Can I Reroof, or Do I Have to Tear Off My Existing Commercial Roof?

When you need reroofing work done, there are a couple different ways to go about it. A full commercial reroofing includes removing the existing roof and replacing it with a new one—but there is another option that may end up saving you time and money, and that is building a new roof on top of the existing one.

The option of just building over your existing roof may not be the best one for you, however. There are some things you should consider before choosing whether you should tear off the existing roof or build on top of it.

Here are some details on both options.

Building over the existing roof

When it comes to reroofing, the economical choice is to build over the existing roof. There are many reasons for this, including saving money, saving time and saving the environment.

First of all, this saves money by requiring fewer labor hours and less material. You may also be able to keep the existing insulation and avoid paying for new material.

Second, it will take less time. Since the roofing contractor won’t have to remove the old roof, the job won’t take as long to complete. You’ll use fewer materials as well. This all adds up to a savings for your business if you need commercial reroofing.

Finally, this option will help lessen the impact on the environment. Especially if you’re able to reuse insulation, building over the existing roof will keep a lot of material out of the landfill.

Tearing off the roof

While building over an existing roof is the more economical option, it’s not always the best choice for a given situation. There are many reasons why this may not be advisable or the best fit for your situation.

For example, if the roof is in particularly bad shape, it might be best just to scrap it all and start fresh from scratch. This will avoid any potential problems with the roof being waterlogged or rusted or containing other problems that may come back to haunt you later.

Another instance where it is necessary to tear off the existing roof is if there are already two roofs. Legally, a commercial building cannot have more than two roof layers. This is because the excess weight could create a dangerous hazard. If your commercial building has been reroofed before, you should check to see how it was done.

You also may just want to start fresh with a new roof, regardless of the condition or history of the existing roof. This will also abate any concerns about undetected deterioration that may become a problem down the road.

How to know which is best

The decision on whether to reroof over an existing roof or tear it off and start from scratch should not be made without careful consideration. The best way to be sure you’re making the right decision is to contact a professional roofing contractor, so they can take a look and give their advice. If you need an experienced roofing contractor for your commercial reroofing project, contact R & H Roofing, LLP today.

Categorised in: Commercial Roofing, Roof Installation

This post was written by Writer