If your roof is leaking, sagging or has damage from a recent storm, it may be time for your roof to be inspected. If it is a small leak, often if you catch it soon enough, it can simply be repaired. If the damage is very severe, it may require the entire roof to be replaced.
Roof repair in Des Moines, Iowa or anywhere in the Midwest can become very costly. It is often an expense that building owners or businesses put off for years, which can lead to even more damage. Here are a few recommendations about how to reduce the cost of a flat roof replacement in Iowa and the Midwest.
Recover an Existing Flat Roof
The first thing that our roof inspectors analyze is the current condition of your roof. If the roof damage is minor, perhaps it can be recovered and repaired instead of replaced entirely. If this is an option, you will save up to 50% of the cost of the job. Our Duro-Last roof specialists will simply patch or overlay new PVC material over the existing flat roof and seal it from the elements. This will not only save you from disrupting your business while your roof is being repaired, but will also prevent a messy tear-off.
Switch from Glue to a Screw-Down Roof
Another quick and easy way to reduce costs on your flat roof repair or replacement is to use screw-down fasteners for your new Duro-Last roofing. This not only saves cost on materials, but is also much faster to install. It is also a very environmentally-friendly way to install your new commercial or industrial roof, because of the reduction of materials.
Apply a Thicker Membrane to Your Flat Roof
Along the same lines as reducing materials; you can also apply a thicker membrane to your roof in order to cut costs. Although some people think that applying a thicker membrane requires you to upgrade from the free 15 year warranty to a more expensive 20 year warranty. That’s not entirely true, though. You can upgrade to a thicker membrane while keeping the standard 15 year warranty. This will provide you better protection with a thicker Duro-Last membrane while keeping your costs lower
Going Up and Over the Walls
If you want to reduce the costs of replacing your industrial or flat roof, see if your roofing installer will go up and over the walls. Many flat roofs have roof parapets that helps prevent water from going up and over the sides of the roof. A really good way to prevent roof leaks is to extend the Duro-Last covering up and over those parapets with wall flashings. This will help repel any water trying to get into those parapets that could ultimately cause a leaking roof.
Go from Full Coping to ½ Coping
Another way you can save money with your flat roofing contractor is to choose a ½ coping on your parapets rather than full coping. The half coping looks the same from exterior, but they only use roughly half the metal, so you save on the cost of metal. The coping you choose is purely aesthetic, but depending on what materials you choose, it can change the price of the flat roof installation drastically.
Remove Unused Equipment
While you’re installing or repairing your flat roof, take the time to remove any unused equipment off the roof. You can even use the same crane to that you’re using to lift membrane to take off any old unused HVAC units etc. While doing this at the same time may add minimal costs upfront, you will certainly save in the long run. Not only will it allow your commercial roofing contractors to lay the flat roof membrane across the roof without hindrances, but it also results in fewer places that you can have a roof leak. Your flat roof will be cleaner and be much less likely to require leak repair in the future.
Keep Your Old Roof Dry
If you’re waiting to install a new flat roof or repair your existing flat roof, be sure to keep it dry in the meantime. While we understand that not everyone has the budget to immediately repair their flat roof, but we don’t want you to let the roof get any worse. If you allow your roof to continue to deteriorate, the repairs can be much more costly, and if your roof is wet, we can’t do a layover.
Find a Flat Roofing Contractor You Can Trust
Lastly, it’s vitally important for you to trust and be comfortable with your flat roofing contractor. At The Duerson Corporation, we take your budget and the integrity of your roofing installation very seriously. Contact us today to talk to us about repairing your existing roof or to install a new roof. We also provide free roof analyses to advise you about the current status of your flat roof and to provide you with quotes if you so wish.