Your building’s roof has been patched more times than anyone can remember, and the last contractor told you it’s time for a new one. Now you’re looking at commercial roofing installation bids that don’t look anything alike, and you’re not sure which one describes the roof you actually need.
That’s a hard spot. A new commercial roof is one of the biggest checks a building owner writes, and you have to make the decision while the business keeps running underneath. You deserve a plan you can understand, based on what’s really on your roof, before you commit.
APC Roofing installs flat, low-slope and metal roofs on commercial buildings across Central Florida, the Daytona Beach area, the Kansas City metro and Springfield, Missouri. We’ve been in business since 2017, we’re GAF Certified, licensed and insured, and the inspection and estimate are free. Call 866-995-0704.
Start with what’s already up there
Before anyone can tell you what your new roof should be, they need to know what’s under the one you have. On a low-slope roof, that usually means a core cut: a small plug cut through the whole roof and patched right away. That plug shows how many roofs the building already carries, what the deck is made of, and whether the insulation is dry or soaked.
Those answers shape the whole project. Wet insulation has to come out. A new membrane laid over soaked boards traps the water, and the roof keeps deteriorating under a surface that looks brand new. The number of existing layers matters too. Building codes generally limit how many roof coverings a building can have, so laying a new roof over the old one, often called a recover, isn’t always allowed even when it would cost less.
If two bids are far apart, ask each contractor whether they checked under the surface. Often that explains the gap.
Commercial roofing installation starts with drainage
A low-slope roof isn’t flat, and it shouldn’t be. It needs enough fall for water to reach the drains, and plenty of older buildings don’t have it. Tapered insulation, boards cut on a slight slope and laid out to a plan, builds that fall in. Small sloped pieces called crickets get added behind equipment curbs and between drains so water moves around obstacles instead of sitting behind them.
A common rule of thumb: if water is still standing on the roof 48 hours after the rain stops, it’s ponding. Ponding water adds weight, works at seams and ages the membrane early. A new roof is the best chance to fix it for good.
Choosing the roof system
The right system depends on your roof’s slope, the deck, how much foot traffic it gets, what equipment sits on it and how long you plan to own the building. The usual options are:
- TPO, a white, heat-welded single-ply membrane that reflects sunlight. See our page on TPO roofing.
- EPDM, a rubber membrane that stays flexible in cold weather. More on EPDM roofing.
- Modified bitumen and built-up roofing, layered asphalt systems that hold up well to foot traffic.
- Metal, for low-slope buildings with enough pitch to drain a panel system.
None of these is right for every building. Be careful with any contractor who only installs one of them, since they’ll tend to find reasons your building needs it.
Florida sun and storms, Midwest hail and cold
Climate shapes the choice. In Central Florida and the Daytona Beach area, a reflective membrane can keep the roof surface cooler under year-round sun, heavy afternoon rain makes drain sizing important, and hurricane season puts the edges and fastening to the test.
In the Kansas City metro and around Springfield, the roof has to handle spring hail, strong wind, snow and ice that can block drains, and winter freeze-thaw. Thicker membranes and cover boards can help a roof take hail better, and drainage has to keep working when it’s frozen.
How the roof is held down
A low-slope roof can be mechanically fastened, fully adhered or held down with ballast, and each behaves differently in high wind. The choice depends on the building’s height, exposure and deck. Wind doesn’t pull evenly, either. Corners take the strongest uplift, the perimeter is next, and the middle of the roof takes the least. That’s why fastening gets tighter at corners and edges, and why edge metal deserves as much attention as the membrane itself. Most storm failures on commercial roofs start at an edge.
Working above a business that stays open
The roofing is half the job. The other half is running a construction project over people who need to work, shop or live below it. A good plan covers where materials and dumpsters go, when the noisiest work happens, how fumes are kept away from air intakes, and how the roof is kept watertight each night. Ask any contractor to walk you through that plan before work starts.
What you should get when it’s done
Ask for photos of the key details before they were covered, a record of what was replaced, a roof plan marking drains and penetrations, and written care instructions for the system. Membrane manufacturers often tie their coverage to correct installation details, so that file matters long after the crew leaves.
One more honest note. Most of APC Roofing’s work is homes and smaller commercial buildings. If you own a large low-slope building, ask every bidder, us included, how much of their work looks like your roof. It’s a fair question, and the answers will tell you a lot.
How it works
- Book your free inspection. Call 866-995-0704 or request a free estimate online.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. We’ll look at what’s on the roof now, explain the options that fit your building and give you a written estimate.
- The roof gets installed and the site gets cleaned up. You’ll get a realistic schedule up front, planned around your building.
Commercial roofing installation questions
Can a new roof go over my old one?
Sometimes. It depends on how many layers are already there, whether the existing insulation is dry and what your local code allows. A core cut answers most of that.
How long does a commercial roof installation take?
It depends on the size of the roof, the system and the weather. You’ll get a realistic schedule with your estimate.
Should I repair or replace?
If the problems are limited to seams, flashing or a few areas, repair may buy you years. Our commercial roof repair page explains how we approach that.
A roof you can stop budgeting around
The goal is a dry building, a roof built for your climate and a business that kept running while it went on. Call 866-995-0704 or book your free inspection online, and see our commercial roofing page for everything else we do for building owners.
