Commercial Roof Replacement While Your Business Stays Open
Replacing a commercial roof is mostly a logistics problem with a roofing problem in the middle of it. The roof decision comes from core samples; the schedule comes from the people working underneath, and both get settled before anyone orders material.
Veteran BuiltCypress, Texas
The first question on any commercial replacement is tear-off or recover. A recover installs a new roof over the existing one, which saves removal and keeps the building closed in, but it’s only an option when the existing roof is dry, the deck is sound, and code allows another layer on that building. A tear-off removes everything to the deck, which takes more labor and opens the building, but it lets us see and fix the deck and get rid of wet insulation for good. Core samples taken across the roof decide which one is honest.
The rest of the job is keeping the business running. Tear-off happens in sections that can be dried in the same day, so the building is never left open overnight. Loud work gets scheduled around the tenants who can’t take noise, and material lifts go where they won’t block customer parking or a loading dock. Rooftop units may have to be disconnected and raised to flash the curbs properly, which means coordinating a mechanical contractor and telling occupants when the air will be off.
Houston adds its own pressure. When the owner has a choice, replacements are best scheduled outside the peak of hurricane season, and sections opened in summer need a plan for the afternoon storm that shows up with little warning. Older buildings in the area often carry two or three roof layers already, and many have drains sitting too high after previous recovers, so water ponds around them. A replacement is the time to put the drains back at the low points.
Houston roofs live hard. Spring hail, hurricane season from June to November, summer storms that throw straight-line wind, and attic temperatures that cook shingles from underneath. Algae streaks the north slopes. None of that means every roof needs replacing, but it does mean an inspection has to look at the attic, the vents and the flashing, not just the shingles you can see from the yard.
The straight answer on commercial roof replacement
How we decide, written down so you can hold us to it.
- Core samples show wet insulation across a large part of the roof, so patching would be chasing water that’s already inside.
- Leak calls come in after every storm and the repair invoices keep stacking up on a roof that’s past its life.
- You’re buying, refinancing or re-leasing a building and the roof is the item holding up the deal.
- If the wet areas are small and the rest of the roof is dry, targeted repairs or a partial replacement may carry it for years, and we’ll quote that instead.
- If you don’t know the roof’s condition yet, a written commercial roof inspection is the right first step, and it gives you something to judge replacement bids against.
- If the roof is a tenant’s responsibility under the lease, sort out who owns it before anyone orders material.
How we run it
- I
Core samples and scope
We sample the roof, map wet areas, and write a scope that says tear-off or recover and why.
- II
Schedule with the occupants
We set work sections, noise windows, lift locations and any HVAC shutdowns with the owner or property manager.
- III
Section by section
Each section is removed, the deck repaired, and the new system installed and dried in before the crew leaves for the day.
- IV
Drains, curbs and edges
Drains are reset at the low points, curbs reflashed, and new edge metal and coping installed to finish the roof.
What we ask before we price it
- How old is the roof, and has it been repaired before?
- Any ceiling stains, and do they come back after every rain or only in a storm?
- Is there an HOA with rules on shingle color or material?
- Are you talking to an insurance carrier about this roof, or paying out of pocket?
- Do you know who installed the current roof, and is there any paperwork from it?
What’s the difference between a recover and a tear-off?
A recover puts a new roof over the old one; a tear-off removes the old roof to the deck. A recover only makes sense when the old roof is dry and another layer is allowed. Core samples tell us which you have.
Will my business have to close?
Rarely. Work happens in sections that are closed up each day, and we plan noise, deliveries and any HVAC shutdowns around your hours. A restaurant and a warehouse get very different schedules.
How many roof layers can a commercial building have?
Codes limit how many roof layers can stack, and many older Houston buildings are already at that limit. If yours is, the old layers come off. The core samples show how many are up there.
Do rooftop units have to be moved?
Sometimes. If curbs are too short for proper flashing above the new roof, the units need raising, which means a mechanical contractor and a planned shutdown. We find that out during the scope so the shutdown is planned.
Is there a best time of year to replace a commercial roof here?
Fall and winter give you drier stretches and fewer tropical storms than late summer. Leaks don’t wait for good weather, though, so we plan daily dry-in no matter when the job runs.
Can you work with my property manager?
Yes. On an occupied building most of the coordination runs through the property manager, and we’d rather have one contact who knows the tenants than surprise them.
Who you are hiring
Google reviewers have given us 5.0 across 19 reviews, and the word that keeps coming up is honest. We would rather talk you out of a job than sell you one you do not need.
Military families and first responders take 10% off, and financing is available through Acorn Finance with a no-obligation prequalification. Ask about either when you call.
Leland Cannon spent 21 years in the Army and retired as a First Sergeant. Geoff Schardien served in Air Force Security Forces and has more than twenty years in residential construction. One of them walks every job before it starts, and you keep one phone number from the first visit to the last day.