Chantilly, Va. — Customers desiring metal roofs on new or existing buildings typically hire sheet metal contractors. This investment (by a homeowner or business) is – ideally – one that will last for decades. 

But what happens if a problem develops with the roof and, when the customer calls for assistance . . . it turns out the contractor has gone out of business? 

In the Chicago Metro area, SMACNA Greater Chicago (the local chapter of the sheet metal contractors association) and SMART Local Union 265 have combined to create and stand behind (financially and otherwise) a 5-year warranty on sheet metal roofing work done by their member contractors. 

It’s available to customers at no additional charge. 

Here’s how it works:

• The contractor does the job.

• If there’s a problem within the 5-year period, the contractor returns and fixes it. 

• If the installing contractor is no longer in business, another union sheet metal contractor will do the job (no charge to the customer).

• One can hope that no problems will develop. 

• Whether the contractor remains in business or not, an inspection is offered to the customer (again, at no charge) at the end of the 5-year warranty period – to ensure the work will retain integrity over time.   

“We have a strong local association and great ties with the workers who are members of Local 265,” explained Ken Wiesbrook, a VP at Wiesbrook Sheet Metal (Plainfield Ill.).  “We all talked about this idea – all the participating companies, with the union. We thought it was possible to offer this, and now we’ve made it happen for our customers.”

The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) have a labor-management partnership that is more than 75 years old. The goal is to maintain an effective cooperative effort that demonstrates Expertise in the industrial and architectural sheet metal and heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) markets. SMART and SMACNA publish Partners in Progress magazine. For additional information, visit www.pinp.org.