Article reprinted from Western Roofing magazine July/August 2007.

Roofing Banks

Long-Term Contractor Relationship Good as Gold in Oregon

by Fred Sitter, Jennifer Schindler, Jeff Endean, Mitch Guettler, and Steve Ruth of Duro-Last

For almost 20 years, First Federal Savings & Loan, with offices in northwest Oregon, has worked with Washington Roofing Company, based in McMinnville, Oregon to install new roofing systems on several of its office locations. Washington Roofing has been in business for over 37 years, and has installed the Duro-Last roofing system since 1984.

The first building Washington Roofing completed for First Federal was in 1988 when they installed the Duro-Last roofing system on the “boardroom” building. The existing building was an old historic structure that the townspeople wanted to save, so officials at the bank remodeled the building with major structural repairs that emphasized the original design and its aesthetic qualities.

That initial First Federal location was a particular challenge because it involved a multi-level flat roof, with parapet walls ranging from 8” to 8’ in height, and several curbs, vents, drains, and other penetrations to accommodate. According to Washington Roofing owner Harold Washington, this system is the ideal choice for First Federal, because every Duro-Last roof is custom-fabricated specifically to fit each building’s rooftop features and dimensions. “The Duro-Last roofing system’s prefabrication makes any installation easier and efficient,” said Washington. “It’s a custom ordered ‘to fit’ system that takes into consideration each penetration and transition on the roof, no two installations are alike.

“The boardroom building also had a modified roof on the flat part of the building and composition on the part that transitioned to a valley and cricket wall,” recalled Washington. “The prefabricated membrane sheets, custom curbs, and metal flashings helped make the installation go smoothly and quickly.”

Since then, Washington Roofing has installed the Duro-Last roofing system on five other First Federal buildings; project sizes have ranged from 2,500 to 9,500 square feet, and each installation has been unique.

Soon after their first S & L job, Washington Roofing took on another First Federal project in 1990, this time a loan office that had a leaky roof. By then, they had developed a strong relationship with First Federal’s maintenance superintendents, Doug Thwaite (now retired) and Kevin Nolan. “We trust Harold’s judgment, he knows roofs, so when he suggested the Duro-Last roofing system again, we followed his advice,” said Thwaite. “Washington Roofing was able to reroof the building and stop the leaking before it could cause problems.”

“Harold always covers everything with us, from the removal of any existing material on the roof to the installation and clean-up afterwards,” added Nolan.

“The tricky part of all the First Federal projects has been completing the jobs within the restrictions they gave us,” said Washington. “The roof decks were concrete, so First Federal officials wanted the work to be done when no one was in the building, avoiding any equipment noise that could possibly disturb customers. So we had to do the work on non-banking days or after normal business hours.”

“Doug and Kevin did not want to disrupt the daily flow of business at any of the First Federal facilities,” noted Washington. “Other than the minor equipment noise for attaching the membrane to the concrete deck, the installation was quiet and non-disruptive. Plus, there were no offensive odors or harmful chemicals used.”

The Duro-Last system provided other benefits for Washington Roofing and First Federal. By prefabricating each roof in a controlled factory environment, Duro-Last eliminates up to 85% of the rooftop seaming typically required for other single-ply systems. “We were able to save a great deal of labor on the rooftop, so we could get the jobs done within our time constraints,” said Washington. “Each of the First Federal jobs was completed within five days.”

Another Duro-Last advantage is the fact that the system can often be installed over existing roofs without an expensive or laborious tear-off. According to Washington, the lightweight Duro-Last membrane is ideal for retrofit projects, which accounted for four of the six First Federal jobs. “Plus, as the bank offices and branches expand, Duro-Last makes it easy for additions, while still enabling First Federal to retain their warranty,” stated Washington.

Thwaite and Nolan take pride in maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the First Federal facilities, and the Duro-Last roofing system has made their job easier. “When I observed the strength, durability, and ease of cleaning of the Duro-Last system, I liked what I saw,” said Nolan. Some First Federal buildings are single-level and others have multiple levels, with sections of the roof that are visible from the ground or an upper floor. In addition, the surrounding environment drops leaves and other debris onto the rooftop. “The Duro-Last product has been a worry-free, low-maintenance roofing system for our facilities,” added Nolan.

“The maintenance superintendents liked the fact that the Duro-Last membrane is aesthetically-appealing and adds to the look of the buildings, especially for the multi-level structures,” remarked Washington.

Still another benefit of the Duro-Last roofing system has been its reflectivity. “The combination of reflected heat from the Duro-Last membrane and the added underlying insulation has made the First Federal Savings buildings very energy efficient,” said Nolan.

That original “boardroom” building roof is still performing well almost 20 years after the initial installation, and when First Federal needs a new roof, the number one choice is the Duro-Last roofing system. Washington Roofing and Duro-Last are a combination that First Federal Savings & Loan Bank can bank on for years to come. •••