A large commercial roof is a different job from a house. There may be tens of thousands of square feet of membrane, dozens of rooftop units, tenants who need the building open, and a budget that has to be approved months ahead. The contractor you pick matters as much as the material. Here is what we think a property manager or owner should look for.

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Start with a survey, not a price

Anyone can quote a square-foot price from an aerial photo. A useful proposal starts with someone walking the roof and answering a few questions first:

Is the insulation under the membrane dry? A moisture survey (usually infrared or core cuts) answers this.

Where does water sit after a rain, and why?

What condition are the drains, scuppers, curbs and parapet walls in?

Is the deck sound, and what is it made of?

Those answers decide whether the building needs a full tear-off, a recover over the existing roof, or a restoration coating. The difference in cost between those three can be large, so it is worth getting right before anyone prices the job.

Match the system to the building

Most low-slope commercial roofs in North Texas are one of these:

TPO: a white single-ply membrane with heat-welded seams. It reflects heat, which helps with cooling costs in a Texas summer.

Modified bitumen: layered, asphalt-based sheets. Tough, and good where there is heavy foot traffic around equipment.

Restoration coatings: silicone or acrylic applied over a sound existing roof. They can add 10 to 15 years at a fraction of the cost of a tear-off when the membrane and insulation are still in decent shape.

A good contractor will explain why one fits your building better than the others instead of selling the same system on every job.

Plan around the people inside

On an occupied building, the logistics are often harder than the roofing. Before work starts, a contractor should be able to tell you:

How the work will be phased so sections of the building stay watertight every night

Where materials, the crane or hoist, and dumpsters will sit

How tenants will be notified, and who they call with a problem

What happens if weather moves in with part of the roof open

On multi-building sites like apartment complexes or office parks, ask for a building-by-building schedule. It keeps residents informed and lets the owner spread the cost across budget periods.

Ask about storm claims up front

Commercial policies are written differently from homeowner policies. Deductibles are often a percentage of the insured value instead of a flat amount, and adjusters on large losses may bring in engineers. If a storm is part of why you are re-roofing, the contractor should document damage in a way that holds up to that level of review.

Warranties worth having

There are two kinds, and you want both:

The manufacturer's warranty covers the materials, and on larger jobs can cover the whole system if the installer is certified and the roof passes the manufacturer's inspection.

The contractor's workmanship warranty covers installation mistakes. Get the length and the terms in writing.

Keep it maintained

Most commercial roofs that fail early fail from neglect. Two walk-throughs a year, one in spring and one in fall, are enough to clear drains, reseal flashing at units and catch small punctures before they reach the insulation. It is the cheapest thing an owner can do to reach the full service life of the roof.

Talk to us about your building

We work on commercial, multi-family and HOA roofs across the Dallas-Fort Worth area from our yard in Justin. If you are planning a re-roof or want to know how much life your current roof has left, call (855) 741-ROOF to set up a walk-through.

Choosing a Commercial Roofing Company for Large Projects