If you’ve just decided to start offering metal roofing to your roofing company’s customers, you might be surprised at just how much there is to learn about this seemingly simple type of roofing.
Aside from profiles, finishes, and how to install metal roofing systems, there are also things like concealed fix metal roofing to learn more about. Let’s take a closer look at what concealed fix metal roofing is, and how you can set it up properly in your construction estimating software.
The name really gives it away when you’re talking about concealed fix roofing.
Unlike traditional metal roofing which is attached with nails or screws that go through the roof sheet and into the roof structure below, concealed fix metal roofing attaches to clips that are under the roof sheets, and completely hidden from view.
Yes – there are several types of concealed fix metal roofing. Some manufacturers have proprietary profiles that only they have the necessary tooling to manufacture, and others are more readily available.
There are also roll-on-site options, which are what they sound like, which is that a roofing manufacturer brings a mobile mill to your job site and rolls your metal roofing on-site.
There are also concealed fix roofing systems that are known as “mechanical fix.” These roofing systems are seamed mechanically on-site rather than having interlocking panels that clip onto the roof clip system.
Concealed fix metal roofing systems are usually very good at channelling water off roofs. There are also no holes for fasteners in the roof sheets themselves, so no water can penetrate the roof where it might on other kinds of roofing.
This type of roof is also usually very well attached to the roof structure and is, therefore, incredibly wind resistant.
When you’re estimating concealed fix metal roofing – and setting it up in your construction estimating software – you need to know what the cover width of the sheets are so that you can calculate how much roofing material you will need.
You also need to know how many clips you need for the roof and what kind of clips they are. At the same time, find out what kind of fasteners you will need to fix the clips to the roof structure. Depending on the clip and the roof structure you’re installing, these could be nails or screws.
Make sure you factor in shipping to your site. Roof sheets are usually much longer than a typical work truck or trailer, so you might need to hire or use a flatbed to get them safely to your job site.
Finally, find out what the installation of that kind of roof you’re estimating will be like. Most manufacturers can give you some idea of how quickly you can expect to install their roof system. Also, remember to factor in any on-site rolling or mechanical seaming that might be required.
The good news is that there aren’t too many components to most concealed-fix metal roofing systems, and things like flashings are still very similar to traditional metal roofing systems. So, if you know your way around estimating those, you should have a big head start!