How to Evaluate Waterproofing Tenders in Ghana: 2026 Guide
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To evaluate waterproofing tenders fairly in Ghana, put every bid on the same measured area, make bidders declare kilograms of material and number of coats, test that against 1 kg/m² for two-coat polyurethane, and score technical compliance before price. Warranty (typically 3 years workmanship plus 3 years material) and design life (20 years for PU) must be stated as separate figures.
Why waterproofing bids are hard to compare
A roof waterproofing bid can look complete and still contain half the material the job needs. The product is applied as a liquid, the thickness is invisible once it cures, and failure usually appears after the defects liability period. Procurement officers need criteria that can be checked on paper before award and on site during works.
Step 1: issue one measured area
Do not let bidders measure. Issue a schedule with the open roof field, parapet upstand runs, gutter channels and penetrations as separate lines. Otherwise you are comparing different areas, not different prices.
Step 2: require a declared material quantity
Ask every bidder to state product, kilograms, number of coats and target dry film thickness. Then divide kilograms by area. The benchmark for two-coat polyurethane is 1 kg per m².
| Declared kg/m² (2-coat PU) | Interpretation | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 or above | Consistent with two full coats | Compliant |
| 0.7-0.9 | Possibly thin, or a smooth-substrate assumption | Seek clarification in writing |
| 0.4-0.6 | Almost certainly one coat priced as two | Non-compliant unless justified |
| Below 0.4 | Per-coat coverage mistaken for finished coverage | Reject or require full re-pricing |
| Not stated | Cannot be evaluated | Request before award |
The 1 kg/m² benchmark is defensible from our own completed work: our Amasaman concrete gutter and floor slab job covered 130 m² with 13 × 10kg buckets — 130 kg, exactly 1.0 kg per m². See the job on video. The most common error in the market is quoting per-coat coverage as if it were finished coverage: a 10kg bucket covers 20 m² on one coat, which is 10 m² finished with two coats. One coat is not waterproofing — it pinholes and fails in the first heavy rains.
Step 3: score the technical submission
| Criterion | What good looks like | Suggested weight |
|---|---|---|
| Method statement | Surface prep, crack treatment, primer, coats, cure times, flood test | 25% |
| Detailing | Fleece at parapets, gutters, upstands, penetrations — not across a sound field | 20% |
| Material quantity | Declared kg consistent with area and coats at 1 kg/m² | 20% |
| Warranty clarity | Workmanship and material warranties stated separately from design life | 15% |
| References | Comparable jobs you can phone or visit | 20% |
A bid that proposes fleece across an entire sound roof is not necessarily better. Fleece and standard 2-coat PU share the same 20-year design life; fleece bridges cracks to about 3 mm instead of about 0.3 mm. Specified everywhere, it roughly doubles cost for no gain.
Step 4: check warranty wording
The warranty is the period the contractor returns and fixes at their cost. The design life is how long the membrane is engineered to keep performing. A bid offering a "20-year warranty" on waterproofing is usually quoting design life under the wrong heading — ask who pays in year 8, and get it in writing. Promises with no end date are not enforceable in any useful way; insist on a defined period and named exclusions.
Step 5: price sanity check
2026 market ranges: two-coat PU GHS 80-130/m²; fleece-reinforced GHS 180-280/m²; torch-on GHS 150-220/m². A bid far below the bottom of the range almost always means less material, less preparation or no crack treatment. Bitumen softens above 55°C and exposed Ghanaian roofs reach 75°C, so evaluate torch-on on exposed roofs with that in mind.
During works: verify what you bought
- Count empty buckets against the declared kilograms. On a 500 m² roof at 1 kg/m² you should be able to count fifty empty 10kg buckets.
- Witness a 24-48 hour flood test before final coat sign-off where the roof allows it.
- Hold retention through the defects liability period.
Request a compliant bid
Fest Ghana prices with kilograms, coats and detailing stated line by line. Request a site survey or call 0555 548 001.
Related Resources
- Waterproofing BOQ guide
- Payment terms and contracts
- Defects liability period
- Waterproofing method statement
- Why coverage figures mislead
Fest Ghana Limited is the trading name of FGL Waterproofing Solution Limited Company, a company registered in Ghana — Registration No. CS218171026. Company information.