I’ve got a large roofing project underway; A deadline is coming early summer, my gut says we’re not gonna make it. My superintendent feels the same way, and the roofing sub is slow to respond. Anyone who can help with the following info, please do. What’s a reasonable expectation of output for one man, per day on:
1) Shingle roof 7:12 pitch red cedar 5.5″ exposure over cedar breather ~200 sq total
2) Flat seam LC copper, flat roof. ~18×36 pans ~25 sq total
3) Standing seam LC Copper 2:12 pitch seams 15″ o.c. ~75 sq total
No. of squares per day that can be reasonable expected is what I’m after. This is purely to give the schedule a “laugh check”. Thanks for any help. Qualify responses as needed or post back with questions in case I’m neglecting pertinent facts.
Thanks
Replies
1) Maybe 2 sq/day per man. I've always used furring, so I'm unfamiliar with time consumption for cedar breather installation.
2) 1 man laying, 2 men soldering - 2+ sq/day.
3) 1 man laying - 3 sq/day. 2 men laying - 5 sq/day.
I'm assuming on a job this size that there is a fork lift available. These times don't include fabrication, stocking, etc., just installation.
thanks - that's a starting point to see if the roofer has a snowball's chance in hell
We have never been able to do more than about 1 sq a day with cedar shingles but then again we are not full time roofers. I do know that if the roof is at all cut up, you had better figure production to go below 1 sq even with the best roofers. The rate for the metal sounds about right but again it is all the field cuts that will screw you up.
I can easily do 2 sq/day in the field on a walkable roof, which is what I consider a 7/12. Naturally, all detail work slows things down. I was giving a jumping off place. I'm also not considering set-up and stocking. When I do a job like this, I set up scaffold and any other tools I need and stock to the scaffold. All my tools, equipment, and materials are up there with me before I lay the first shingle.
As far as the copper, I do the lion's share of the cutting in the shop. There's a little field touching up, but not much. I had one guy lay just shy of 5 sq of standing seam yesterday ( on a 3/12) and he had to do a couple of hours of carpentry and remove a couple of courses of shingles. He didn't have to cut or bend a thing except the flatlocks at the top and bottom of each pan and often, I have that done in the shop.
to speed up your guys look at methods to use equipment rather than labor..
Often guys will rent our forklifts and put 16 foot work platforms on them.. that gives fall protection plus it gets the shingles and any needed material up on the roof right where they need to be and rather tha walking slow and carefully guys can work like they are standing on a flat surface (which they are)
I put a square (of hand split cedar shakes) on the roof on my 27/12 pitch roof in a little over an hour. Now granted it was all straight open work, non- cutting and just put in place and pull the trigger. That plus as steep as it was I worked standing up rather than hunched over. It was more like putting shakes on a wall at waist height than doing roofing (one of the advantages of using a rough terrain telescopic forklift is that as you complete a row the operator raises you up a little so the next row is at the perfect height)
The economics make a forklift the way to go,, much less than what a guy costs you while speeding things up dramatically.. The only caution is to look at the soil you are working on.. if it's soft grass you'll need to lay down sheets of plywood and they aren't cheap right now!