Roof Assessments for Various Schools

OBJECTIVE / BACKGROUND

As the Oregon City School District planned upcoming renovation projects to fulfill bond commitments, PRC was hired to evaluate the condition of roof systems covering four school structures. These evaluations were initiated concurrently in multiple contracts to be completed within a narrow timeframe.

STRATEGIES & SERVICES

Coordinating with District personnel and school schedules, PRC visited each site and performed a detailed survey of the existing roof and flashing system conditions. For each building, this survey included thorough visual and tactile inspection of the roof covering material and verification of assembly construction. PRC recorded observations using a combination of digital photography and field notes. Core samples were extracted at strategic locations on various roof areas to confirm underlying system components and assess the condition of the deck substrate (core locations are always patched back to a permanent watertight condition using appropriate methods). Based on review of available as-built drawings and analysis of on-site findings, estimates of remaining service life were developed along with recommendations for next action in terms of maintenance, repair, and / or system replacement. As is typical with many public school buildings, multiple successive additions and renovations undertaken over the years resulted in numerous challenging conditions identified in the course of evaluation on each building, with each requiring special consideration in the design of a roof system replacement. With such conditions in mind, options for roof system replacement were developed along with budgetary cost estimates. For each school, findings and recommendations were summarized in a comprehensive written report that included tables, photographs, and diagrams as needed to clearly convey the information presented.

OUTCOMES

With the information provided by PRC, the District was able to clearly define the scopes of work to be included in the planned renovation projects while keeping within the budgetary constraints of the bond. At the District’s request, PRC went on to provide design review services to BRIC Architecture for roof repairs and modifications at three of the four buildings assessed.