used to.

Most memorable experience: When I stood outside and saw the business burn down. On that day in January 1986, I had to stand across the street and watch $2 million worth of business burn. My roofer clients came over Family: He and his wife, Anita have been married since the next morning with trucks and men. They said, "you 1973. Three children; two of hers and one of his from pre- tell us what to do." You don't buy that kind of loyalty. You vious marriage. earn it.

Occupation: Vice President of Gulfside Service Supply How to establish rapport with customers: It's hard Inc., suppliers for roofing contractors. He has been work- to say. Retired roofers still come to see me regularly. They ing for the company since the 1940s. come by every day and have coffee. If I've ever made a Describe Clientele: Roofers are the finest people in customer mad, I don't like to sleep that night until I've the world. They have the hottest and coldest jobs, in the called him and found out what made him mad. summer and winter. They go out there and earn money

–RFM–

Become an FRSA Member By April 30 for Less Than Half the Annual Rate Join FRSA by April 30 and you’ll enjoy full membership benefits through September 30 for less than half the annual rate. As a member you’ll receive: ♦♦A company listing and profile on the FRSA website with a link to your website, ♦♦Customers of FRSA member companies are eligible for financing up to $15,000 through the FRSA Credit Union for roofing repair/replacement, ♦♦“As it happens” knowledge of upcoming code and legislative changes,

♦♦Discounted rates for educational seminars and the FRSA Convention, ♦♦A coupon book from Manufacturer and Supplier members offering nearly $7,000 in discounts, ♦♦Access to the FRSA Self Insurers Fund for workers’ comp insurance, ♦♦Member Only Access for Code and Technical inquiries, ♦♦Monthly updates on issues that affect your business; more often if need be.

For more information, contact Ann Marie Cargo at (800) 767-3772 ext. 142 or annmarie@floridaroof.com 16

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Priorities that Drive Profitability

By John DeRosa Jr., IKO Sales

Years ago I read a statistic on Walt Stepenwolf’s website that said, “90 percent of contractors who start a business today will be out of business in 5 years; 50 percent in the first year”. When I share this information with roofing contractors it is often met with head nods and affirmations about how difficult it is to be a successful contractor.

John DeRosa Jr. Rather than focusing on the reasons why small businesses fail, I think it makes better sense to focus on the priorities that are critical to the success of every contractor. It’s my assertion that your commitment to focus on these areas will better enable you to enjoy an even greater level of success and (hopefully) have a little bit more fun while you’re doing it.

Marketing One of our top priorities is to make sure we generate enough leads to support the sales and profit goals of the business. This involves much more than simply advertising and earning referrals. We need to recognize that the impressions you make will determine how the customer sees and compares you to all of the other contractors in the marketplace.

Where I see many contractors go wrong is when they communicate a message that positions them as being no different than any of their competitors. They use platitudes that promote the fact that they are “fully insured” and offer “free estimates”. This is the same language used by almost every contractor in the industry - which compels the reader to adopt a price-centric buying strategy.

This is why I suggest that contractors try to create an engaging marketing experience that invites the shopper to get to know you and learn about the factors that differentiate you from your competition. One suggestion I can offer is to create short videos that describe various aspects of your service and addresses the customers’ biggest concerns. Your goal is to boost your knowledge, like and trust status in a way that positions you as the contractor who represents the least amount of risk. In other words, in what ways do you bring white collar professionalism to an otherwise blue collar industry?

With your videos, you can now create a YouTube channel that will not only help you boost your Google

ranking, it will also enable you to create and incorporate a QR code into your direct mail, yard signs and truck graphic advertising, for example. Now the shopper has a unique and engaging opportunity to get to know you and determine whether they like you enough to invite you into their home.

Sales & Selling The second priority speaks to sales and the persons’ ability to turn their leads into a signed contract. I’m always amazed to see how many contractor sales people have never had any formal sales training. When you consider the high costs of leads, doesn’t it seem odd that we would continue to hand those opportunities over to someone who has no understanding of the sales process or how to move the prospect through that process?

One of the biggest mistakes sales people make is moving too quickly through the sales process. You must not underestimate the critical importance of

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establishing rapport and trust. It goes without saying that the customer will not buy from you if they don’t trust you, but trust is also important as you attempt to move the prospect through the selling process.

Sales people should also recognize that the majority of their prospects have never been involved in a re-roof project and those who have were probably not happy with the outcome - or they would’ve called the same contractor back to do the job. This reality makes it that much more important for the salesperson to educate the homeowner on all aspects of the re-roof project.

Roofing contractors are all using the same products so you would be well advised to show your prospects how you intend to use those products to ensure a successful outcome. Talk about the weather and the steps you will take to ensure that the home’s most vulnerable roof areas are protected. I trust you will find that these extra steps will go a long way in helping you differentiate and position yourself as their contractor of choice.

Budgeting & Pricing The final priority speaks to the importance of creating budgets and metrics that allow you to monitor and evaluate your performance and ensure your profitability.

I’m always amazed by the number of contractors who do not have an annual overhead budget. If they don’t know what their overhead is going to cost them, how do they know the markup needed to break even and make a profit? It’s also important that you have the means and discipline to monitor and compare your budgets against the “actuals”. I remember Aaron Santas from Guardian Roofing in Seattle, WA doing a

presentation at the 2011 Best of Success conference. He used the bathroom scale analogy asking the audience why we don’t like to get on the scale. In some cases its the same reason we don’t look at our budgets - because we’re afraid we might not like what we see. But isn’t it better to know sooner than later that you’re going over budget or need to change your pricing strategy?

Assuming that many of you are already overhead savvy, your next challenge is to departmentalize your overhead so you can get a clearer picture of the overhead used to support each department’s revenue and gross margin. You might learn that while your annual overhead is 32 percent of your total sales, the overhead used by your residential service department is 48 percent which results in a negative operating profit. Doing this will allow you to better evaluate the performance of each department and becomes particularly valuable when developing pricing strategies.

In the end, the fine line between a business that survives and one that thrives often comes down to our ability to excel in these three areas.

–RFM– John DeRosa Jr. is Manager, Sales and Contractor Development for IKO Sales, Inc. (www.iko.com). For more information, or if you are interested in receiving John’s “Contractor ShopTalk” podcasts, please email him at john.derosa@iko.com.

John will present the “Priorities That Drive Profitability” seminar at this year’s FRSA Convention in July.

How To Make Your Employees Happy

By Raleigh F. “Sandy” Seay, Jr. Ph.D. of Seay Management Consultant Some time back in the 1970s – I was a very young man at the time – while speaking to a banker’s convention in Virginia, I took the opportunity to listen to several of the other speakers on the program. One particular fellow spoke on the subject of, “Nobody Told Me What 45 Was Like.” While that particular chronological longboat, for your humble consultant, has long since left the loading dock, some of the fellow’s other remarks still ring true and I think about them from time to time.

For example, he offered this observation: “Someone said to me the other day, ‘My wife doesn’t make me happy.’ And I thought to myself, Doesn’t make you happy? Nobody can make you happy. You have to do that for yourself.” Indeed.

In the employment arena, one of the questions often tossed my way is, “How can I make my employees happy?” And when I hear those words, my thoughts 18

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turn back to my Virginia friend and I think, You can’t make employees happy – they have to do that for themselves. It seems to me that if an employee isn’t happy on the job, there isn’t very much management can do to make that person happy. Real happiness, I would argue, comes from within and has something to do with self-motivation, the satisfaction of knowing that you have done a good job, and that you have given your best efforts to meet the employer’s goals and objectives. It’s a character issue, like loyalty, dependability, honesty, truthfulness, courage, diligence and gratefulness. Character is formed early in life and tends not to change throughout one’s life.

Some employers think they can make employees happy with a raise in pay, but this is seldom the case.

Real happiness, at least the lasting kind, doesn’t come from a raise in pay because, for the most part, when

an employee receives a raise in pay, he or she says “Thank you very much,” and then immediately starts looking forward to the next one. This is human nature.

Most observers would point to only one compensation plan as a real motivator and that is an incentive or commission plan that is directly related to employee productivity. That’s why compensation experts say that you can never pay employees “enough” money to make them happy. In my management workshops, I often ask, “How many of you are receiving enough money right now and you don’t want any more raises?” You know the answer – we all have the same answer. So, if we cannot ever reach the goal of paying “enough” to our employees and staff, what can we do?

And the answer is that we have pay rates that are competitive. The compensation standard is “competitive” and we reach this standard by comparing our rates with those of others with whom we compete for employees, and then developing fair and equitable pay ranges.

On the other hand, we know that pay rates that are below the competitive standard can, without doubt, create dissatisfaction, which can turn into low morale and poor productivity. In this sense, we can never expect employees to be “happy” with their compensation.

What we can do is see that they are not dissatisfied with their pay, by meeting the competitiveness standard.

This is not a bad thing.

If Frederick Herzberg is correct, an employee handbook, a good supervisor and good working conditions fall in the same dissatisfaction category – if they are not present on the job, this can lead to enormous employee dissatisfaction and unrest. If they are present in good degree, employees do not tend to be “happy,” they tend to be “satisfied.”

On the other hand, factors that cultivate a work environment leading to motivated employees, good employee morale and higher productivity include (1) personal achievement, (2) opportunity for advancement, (3) individual responsibility and (4) recognition, especially in front of peers. It is in this kind of work environment that employees can reach their highest “happiness potential.”

Thus, one could argue, employee happiness springs from self-directed job factors coming, for the most part, from within. We must admit, however, from bitter experience, that there are employees who are never happy and there is nothing any of us can do to make them happy. Some people are never happy unless they’re unhappy, and I don’t think there’s very much we can do to change them. It’s a character issue. We just have to take a deep breath, swallow hard and go on to the next thing. Someone once said – it may have been Samuel Johnson – that one should never try to teach a pig to sing because it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.

As employers, we want to frame the question a different way – rather than asking, “What can I do to

make my employees happy?”, we might ask, “What can I do to create a work environment where we encourage motivation, productivity and high morale, while minimizing dissatisfaction?”

Building on Herzberg’s ideas, here are five Seay Management recommendations, otherwise known as part of Sandy’s Suggestions for Successful Solutions: 1. Make sure your employee handbook is written in user friendly language that employees understand.

2. Be a “Ruth’s Chris” manager. I am reliably told by a former Ruth’s manager that Ruth Fertel was always around, talking to employees, making sure that everything was done at the highest level of excellence and that Ruth was universally loved and admired by her employees and staff. My sense is that, in most companies, employees don’t necessarily have to love us, but they must see us as approachable, accessible and fair.

3. Develop employee recognition programs. a. Employee of the Month, with a special parking space, announcement on the company newsletter or intranet, etc. b. Service Pins – employees really like the idea of seniority and this is one way we can recognize this. c. Recognition for particularly good service or a specific accomplishment, like movie tickets or restaurant cards. d. RAR (Random Acts of Recognition). e. Figure out unique ways to express and show appreciation. Don’t be like the fellow who’s wife said to him, “You never tell me you love me any more,” to which he replied, “I told you I loved you when I married you 45 years ago and if I ever change my mind, you’ll be the first to know.”

Appreciation must be expressed. Continuously.

4. Provide employees with an opportunity for advancement, something to look forward to, and help them with on the job training and educational programs.

5. In as much as is possible, give employees as much responsibility as you can. J.C. Penney once remarked, “A job will never be done to its highest potential until it stops being the company’s job and becomes the employee’s job.” Employees should have a vested interest.

So, while we cannot make employees happy – they have to do that for themselves – we can certainly provide a work environment that fosters motivated employees, good employee morale and higher productivity. The Philosopher tells us that “Happiness, then,

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is something complete and self-sufficient, and is the end of action.” It’s a character issue.

–RFM– At Seay Management, our philosophy is that our employees are our most important assets and we will only be as good as our employees. Please call your Seay Management consultant if you have any questions about unions or their impact on your business.

We will be delighted to talk with you and help you achieve your HR objectives. You can find out more at www.seay.us or (407) 426-9484.

OSHA Reminds Employers to Post Injury / Illness Summaries OSHA is reminding employers to post OSHA’s Form 300A, which summarizes the total number of jobrelated injuries and illnesses that occurred during 2012 and were logged on OSHA Form 300, Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses. The summary must be posted between Feb. 1 and April 30, 2013, and should be displayed in a common area where notices to employees are usually posted.

Live Product Demonstrations at the Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Expo FRSA is committed to developing programs, materials and educational avenues for industry members.

This year, FRSA President Brad Sutter is emphasizing the education and training aspects of our businesses with the Attention Exhibitors theme “Profiting Through Professionalism.” What could We still have a few timeslots available on a firstbe better than seeing new products demonstrated live? come, first-served basis. For sign-up information, The Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Expo will feature please contact Lois Page, Director of Convention two “live product demonstration” areas on the trade show and Trade Show at lois@floridaroof.com or call floor where exhibitors will display and provide hands-on (800) 767-3772 ext. 177. demonstrations of their products and systems. Be sure to include these live demonstrations in your Trade Show Saturday, July 20, 2013 plans.

Show hours – 9:00 am–3:30 pm Friday, July 19, 2013 Live Demo timeslots: Show hours – 1:00-6:00 pm 5. 9:30-10:00 am Live Demo timeslots: 6. 10:30-11:00 am 1. 1:30-2:00 pm 7. 11:30 am-12:00 noon 2. 2:30-3:00 pm 8. 12:30-1:00 pm 3. 3:30-4:00 pm 9. 1:30-2:00 pm 4. 4:30-5:00 pm 10. 2:30-3:00 pm

20

ROOFING Florida

April 2013

! e t a D e h t e v a S July 18-20, 2013

Daily Trade Show Cash Prizes

For exhibiting, attending or for seminars call: (800) 767-3772 ext. 177 www.floridaroof.com FRSA Industry Connections, Continued from page 2

The American Society of Testing and Measurement (now ASTM International) is the organization responsible for developing and maintaining those standards.

In addition to being able to vote on standards that affect the industry, ASTM members can also propose new standards and make recommendations for the modification of existing standards or the removal of obsolete ones. Interaction with other ASTM members, including manufacture r s and associations such as ARMA, occurs on a sometimes daily basis. In short, there is a voice representing the concerns of FRSA members in ASTM.

particular county. The interaction became an opportunity to build connections with a county building official, exchange perspectives and gather information on the issue in order to provide a resolution for the contractors. Another example of FRSA interaction with BOAF occurred last month when Mark Zehnal was invited to speak at the Jacksonville BOAF chapter. He presented information about the soon-to-be-released Fifth Edition Roof Tile Manual and was invited by one of the building officials in attendance to visit the municipality and provide more information about FRSA and roofing codes.

Building Officials Association of Florida BOAF is FRSA’s connection to Florida building officials. Often, when contractors are having issues with local building officials, they are reticent to deal directly with the building officials out of concern, real or imagined, that it might harm their valuable relationship with those building officials. FRSA provides contractors with an indirect means of contact. This month, FRSA staff interacted with a building official to better understand issues contractors were having with the installation of underlayment and tile in a

FRSA Professional Contractors throughout Florida form a network of knowledge and expertise that provides leadership to the roofing, sheet metal and air conditioning industries.

Each pin on the map represents a member contractor.

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Florida Building Commission Last year, Brian Swope, CPRC, was appointed to the Florida Building Commission, continuing the presence of a roofing professional that had previously been filled by Chris Schulte. Additionally, Mark Zehnal and Brian sit on the Roofing Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) that considers proposed code and makes recommendations to submit to the Commission. These positions at the State level permit FRSA to function as a robust advocate for contractors.

Tile Roof Institute Following Hurricane Andrew, the specifications used for the installation of tile roofs came under scrutiny and the industry recognized the need for a systematic approach. FRSA has partnered throughout the years with TRI to co-author the FRSA/TRI Roof Tile Manual.

This manual has been adopted as a reference standard by the Florida Building Commission. By working with TRI to produce the Florida manual, FRSA maintains a position of influence that enables us to share the wealth of knowledge collectively possessed by our contractors.

FRSA Director of Technical Services, Mark Zehnal, at last Fall’s ICC Conference in Portland.

International Code Council Through Florida legislation, ICC has positioned its International Building Code (IBC), as the nominal base code for the Florida Building Code. As a result, involvement in this association is vital to understanding its influence on the Florida Building Code. Last month’s article “The Code Must Go On” provided a tip-of-the-iceberg view of the effort put forth by FRSA members to preserve the 2010 Florida Building Code, the product of countless hours of labor over decades, from being replaced by the IBC. By attending ICC gatherings (so far FRSA has attended conferences in Dallas and Portland), FRSA is able to gain a voice with this national association. We are permitted to vote up until final action hearings (at which point only building officials vote). Not having a final vote, however, does not stop FRSA from influencing the composition of the International Building Code. Recently, FRSA submitted 14 code modification requests to ICC focused on promoting uniformity in underlayment and nailing pattern specifications in high wind (over 130 mph) areas. Through the networking that occurs during ICC gatherings, FRSA is able to garner support for good roofing practices aimed at promoting the welfare of Florida contractors. We also stay informed on what to expect from the ICC in the future, allowing FRSA the opportunity to respond when ICC actions affect Florida code.

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ROOFING Florida

April 2013

Roof Consultants Institute The consultants who write the specifications for roofing systems provide clear guidelines for the roofing contractors responsible for making those specifications a reality. The alliance that has grown between RCI and FRSA over the years has proven to be beneficial to FRSA members and the industry on numerous occasions. During the current 2013 code cycle, as the roofing industry faced the possible loss of much or all of the 2010 Code, Lisa Pate and Mark Zehnal met with RCI executives to discuss the situation. As a result of that meeting, key RCI members travelled to Florida Building Commission meetings and spoke in favor of FRSA code modifications that it had submitted. In 2009, when there were attempts to remove references to roof consultants from the HVHZ section of the Florida Building Code, FRSA spoke in favor of retaining those references.

Roof Industry Committee on Weather Issues RICOWI is a newly developed connection that allows FRSA to have a presence when roofing related weather incidents occur in Florida. This includes hail and, even more significantly, wind events. As a participant in RICOWI, FRSA will visit sites affected by hail or high winds to investigate and report the affects on roofing systems. As a result, FRSA will be able to provide valuable information to its members, both contractors and manufacturers, about the performance of various roof systems under these stressful conditions. Mark Zehnal has begun to participate on RICOWI committees and will be meeting with other members to discuss code modification requests to be submitted to ICC. FRSA benefits from such interaction in the form of optimizing

the modifications it submits to ICC and having industry support from another organization.

Cool Roof Ratings Council CRRC provides the industry with a rating system for the radiative properties of roof surfacing materials.

FRSA is represented on the CRRC committee that publishes those standards.

Critical Mass As a result of its decision to dedicate resources to a full time technical position, FRSA stands in a better position to develop stronger networking ties and to increase influence in the industry and with government entities. It is also able to project its concern for the integrity of the roofing, sheet metal and air conditioning industries more consistently. The strengthening of relationships both within FRSA and beyond will allow the Association to more readily tap the wealth of knowledge and expertise possessed by members and to focus it effectively to everyone’s benefit.

–RFM– FM 4470, Continued from page 7

Through-fasten both layers to the steel deck with FM Approved minimum No. 14 (1⁄4 in., 6.4 mm) screws and flat-bottom metal stress plates. Use 24 fasteners per 4 by 8 ft (1.2 by 2.4 m) board in the perimeter, and 32 fasteners per 4 by 8 ft (1.2 by 2.4 m) board in the corners.

Roof cover – a fully mopped, minimum 3-ply BUR; or a minimum 2-ply mod bit system with all plies fully mopped and/or torch applied per FM Approval requirements.

The increased specifications obviously involve increased construction expense in order to maintain the desired FM rating. Information on specific design requirements for various roof systems and ratings can be obtained at www.roofnav.com.

–RFM–

Coming in May...

Hurricane Season: High Wind Issues.

Practical Technology: The third side of the “Profiting Through Professionalism” triangle. www.floridaroof.com

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