Commercial roofing covers the flat and low-slope roofs on warehouses, retail buildings, mixed-use blocks, and multi-family properties. We start with a roof asset survey rather than a sales pitch.
That survey means walking the rooftop, probing the roof deck for soft spots, and checking where water ponds near scuppers and drains on a roof with almost no pitch. We photograph blistered seams and every failed pipe boot.
Then we pick the system. TPO and EPDM single-ply membranes handle large open fields with few penetrations. Modified bitumen suits older roofs crowded with chimneys, vents, and pipe flashing.
A built-up roof makes sense when a building already carries multiple layers and building code allows a recover instead of a full tear-off. We price both before you decide.
- TPO membrane: heat-welded seams form one continuous sheet over a large roof that HVAC techs walk every season.
- EPDM: a rubber membrane that resists UV degradation and stays flexible through cold winters and ice dam cycles.
- PVC membrane: specified where grease or chemical exhaust from a restaurant kitchen would eat through other single-ply.
- Modified bitumen: a self-adhered or torch-applied cap sheet over a base ply, repairable in small sections without recoating the whole field.
- Built-up roof (BUR): alternating plies of felt, bitumen, and tar that can be recoated instead of torn off.
- Standing-seam panel: a metal panel with concealed fasteners, common on mansard and gambrel features where snow guard placement matters.
- Corrugated panel: a through-fastened metal panel screwed to purlins, typical on sheds, canopies, and awning frames.
- Coating: a reflective coating restores an aging membrane, cuts the cooling load, and is often the cheapest way to add years.
Wet insulation causes more flat-roof leaks than torn membrane. Saturated board sags between joists and pulls fasteners loose, so we cut test squares before quoting.
Parapet walls and coping take the wind load during a nor'easter, which is why storm damage calls spike after heavy rain and wind. Counter-flashing at that wall is the first thing we check.
Insulation matters as much as the membrane. We keep ridge vent and soffit vent paths open, clear the gutter and downspout runs, and confirm water leaves the fascia fast after a summer thunderstorm.
On taller buildings we work from scaffold or tie off with a safety harness anchored to structure, not to the coping. Every dumpster gets covered so debris stays out of a tenant's lot.
Most low-slope systems we install carry a manufacturer warranty of 15 to 30 years, non-prorated on materials when the assembly goes down to spec.
We pull permits, meet the local building code on fastening schedules and edge metal, and schedule roof access around tenants. A retail tenant should not lose a Saturday of business because of us.
Single-ply work is different from shingle work, but the parts overlap. On the residential side we install asphalt shingle, architectural shingle, or three-tab shingle over synthetic underlayment with an ice-and-water shield along the eave.
Felt and tar paper were the old waterproofing layer under the shingles; synthetic underlayment lasts longer and does not tear when a crew walks it. Step flashing at sidewalls, chimney flashing, pipe flashing, and a drip edge along the rake stop water from wicking into sheathing.
Valleys collect the most water on a pitched roof, and that is where we see hidden rot in the decking first. We replace rotted substrate, plywood, or OSB before anything new goes over it.
Older housing stock brings its own problems. Victorian rowhomes from the 1800s, mid-century bungalows, and post-war twin homes often carry cracked clay tile, concrete tile, brittle slate, or wood shake and cedar shake that has dried past saving.
Before we quote, we check the truss, rafter, and ridge beam for rot. A soft ridge beam changes the whole scope of the job, and you should hear that before you sign anything.
- Granule loss leaves bare dark patches where the asphalt under the shingle is showing through.
- Curled or buckled shingle edges let wind-driven rain slip under the starter course and field course.
- Water stains on ceiling tile or attic sheathing mean moisture is wicking through the roof deck.
- Ponding water still sitting 48 hours after a storm erodes seams and speeds membrane failure.
- Bruised or missing shingle after a hail damage event, along with dented gutters and cracked vent boot.
- Sag or settle along the roofline usually points to saturated insulation or a rotted rafter.
- Ice dam buildup at the eave and over the soffit, driven by warm attic air and poor ventilation.
- Peeling or flaking sealant at counter-flashing, mastic, and roof cement joints.
A ladder walk of the fascia and gutter line happens before we hand over a roof estimate. If a full system is not the right call for your building, we say so and price a targeted repair instead.
Day-of work looks like this: a crew strips the old roof with a roofing shovel and pry bar, then pulls nails and staples out of the plywood or OSB sheathing.
A nail gun and air compressor speed deck repairs, and a roofing square keeps courses true around hips, gables, and verges.
On modified bitumen we may still use a torch, though self-adhered cap sheets have replaced open flame on many jobs. Adhesive and caulk seal penetrations; sealant alone will not waterproof a joint for long.
Screws, not only nails, hold down edge metal and single-ply terminations. We check every fastener for an overdriven head before we close up a run.
Ridge cap, hip, and verge details get the same care as the field. We add a counterbatten or batten where a vented assembly needs an air gap, and keep the vapor barrier intact on the warm side of the insulation.
Overhangs, dormers, and skylight curbs are common leak points, so those get extra flashing and a fresh boot flashing or apron flashing where the roof meets a wall.
An attic fan, a soffit vent, and balanced intake and exhaust keep the roof deck dry from underneath. That weatherproofing counts as much as anything on the surface.
When hail or wind strips shingles off, we document the damage the way an adjuster will and hand you a line-item estimate you can attach to an insurance claim.
