How to Communicate With HOAs

By Evelyn Witterholt, RCS Reporter.  

Why offering new roofing solutions, such as spray foam, can improve your experience with HOAs during roofing jobs. 

Roofing contractors face many challenges when working with homeowners' associations, also known as HOAs. Miscommunication and disagreements with the board can make for a frustrating experience on both sides. An important aspect to keep in mind is that HOA members want what’s best for their homes in the long run. When you know how to communicate with members and what products will offer them peace of mind, like spray foam (SPF) roofing, the experience will be more manageable for all involved. 

On a recent podcast, CEO of General Coatings Will Lorenz discussed the work they do with HOAs and how other contractors can best approach them. He says that many people in these associations mainly want a durable roof, and they want it to be installed around their schedule. While it can be hard to get everyone on the same page in terms of scheduling, if you offer them a reliable roofing solution, many members will be on board with your plans for the project. 

For a durable and reliable roof, Will suggests providing these members with an SPF roof coating. Rather than completely reroofing an apartment or townhome complex, you could solve a lot of problems with a simple re-coating. “We particularly think that spray foam is a great recover system over these existing roof systems,” he says. “Spray foam can be that recover system that you can put right on the existing roof system, provided that it's a single roof to begin with.” 

An SPF coating offers many of the same solutions as a complete reroofing, including waterproofing, leak prevention and heat reflectivity. There are different formulas of SPF coatings depending on the climate of the region you are working in too. For hot and dry climates, Will recommends an acrylic coating and for wet and cold climates, he recommends urethane coatings. 

“A simple, inch or two of spray foam is magic. It just really saves energy and it waterproofs things. And with a good coating system on it, whether it's acrylic, silicone or urethane, you've got a performing system,” he says. 

Learn more about General Coatings in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.generalcoatings.net. 

Listen to the entire podcast to learn more about communicating with HOAs and SPF roofing.