01Assemble the roof history before selecting a path
Collect drawings, permits, invoices, repairs, warranty records, leak dates and photographs. Record known roof layers, prior coatings and penetrations, but label uncertain information as unknown. Divide the roof into areas when additions or past replacements may have produced different assemblies. A reliable decision file distinguishes documents from owner recollection and visual observations, giving the estimator a clear list of facts that still require safe investigation.
- Index records by roof area
- Mark evidence dates
- Do not assign hidden materials without proof
02Plan a safe existing-condition investigation
Define what can be reviewed from records, ground-level views, safe attic access or contractor investigation. Do not ask owners to climb onto a roof or enter unsafe spaces. The investigation should address visible distress, drainage, interior moisture history, deck information, attachment opportunities and access limits. When selective openings are proposed, agree on location, temporary protection, repair method and how findings will be reported before broader work begins.
- Separate safe observation from destructive review
- Photograph opened conditions
- State inaccessible areas
03Test the tear-off proposal against complete scope
A tear-off can expose deck and hidden conditions, but the estimate still needs removal limits, disposal, temporary weather protection, deck replacement allowances and authorization rules. Ask whether all existing layers are included, how wet or damaged materials are handled and what happens if the substrate differs from assumptions. Coordinate occupied-space protection, landscaping, vehicle access and daily dry-in expectations. The price should not hide major unknowns inside one removal line.
- Count known layers
- Set deck unit rates
- Define daily weather protection
04Test the retrofit proposal against unresolved risks
A retrofit proposal should identify which materials remain, how their condition and attachment are verified, what separation or support is added and how moisture can escape. Check the effect on eave thickness, wall flashings, curbs, skylights, gutters and adjoining roofs. Ask what findings would disqualify the retrofit. Covering an existing roof is not evidence that leaks, trapped moisture, weak decking or incompatible details have been resolved.
- Name retained materials
- Show attachment to verified support
- List retrofit stop conditions
05Coordinate structure, ventilation and interfaces
Compare added weight, uplift attachment, deck condition and support questions through appropriate review. Draw the proposed build-up from the interior boundary to the metal covering and show ventilation or control-layer changes. Then map interfaces at eaves, walls, ridges, valleys, gutters, penetrations and rooftop equipment. A path that works in the field of the roof can still fail the project test if it creates unresolved transitions or blocks an existing ventilation route.
- Draw the full assembly
- Review load questions
- Detail changed edge elevations
06Confirm the Penticton approval route
The City of Penticton currently lists roof shingling among typical projects that do not require a building permit. That wording should not be stretched to every metal retrofit, structural change, commercial or multi-family building-envelope repair, or work affecting another regulated system. Describe the actual scope and property to the City when approval is uncertain. Keep permit, professional design, inspection and utility responsibilities in the proposal rather than assuming they belong elsewhere.
- Use the current City source
- Describe structural and envelope changes
- Record who obtains each approval
07Issue a written retrofit-or-tear-off decision record
Summarize evidence for each roof area: known layers, attachment, deck, moisture, ventilation, interfaces and access. State which investigations were completed, what remained inaccessible and which findings would trigger deck replacement, drying, redesign, additional removal or work stoppage. Attach the accepted assembly section and details. Include written pricing and authorization rules for discoveries after opening. The record explains why a path was selected; it does not certify hidden conditions or guarantee the roof.
- Name decision hold points
- Attach accepted details
- Preserve revised scope and approvals