A discussion during SIG Design & Technology's recent seminar on Designing the Perfect Roof raised the question "Why do you design roofs ‘from the deck up’ for free?" SIG Design & Technology explains...
Begin with the Objective – Genuine Guarantees
Parent group, SIG Plc, are materials suppliers, but SIG Design and Technology also make product choices, design the roof, and manage the process on site through accredited contractors - ensuring they can provide genuine guarantees.
At the core of SIG Design & Technology's offer are flat roofing systems. Many modern buildings need flat roofs for practical purposes, as well as aesthetic ones. However, flat roofs have a reputation for reliability problems, so there is a client requirement to reduce the risk of using flat roofs, which they communicate to their contractors via a request for long, reliable guarantees.
SIG Design & Technology was originally set up to help their main contractor clients provide genuine, long guarantees for flat roofs.
Manage the Site Process
In order to guarantee the company's roofing systems, SIG Design & Technology needS to ensure the process of installation is reliable and good quality. We do this through an accredited contractor scheme (DATAC) and regular monitoring of the roof installations by their team of field technicians.
Manage the Roof Design Process
This is the part of the process some architect clients sometimes find it hard to understand. Why would SIG Design & Technology take on the roof design and carry the risk through their own PI insurance, for free?
If you look at the design in the context of a holistic approach, however, it makes sense.
1. SIG Design & Technology design the roof so that they can take on the risk.
2. SIG Design & Technology take on the risk so that they can provide the genuine guarantees. And
3. Their reward comes, as normal, through the supply of the product itself.
Manage Product Selection
Lastly is the beginning of the process, the point where a specifier might start, the choice of product. SIG Design & Technology feel it is essential for a ‘PerfectRoof’ that your choice of product is based on the requirements of your roof. SIG Design & Technology can advise on cost and longevity, but also sustainability matters like environmental performance, whole life costing, responsible sourcing and health and safety of operatives.
The Holistic Approach
So SIG Design & Technology's motivation for ‘free roof design’ becomes clear. They design good quality roofs because they have to guarantee them. They guarantee their roofs because their clients require it, and they provide you with free, objective product advice, technical support and design to enable them to provide those guarantees.