While the basic idea of putting a new roof on a commercial building is the same as on a residential house, there are additional factors to consider. Knowing these goes a long way towards ensuring your commercial roofing job gets done the right way, on budget and in a timely manner.
Prep Work
The roofs of most commercial buildings are slightly flat, so it’s difficult to do a proper inspection from the ground with a pair of binoculars alone. Commercial roofers often use drones to take a close look at the roof without disrupting the commercial operations below.
Inspections of flat and slightly-sloped roofs are extremely important in finding water and structural damage. Such damage is not as readily apparent as with the conventional sloped roof of a residential home.
After the inspection is done, it’s time to talk with the roofers about estimates, insurance, and warranties. Don’t be afraid to ask about things you don’t understand, and don’t rush into any decisions. Keep in mind that you are trying to develop a long-term relationship with your roofing team. You want to be able to bring them back for years into the future to inspect and repair the roof.
Materials
There are a variety of materials used in commercial roofing. Almost all are synthetic and range from plastics to foams. Criteria for choosing the right material depend on your climate, budget, and energy-use goals.
Processes
Once you’ve decided on the new roofing, the old roofing is stripped away. Next, the roofers can look again for water damage, ripped underlayment, and rot and act accordingly to repair and replace before putting in the new roofing.
It’s a good idea to assume that they are going to find at least a few problems that will need to be fixed before moving forward. Having the old roofing off allows contractors to find problems that couldn’t be seen initially.
Once the new roofing is down, it’s time to do a detailed inspection with the contractor up on the roof. In particular, look at flashing, seams, and any area where there is going to be a lot of drainage after rain.
When this is done, talk to your contractor about a plan for inspections and maintenance going forward. Plan on your roofers returning at least once a year to check for water damage and other problems. You can’t just forget about a commercial roof once it’s up!
While there are many issues to consider when replacing a commercial roof, it’s a very doable process if you do your homework first. Once your new roof is up, it’s time to get back to what you do best: focusing on your business. When you need commercial roof installation services in Danvers, MA, contact JP Carroll.
