COMMERCIAL ROOF SYSTEMS

Roughly $4.50 to $8.50 installed, EPDM at the lower end and TPO at the upper. Insulation thickness, deck condition and the number of rooftop penetrations move the figure more than membrane choice does.

Manufacturer certification for the system they are specifying, proof of insurance at your required limits, a written scope with the penetration count, and their seam testing method. Any one of those being vague tells you what you need to know.

Usually an owner, a facilities manager or a board, and each wants different evidence. We write scopes that carry the condition report, photographs and line-item pricing together, so the document works for a budget conversation without needing translation.

It depends on remaining membrane life and whether the insulation underneath is dry. A coating buys five to ten years on a sound deck and is wasted money on a saturated one. We core-test rather than guess.

At penetrations and seams, not in the field of the membrane. Every curb, drain, vent and rooftop unit is a detail that can fail, and the count of penetrations drives both the risk and the labour on a quote.

Start planning around year 15 on a 20 to 30 year membrane. Roofs rarely fail on a convenient schedule, and knowing the remaining service life lets you phase the work across budget years rather than funding it as an emergency.