TPO vs Roof Restoration: NEED SOME IMPUT!

I need some help here from TPO guys and even those who do roof restorations (coating, fabric and even chopped fiberglass). I recently was on an inspection and a property owner asked my advice. The roof was the original asphalt and gravel roof. Two contractors biding, both were spudding/powerbrooming.

Contractor One was offering a roof restoration with a 10-year warranty (20-22 gallons of emulsion with fabric and 3 gallons of elastomeric coating per square).

Contractor Two was proposing a 45 mil TPO, slip-sheet and a mfg 10 year warranty. I personally always favored roof restoration but there wasn't that much difference in price- The TPO came with a mfg warranty backing the contractor after the first 2 years- I was kinda impressed how far TPO has come and how the price has dropped. What Say You?

I know almost nothing about CFE, but I've put enough emulsion down over the years to know that it's going way outlast a garbabe piece of 45 mil TPO.

I can't imagine 22 gallon's per square, and maybe that's a misprint, dunno, didn't read whole thread. But in my book, it's a no-brainer. Run from TPO, period.

Vaa- My reference to TPO's popularity here in Colorado has to do with lack of state contractor licensing, as opposed to manufacture licensing.

That being said; TPO affords the not-so-qualified individual/outfit to enter the flat roofing market with little, if any merit. IOW's - attend a seminar, buy a few simple tools and walla - your a contender in the flat roofing market.

Whereas in a state such as California that has authentic state licensing, prospective manufacture licensee's are subject to considerably more industry scrutiny/merit. BUR is still alive and well there as it is a viable proven cost-effect method, however requires significant capitol investment as well as authentic crafstmanship/roofing knowledge.

That's one of the reason's TPO is so popular in states like Colorado, (no licensing).

It does appear that TPO is taking a huge market share though. I was doing some roof scans for a small company who installs millions of dollars a year of TPO just in the DFW Metroplex.

BTW, has anyone heard or have experience with Carlisle's Fleeceback over SPF? It's supposed have warranty coverage of up to 3" hail. It sounds bullet proof (almost), but looks cost prohibitive....

I have always sold and supported CFE and other roof restorations but it seems that TPO has come along way and the price continues to drop... Never to the $95 per sq price but it has come down a lot!

OK.... From now on I'm using Word... unbelievable! Hope to meet some of you guys in Vegas next week... even you Tim maybe we can bury the hatchet over a beer.

I guess I could see $250/sq if you had wide open running, no prep work, slip sheet, and no metal work. Absolute easiest roof ever. I hope that's a rate you picked randomly for conversation.

Thanks egg- It's kind of embarrassing since I did not proof read it carefully... and I have a minor in writing- but do appreciate you pointing it out.. all fixed

"...make the "tax" issue mute."

Just to help out a fellow tradesman and not to nit-pick...(because I get the meaning you intended,) the word you were looking for is "moot." It means that something is merely debatable and will yield no practical outcome. One use of the other word, "mute," means the opposite...that no speech is possible. Another, the one that means a general softening, would have to be attached to an "ed" for it to make sense in this case.

Not that it matters much. It's just that moot is basically a legal term and anyone who understands the word and hears you say "mute" is going to think less of you rather than more. We don't want to be giving that type of person any easy opportunity to get condescending with us. They don't deserve it.

Under the IRS code roof maintenance is usually tax deductible for the year the expense had incurred. Roof restoration usually falls under "current expenses" and is 100% tax deductible. While a new roof is a "capital expense" whitch is amortized over the life of the property or 39.5 years that is how I always presented to property owners.

From a tax advantage I still think the roof restoration is a better bet- if there is a hail event and there is a claim involved that may change the whole premise and make the "tax" issue moot. Of course if the property owner has a ACV policy verses a RCV policy that also changes the game... I'm not sure; I'm not a tax guy.

Which is better for taxes? Restoration - emulsion or new - TPO ?

When I was a state licensed roofing contractor, the only contact I had with TPO was repairing/restoring it, most of my restorations were elastomeric and polyester (KM Coatings & Western Colloid)- Tim (roofguy) taught me about chopped fiberglass which I loved, especially on asphalt and gravel roofs- but with TPO costs coming down even with a 1.5" & 2" insulation board, now with good MFG backed warranties- (like GAF and even Carlisle), roof restoration appears to be losing one of its biggest attractions to property owners, lower cost.

I would recommend the emulsion/polyester system hands-down - especially over an existing BUR. Been a state licensed contractor since 1983. Personally, I don't like TPO, Although we haven't experienced the magnitude of TPO failures some have, I can say we still have the old Henry emulsion/poly systems still in use after 20+ years.

We primarily do TPO now, strictly due to the local industry standards, (sheeplism). We get shot down by the typical superior salesmanship of our not-so-bright competitors here - so we must do as in Rome......

Well they could at least use 60 mil. From what I've read 45 mil is really what made TPO look SO bad.

Knowing nearly nothing about emulsion roofs, I can't really compare. I know what I've seen Roofguy talk about.

Mike H I know you know TPO... Roofguy and Robert (Ford Roofing) I know you guys love CFE what say you?