Flat Roof Repairs are usually not cheap but with a little help to know how it doesn't have to be a budget busting event, and the best part is you won't have to sacrifice quality or cut corners to save.
Follow these 8 Flat Roof repair Strategies to Cut cost without cutting corners:
1. Recover The Old Flat Roof
The number one way to reduce flat roof repair cost is to recover the existing flat roof without doing a tear off. This approach means a faster installation, reduced labor cost, and minimal disruption to your building’s activities. Seriously consider a PVC flat roof recover. (here’s how it works) link
2. 20 Year Flat Roof Without The 20 Year Cost
Flat roofing membranes are measured in thickness and the thickness usually determines the life span of the roof. One great way to reduce flat roof repair cost is to upgrade to the thicker membrane without buying the additional warranty coverage. For example if a 40 mil membrane comes with a standard 15 year warranty but the 50 mil and 60 mil are 20 year products, you can upgrade to the thicker membrane but not purchase the additional 5 years of extended warranty coverage.
3. Go Up and Over Walls
Using the membrane to go up and over the parapet walls not only encapsulates your building’s entire perimeter, it keeps you from having to tuck point and grout the masonry walls and wall caps in the future. The flat roofing membrane up and over the front edge of the wall can be sealed off with a coping cap. Going up and over the walls will stop leaks and the metal coping will enhance the look of your building.
4. Half Coping Instead Of A Full Coping Cap
Using a half coping cap will give you the look and protection of a full coping cap at about half the price. The half coping is also an easy detail to install.
5. Two Layers Of Roof Insulation Instead Of One
If you would prefer 4 “ inches of new roof insulation but only have the budget for 2” inches, at least you can split the layers and stagger the joints. Two layers of 1 “ inch roof insulation with staggered seams is much better than the one layer of 2” inch roof insulation both in R value performance and air leakage.
6. Remove Unused HVAC Equipment
Take out any and all plumbing stacks, HVAC equipment, Skylights, or antennas that are not being used. Removing the clutter from the flat roof not only means less things to leak around but it also means you don't have to flash around those old pipes
7. Pick Up The Gutters Now
When flat roofing ends at the edge of a building with gutters the membrane is usually terminated into the back of the gutter using sealant and screws into a termination bar. This seal needs to be water tight so that if the gutters back up the water doesn't run back under the flat roof. If you are planning on replacing the gutters in the future you are better off replacing them during the flat roof repair and not after.
8. Keep The Old Roof Dry
If you find yourself in the planning and budgeting phase of a flat roof repair project do your best to keep the old roof as leak free as possible until you are ready to repair it. It’s tough to justify spending money on a flat roof that is soon to be repaired or replaced but going back to point number one of this blog, a recover is the top way to cut cost without cutting corners on flat roof repair. The deal breaker for the flat Roof recovery system is that the existing roof cannot be saturated with moisture. So do your best to keep the roof and building dry so you can use the recovery system as an option. Moving over to a flat roof tear off because the existing roof is saturated will increase your repair cost by as much as 50%.
With a little planning and a little know how you can save big on your next Flat Roof Repair.
