How to win roofing contracts in BC

Public buyers own a lot of roofs. School districts alone replace several roofs a year from their capital budgets, and municipalities, health authorities and housing providers do the same. Roofing tenders cluster in late winter and spring so the work can happen in the dry months. If you want public roofing work, plan your year around that calendar. See the public budget calendar.

Who buys roofing in BC?

• School districts: roof replacements on schools, usually scheduled for summer holidays when the building is empty. See school district contracts.
• Municipalities: rec centres, fire halls, libraries and works buildings.
• Health authorities: hospitals and care homes, often with phased work around occupied spaces.
• Housing providers: BC Housing and non-profit housing societies, including roof work on occupied apartment buildings.
• Federal buyers: offices and other buildings through CanadaBuys.

Most larger roofing jobs are designed by a roofing consultant or architect, who writes the specification and reviews the work. Smaller repair and maintenance contracts are written by the buyer's facilities staff.

What is the RoofStar guarantee and why does it matter?

Many BC roofing specifications call for a RoofStar guarantee, the program run by the Roofing Contractors Association of BC (RCABC). RCABC describes guarantee terms of 5, 10 and 15 years, with third-party observation of the work and periodic reviews during the term. The guarantee is backed by the RCABC Guarantee Corp, and it is only available through RCABC member contractors.

If a tender requires a RoofStar guarantee and you are not a member, you cannot meet it. Check this in the first five minutes of reading the specification. If you plan to bid public roofing regularly, membership is worth looking into.

What safety rules matter most?

Fall protection is the big one. Under Part 11 of the BC OHS Regulation, fall protection is required where a worker could fall 3 m (10 ft) or more, or where a fall from a lower height could cause serious injury. The regulation sets an order of preference: guardrails first, then fall restraint, then fall arrest or rope access. A written fall protection plan is required where workers are not protected by permanent guardrails and could fall 7.5 m (25 ft) or more.

Expect a tender to ask for your fall protection plan, your safety program and your WorkSafeBC clearance. On larger jobs you may also be the prime contractor. See prime contractor rules and a safety program for a small crew.

What does a roofing tender ask for?

• Drawings and specifications from the consultant, with roof areas and system details.
• A mandatory site meeting in many cases. Miss it and your bid is out. See mandatory site meetings.
• Bid security (a bid bond) and performance and payment bonds on larger work. See how to get bonded.
• Schedule: start and finish dates, often fixed around school holidays.
• Warranty requirements, including any RoofStar guarantee.
• Insurance and WorkSafeBC clearance.
• Unit prices for things like deck replacement per square metre, used when hidden damage is found.

How do I price a public roofing job?

Price from the drawings and your own production rates, then pay close attention to the unit prices. Hidden deck damage is common on old public buildings, so the unit price for deck replacement can decide whether the job makes money. Check the estimated quantities the tender uses to evaluate unit prices. See the unit-rate trap.

Also price the extras that come with occupied buildings: protecting entrances, working around rooftop equipment, crane permits, and staying within noise and hours limits.

What wins roofing contracts?

Most roofing construction tenders are awarded to the lowest compliant bid. Compliance is where firms lose: missing bid bonds, unsigned forms, missed site meetings and addenda not acknowledged. See why bids get disqualified.

Roof maintenance and inspection contracts are more often scored, with references and response times weighted. These are a good way to build a relationship with a buyer before the big replacement jobs come up.