How Much Does a Commercial Roof Replacement Cost?
Summit Commercial Roofing
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The cost of a commercial roof replacement depends on many factors, including time of year, material, and project complexity. Learn more!
The cost of a commercial roof replacement depends on many factors, including time of year, material, and project complexity. Learn more!
As a business owner, you’ve got a lot on your plate when it comes to managing costs and providing for the long-term health of your company. When you evaluate a major expenditure such as a new roof, you need to know what kind of investment you’re making.
Generally speaking, a new commercial flat roof can cost anywhere from $3.50 to $13.50 per square foot, primarily determined by the various factors that we’ll cover below.
Arguably, the biggest factor that influences roof cost is the size of your roof. The bigger your roof, the more you’ll pay for materials and labor. In addition to roof size, another factor that can add to the expense of your next replacement is the number of slopes the roof has. While most commercial roofs are flat or low slope, there may be some exceptions. A steeper roof has a larger surface area, so more roofing materials would be required, thus increasing the cost. Labor costs may also increase because steeper slopes are more challenging and hazardous for roofers.
Outside of the size of your roof, the type of roofing material you opt for will significantly impact the cost of your replacement. Some of the more popular materials include:
When selecting the roofing material for your replacement, make sure to weigh all of your options, take the time to understand how the material is sourced, and evaluate the brands your contractor uses, as these can all have an impact on the cost of the replacement.
One of the factors that many property managers overlook when it comes to a roof replacement is how accessible their roof is and whether there are any measures the contractor will have to take to ensure they can access it safely. If the contractor has to enact certain extra logistical measures or bring in extra equipment to ensure they can work safely and/or efficiently, it’s likely to result in a higher replacement cost. Some of the considerations that could play a factor include:
Local building, contracting, and zoning laws dictate requirements for details such as underlying structures, materials, substrate, ventilation, slope, and application methods.
These codes are drafted to ensure that roofs are constructed to withstand typical weather and environmental hazards in a particular region. That usually results in specific fire resistance, wind load, and impact resistance requirements, which are typically broken down into specific rules for each type of roofing materials and the types of fasteners that must be used in construction. Some local codes are incredibly complex, spelling out different regulations according to building height. The specificity of these codes requires diligence and expert knowledge by professional commercial roofers.
Labor costs will vary from roofing company to roofing company. We’ve already explained some of the factors that impact labor costs, but to reiterate here, the size and accessibility of your roof, the complexity of the job, and the type of roofing material being installed are all factors that can potentially increase the cost of a roof replacement.
While roofing work can be done year-round, some seasons are more expensive. The spring and summer seasons tend to be more costly for roofing work because there’s more demand for such services because the weather is more favorable. Because of the increase in demand, there’s often an increase in labor costs and potentially even material costs.
The fall and winter seasons tend to be considered the slow season for roofing work because demand is usually less during months when the weather conditions are less favorable. As a result, some roofing companies may offer better prices to entice customers.
While roofing companies can catch most issues with a visual inspection, there are some cases where structural problems, like roof deck rot, mold growth, trapped moisture, and issues with substrate materials, are uncovered during the actual replacement. If these types of issues are discovered, they need to be addressed before the work can progress, which ultimately adds to the replacement cost.
The two most common types of roofing replacements are tear-offs and re-roofing. A tear-off removes the existing roof completely and replaces it with all new materials, while re-roofing involves installing a new roof over the existing roof.
As you can imagine, tear-offs are more costly than re-roofing because the process is more labor intensive and also involves material disposal. The benefit of tear-offs is that they can help uncover structural issues mentioned in the section above and ensure they’re addressed before they worsen.
Beyond the various factors that we’ve covered throughout this post, you may also run into certain hidden or unexpected costs, including:
The best way to avoid hidden costs is to ensure you’re working with an honest contractor (easier said than done), but some costs (like structural damage and weather delays) can’t be predicted, so it’s worth budgeting for some of these extra costs, just in case. When discussing your project with a contractor, ask them about expected costs for structural repairs and how they handle weather delays, and provide an itemized quote.
There’s a lot to a roof replacement. Although most business owners (like yourself) need a better idea of cost, it’s hard to predict without knowing the full scope of work.
To better understand how much your roof replacement will cost, contact Summit Commercial Roofing today to schedule an assessment. We’ll provide you with a detailed quote and an estimated timeline of completion.
ABOUT SUMMIT COMMERCIAL ROOFING
Summit Commercial Roofing is a family-owned and -operated roofing company specializing in commercial flat roof work throughout southeast Michigan. We have over 50 years of experience repairing and replacing all types of flat roofs, including metal, PVC, and EPDM, and are proud members of the Construction Association of Michigan, Midwest Roofing Contractors Association, and National Roofing Contractors Association.
Is your property in need of roofing service? Contact Summit Commercial Roofing today at 734-422-8280 or fill out our online form for more information and to schedule a free, no-hassle roof inspection and service estimate. As Southeast Michigan's leader in commercial roofing services, we're standing by to deliver fast, reliable and high-quality roofing service.