TRI Trains Sixty Roof Tile Installers

The Tile Roofing Institute (TRI) trained its first group of roof tile installers at the association’s  Industry Forum in Arizona in early April.

The TRI Installer Certification Program, the first of its kind in the nation, attracted 60 contractors from roofing companies across the country. The Institute tested installers for certification following a day-and-a-half of instruction on best installation practices.

“I’ve been a tile roofing contractor for 30 years, and have learned my trade primarily through trial and error,” said attendee Gary Martin of GM Roofing & Maintenance in San Diego, California. “Had this training been available back when I started, I could have saved 20 years of mistakes.”

The program addressed the broad based tile roofing practices and techniques that impact  estimating, planning and execution of commercial and residential projects. It is designed for roofing contractors, forepersons, estimators, owners, and manufacturer sales and marketing professionals.  The content of the training is based on the latest edition of TRI’s Concrete and Clay Roof Tile Installation Manual for Moderate Climate Regions, the only roofing product installation guide in the country that is recognized by the International Code Council.

“The program helps contractors understand the theory and dynamics of properly installing tile roofs. Installers will stop relying on old adages and ‘that's the way I've always been told to do it’, and begin to rely on the construction details provided by TRI,” said attendee John Pack of Seguro Contracting in Houston, Texas. “The result will be more reliable techniques, less call-backs and sound ‘bullet-proof’ installations.”

The training program debut preceded TRI’s Industry Forum, a two-day event that offered more than 70 tile roofing professionals an opportunity to network and learn about the latest industry news, including TRI’s research and testing efforts in regards to cool roofing and tile’s performance in harsh weather.

“Participation in the certification program exceeded our expectations, and we have begun a wait list for future programs,” says Charles McGrath, managing director of TRI.

More sessions will be held this year in other cities in the western United States. To learn more about attending a TRI Tile Roofing Installer Certification Program, call (312) 670-4177 or email Heidi Lerfald at hlerfald@tileroofing.org. [ return to top ]