Roof Maintenance in CAM Reconciliation
Inspection, maintenance, and repair of the building's roof system, including membrane, flashing, drainage, skylights, and associated components. Excludes full roof replacement, which is a capital expenditure.
Benchmarks per SF
Source: BOMA EER / IREM 2024
Typical GL Codes
Recoverable Components
- Annual roof inspections
- Patching and minor repairs
- Flashing maintenance
- Gutter and drainage cleaning
- Skylight maintenance
- Roof coating maintenance (if extending roof life)
Non-Recoverable Components
- Full roof replacement (capital)
- Structural roof repairs (capital)
- Roof-mounted equipment installation (capital)
- Green roof installation (capital)
Allocation Method
Pro-rata by rentable square footage. Roof maintenance is a fixed cost that does not vary with occupancy — gross-up is not appropriate. In multi-tenant retail or industrial properties, roof costs may be allocated based on the tenant's proportional share of roof area rather than interior SF.
Common Lease Language
“Operating Expenses shall include all costs of maintaining, inspecting, and making non-capital repairs to the Building's roof systems, including membranes, flashing, gutters, drains, and skylights.”
Common Billing Errors
- Including full roof replacement costs as operating maintenance
- Failing to amortize major roof repairs over their useful life
- Charging roof repairs caused by a specific tenant's rooftop equipment to the CAM pool
- Including roof warranty costs in CAM when the warranty covers defective installation
Year-over-Year Trends
Roof maintenance costs have increased 5-7% annually due to material cost inflation and increasing severe weather events. Extended manufacturer warranties (20-30 years) are reducing recurring costs for newer roofs but increasing initial capital outlay. Cool roof coatings and green roof maintenance are emerging cost categories.
Additional Context
Roof maintenance is one of the most contentious CAM categories because the line between 'maintenance' and 'capital replacement' is subjective. A $50,000 roof section repair could be classified as either maintenance (operating, passed through immediately) or capital (amortized over useful life). Lease language should clearly define this threshold.
Related Resources
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