© 1999 Dodson Publications, Inc. Page 1 August 5, 2003 11:48 AM
Originally published in Western Roofing, July/August 1992.
Grading Systems
Classifying Asphalt Shingles May be the Solution the Industry is
Looking For
by Marc Dodson, editor
Many Contractors I talked to lately about asphalt shingles have pretty set
opinions about quality and longevity of the product. This concern has
resulted in two years of study by the Western States Roofing Contractors
Association (WSRCA), task forces, questionnaires, meetings with the
Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA), and two WSRCA
seminars, the most recent at the WSRCA convention in Reno (see related
articles in this issue). We have also been following the developing story
through regular articles (which I’m sure you’ve all committed to memory…
there will be a test later). The contractor’s theme is always the same,
“We want a better product.”
What most contractors don’t seem to realize is that they are not the
only market for asphalt shingles for many manufacturers. There is also
the Do-It Yourself market, which is huge by any standard. I’m sure you’ve
all seen the ads for shingles in everything from the local hardware store
to K-Mart to Home Depot. If you’ve studied the ads or store displays, you
will note that the stores are not advertising product quality, they’re
advertising the lowest price. Maybe this is where your competition bought
his material to beat you on price for that job. It’s a huge market, and it’s
also incentive for a manufacturer to turn out the lowest priced product
possible… and this market will not go away. Welcome to the real-world.
So how does the contractor explain to the uneducated homeowner
with the latest Home Depot ad in his hand that, “Yes, the ad does say
three-tab shingles, but my three-tab shingles are better.” The answer t o
this dilemma may be in a point made at the WSRCA Reno seminar by Joe
Jones of the ARMA task force assigned to study the issue. He suggested an
industry grading standard for shingles, such as Class A, B, and C (see
“Asphalt Shingle Seminar” elsewhere in this issue). I would suggest that
they use Class I, II and III, since Class A, B, and C are currently being used
in relation to fire-retardant classifications and confusion is bound t o
© 1999 Dodson Publications, Inc. Page 2 August 5, 2003 11:48 AM
result. Try to explain to a homeowner that you are going to apply a Class
B shingle which in turn will give him a Class A roof.
This is not a new idea. Many people, including myself, have
suggested the idea to industry leaders since this issue was first raised.
This grading system, if implemented properly, should solve the problem
for everybody. For the contractor, it would allow him to say to the
homeowner, “Yes, I know the price of shingles at the local hardware store,
but those are clearly marked Class III (or even Class IV) shingles. What
I’m suggesting we put on your house is a Class I shingle.” It also creates a
nice upgrade path of selling for the contractor. Maybe the customer likes
the Class II shingle, but for $X more he can upgrade to a Class I. This
would also let the architect specify a set standard for a roof and bids f o r
various manufacturers products would allow the contractors to compare
apples to apples instead of apples to oranges.
It would also allow the manufacturers to produce a
bottom-of-the-line product for the mass market and still produce a
premium product for the more discriminating buyer and quality conscious
roofing contractor. It would help eliminate customer complaints, as the
consumer would know exactly what they are getting and paying for up
front, since the product would be clearly marked on the package. I would
hope that it would also be permanently marked on the back of each shingle,
for later identification.
Could such an industry-set standard be implemented and enforced?
If handled properly and all parties cooperate, yes. The motion picture
industry has their own self-imposed rating system and many other
professions, such as medical and legal, have their own self-governing
bodies. An industry based standard would have to be more preferable than
a government-imposed standard, regulated with the speed and customer
orientation of the Postal Service and cost efficiency of the military. •••
