Get Familiar with These 10 Roofing Terms and Definitions

Whether you’re a new technician or a veteran looking to refresh your memory, familiarizing yourself with crucial roofing industry jargon is always a wise decision. As a leading commercial roofing company, we know what’s being used the most on the job.

Here are ten commercial roofing terms and definitions you should know.

Roofing Materials & Systems

• HVAC – HVAC, or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, is a system that provides heating and cooling to a building.
• Built Up Roofing (BUR) – A BUR roof system is made of layers of bitumen (asphalt or coal tar), reinforcing plies (felts or fabrics), and surfacing (such as aggregate, ceramic granules, or liquid coatings).
• Single-Ply Membrane – A single-ply roof system is layered for optimal protection and can be thermoset (made up of rubber) or thermoplastic (made up of plastic-based materials).

Safety & Building Regulations

• International Building Code (IBC) – The IBC is a model building code set by the International Code Council and is used as a base code standard by most jurisdictions in the United States.
• Job Safety Analysis (JSA) – A JSA is completed to determine health and safety practices in a work environment or job site.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – PPE, such as gloves, hardhats, and eye goggles, is used in the roofing industry by field workers to protect against potential hazards.

Industry Terms

• Roof Plan – A roof plan is a scaled 2D drawing of a roof development proposal. It includes the dimensions of the entire roof structure (such as shape, size, and design) and placement of all materials, ventilation, drainage, slopes, valleys, and more.
• Fixed Price Quote (FPQ) – In an FPQ contract, the payment amount does not depend on the resources used or project time completion.
• NTE – An NTE (not to exceed) is a commitment by a vendor that the project will not exceed the amount of the submitted proposal and estimates.
• T&M – In a T&M agreement, a contractor is paid for the cost of their direct labor and the cost of materials.

Learn More at PB University

PB University provides professional development and personal growth opportunities for the next generation of industry-leading roofers and entrepreneurs. Every PB Roofing employee is eligible to enroll in online courses upon hiring. No matter where you are in your commercial roofing career, we believe in continuing education and training.

Explore open positions at PB Roofing online or contact us to learn more!