Flat roofs are not flat
A good low-slope roof falls about a quarter inch per foot toward its drains or scuppers. Most leaks on commercial buildings start where that slope is missing: ponds that sit for days after a rain, cooking the membrane and finding every seam.
So the first question on a commercial roof is not which membrane. It is where the water goes.
Why TPO
TPO is a single-ply white membrane. It reflects heat, which matters on a big roof in Bexar County in August. Its seams are welded with hot air into one continuous sheet rather than glued. Done right, the seam is stronger than the membrane beside it.
We also repair and restore modified bitumen and built-up roofs. We will tell you when a coating buys real years, and when it only buys a nicer-looking quote.
How a project runs
- Survey. We walk the roof, take a core sample if we need to see what is underneath, and check every drain, curb and parapet.
- Proposal. A written scope: tear-off or recover, insulation, tapered crickets for the ponding areas, flashing details and a schedule.
- Work. Sections are opened and closed the same day. We work around business hours when the building needs it, and we coordinate rooftop units with your mechanical contractor.
- Closeout. Photos, as-built notes and the warranty paperwork, in one file you can hand to the next property manager.
Tenants and noise
A tear-off is loud. Your tenants get a written schedule a week ahead, and the debris chute stays away from entrances and loading docks. Nobody likes the roofer who blocks the front door of a dental office.
Maintenance
Twice a year: clear the drains, check the seams and flashing, and look at anything the HVAC technician stepped on. Most commercial leaks we are called to were a twenty-minute fix a year earlier. We offer a maintenance plan for buildings we roofed and for buildings we did not.
Pricing
Commercial roofs are priced per project, after the survey, because the cost lives in the details: drainage, insulation, access, and how many rooftop units have to be lifted. The proposal breaks it out so you can compare it with other bids line for line.