YMCA metal roof fails, replacement nearly complete
Rockport — Despite being little more than a decade old, the metal roof at Penobscot Bay YMCA has failed and is in the process of being replaced at an estimated cost of $150,000, according to Executive Director Troy Curtis.
"It appears to be defective metal," Curtis said.
Curtis said the roofing company, architects and contractor involved in the construction of the original roof in 2002 are no longer in business.
The Y, located at 116 Union St., opened in November 2011 following a $10.5 million fundraising effort, Curtis said. He said the original roofing manufacturer ceased to exist and the general contractor — H.E. Sargent — has been purchased by another company.
At the time, companies involved in the construction underwent vetting as well as interviews during the competitive bid process, Curtis said, adding the downturn in the economy likely contributed to the company closures.
Curtis said the Y's insurance company will not cover replacement costs of the metal roof.
"The roof would have been covered if it had been a natural disaster," he said, adding law firm Bernstein Shur investigated the possibility of recourse against the original installer and manufacturer to no avail.
Instead, the cost of replacing the roof will be funded from a reserve account established by the Y board in 2002, Curtis said. He said the reserve account was created for a situation such as roof replacement. According to an email sent to members of the Y by Curtis, "...no operational funds will be used to pay for the new roof."
About two years ago, bubbles began appearing on the metal roof and it began rusting from the middle out, though there have been ongoing issues with leaking, Curtis said.
"This roof has been leaky since day one," he said, noting areas around the facility's skylights were particularly prone to leaks.
A new roofing company, IRC Industrial Roofing Co., is performing the replacement, Curtis said. He said the company is well-established and assuaged board concerns about being in a similar situation in 10 years. In addition, the new roof will be rubber on the back half of the building, he said. The manufacturer chosen for the front-side metal roof is Firestone and includes an extended warranty, Curtis said.
Repairs to the roof are expected to be complete by the end of March.
Courier Publications Associate Editor Stephanie Grinnell can be reached at 236-8511 or by email at sgrinnell@courierpublicationsllc.com.
Metal roof manufacturers will not warranty a steel roof if with in roughly two miles of salt water.
Is the Y state or federally owned? If it's a private corp. they can choose to send to bid or not, and choose who does the work.
As stated, aluminum is the only metal roof with a warranty close to the ocean. And aluminum costs far more than steel.
A metal roof should last more than 11 years and should have had a warranty on it when H.E. Sargent installed it. William is correct. The Y should look into who is liable for the roof failing. There should be some type of manufacturer's warranty if not a warranty from the GC. Seems odd that the Y would not pursue this instead of just hiring a out of town company. My question is: "Did the Y put this job out to bid?" I believe that since it is a public building, by law, they should have put the project out to bid to the public.
Wondering why the directors did not ask a price from local businesses first.
I was involved in the purchase of a metal roof for a large local building in 2004. The installers (CO Beck) said steel would not be warranted by the particular manufacturer within 1/2 mile of the ocean (Which is pertinent since the Y is close to the ocean). We went with aluminum instead and it has been perfect. Jason
Has the liability of the company that acquired H.E. Sargent been investigated? They may have, in the course of the acquisition, assumed the old liabilities.