In our overview of Flat Roofing Technologies: Part I – BUR, Tar & Gravel and Modified Bitumen, we discussed the older and in many ways inefficient types of flat roofs, that are not only outdated by today’s standards, but also have a short life cycle expectancy. Moreover, they pose numerous obstacles when it comes to repairing those flat roofs, as discussed in our Flat Roof Repair guide. See our comparison of two seemingly similar, yet very different in their nature flat roofing types – PVC and TPO roofs.

In Part II we will take a look at the newer, more advanced roofing technologies, and explore the advantages and disadvantages of each single-ply roofing technology commonly used today.

What is single-ply flat roofing?

There is a lot of confusion about single ply membrane roofing. Many people think that any ‘single ply’ is the answer to their flat roofing problems. This however is far from being the truth. In reality, single-ply roofing membranes have only one thing in common – that is they are single ply or just one layer of membrane that is a water proofing barrier. The similarity stops there.

Single ply membrane formulation, or the components a membrane is made of, is what makes the difference between different types of single-ply flat roofing membranes. Single ply roofing membranes come in various widths, ranging from 6 to over 18 feet. In theory, the wider the membrane is, the less overlapping seam you have, thus reducing the possibility of leaks. The reality is different however, and most commonly used membranes do not exceed 10 feet in width.

The most crucial aspect to the reliability and longevity of single ply roofs is the method of attaching overlapping seams together. That is where 99% of flat roof leaks occur. Therefore, having permanently attached seams is the most important factor in the longevity of a flat roof installation. We will discuss it in more detail as we review different single ply roofing technologies.

Single-ply membrane installation methods:

Single ply membranes are installed either as fully adhered or mechanically attached systems depending on each roof’s condition, and other factors, as well as an installer’s preferences in some cases. Underneath the membrane there s usually a separation barrier and/or some sort of insulation board. Most common insulation is ISO or EPS foam board. Both types have an R-value ranging from 4-R to 6-R per 1 inch of insulation thickness.

Mechanically attached installation uses heavy duty screws and barbed plates to hold the membrane down tightly, and is not affected by possible ISO de-lamination. The membrane is attached using 12″ O.C. pattern with perimeter sheets attached 6″ O.C. This ensures that even the hurricane-type wind will not tear off your roof. Mechanically attached installation method does not require the use of heavy and expensive ballast, and is a preferred choice if your building is located in the high-wind area, such as along the coast line or on a high hill.

Fully adhered single ply membranes are glued to the fiberglass sheet laminated to both sides of the ISO insulation, which is in turn attached to the roof deck. While quick and simple, the fully adhered method has one serious disadvantage. If condensation forms underneath a roofing membrane, which often happens and may be caused by improper ventilation of the roof deck, it will ‘de-laminate’ the ISO board and/or adhesive that is holding membrane in place. If the membrane becomes loose, it is prone to wind blow-off, which will leave your roof unprotected. Results of such blow-off will be catastrophic not only to your roof, but to the entire building. While this is rarely the case, it is still a possibility – a gamble you might not want to take.

More common problems with fully-adhered single-ply flat roofing systems (Mostly EPDM rubber) are defects in glue/adhesive application that cause bubbles, badly glued seams and as a result, a very unpleasant view and more often then not, roof leaks. The image bellow demonstrates a defective Epdm rubber application.

Find out more information on why you should avoid installing EPDM rubber roofing on you home and how residential roofing contractors are trained to install rubber roofs.

Three most common single-ply roofing types:

Today, single ply roofing has become the prime choice when it comes to flat roof replacement. More and more roofing contractors are switching from old roofing types like BUR, Asphalt, and Tar & Gravel roofs to single-ply membrane installation, which is easier, safer and faster. Single ply roofing installation does not use the torching used in Modified Bitumen roofs installation, and therefore there is no fire hazard/possibility to bur down your home / business.

There are 3 most-used single ply membrane types present on the market today: PVC/CPA, EPDM rubber and TPO. While these abbreviations probably won’t tell you much, about these roof types, bellow we provide a brief summary of each of these technologies.

PVC (CPA)

• PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride – a thermoplastic membrane utilizing a reinforcement scrim between the two plies of equal thickness (IB roof only). Top ply contains Cool Roof pigments, UV stabilizers, and other components to extend the life of the membrane. Bottom ply contains PVC ingredients to provide consistent weld of top and bottom plies and fillers. Material Warranty Period: Up to 25 years Commercial / Lifetime Residential. PVC roof system life expectancy: 30+ years.
• Special Notes: For a complete overview of IB flat roofing products for residential, commercial and restaurant use, as well as installation method and roofing accessories refer to our IB Roof products page.

TPO

• TPO – Thermo Plastic Olefin – a thermoplastic membrane utilizing a reinforcement scrim between the two plies. 35/65 % thickness for top & bottom ply respectively. Top ply contains Cool Roof pigments, UV stabilizers, and other components to extend the life of the membrane. Bottom ply contains TPO ingredients to provide consistent weld of top and bottom plies and fillers. Note that the top ply is about half the thickness of the bottom ply. Yet the top ply is the one that makes the roof long-lasting. IB PVC has a 50/50 or equal thickness of top/bottom ply.
• Material Warranty Period: Up to 20 years Commercial / NO Residential. TPO roof system life expectancy – 7 to 20* years. You should know that there is not a single TPO installation in existence in the USA, that was produced in North America and is older than about 15 years. Therefore it is unknown how long a TPO system will perform without any leaks*.
• Special Notes: * TPO roof systems are under continuous development by numerous manufacturers, who constantly change the TPO formulation to achieve the lowest cost with acceptable performance. While it is understandable that businesses always look to save money and to reduce costs, these constant TPO development process is being conducted, often at the expense of the roof owner. A TPO roof from the same manufacturer will most likely NOT be the same as the one produced few years before or after. Also the quality of different batches of TPO membranes may be questionable, as some TPO producers release the product to the end user without getting the UL and similar approvals/certification, as the formulation changes too often. Refer to our comparison article of PVC vs. TPO to find out more about the TPO problems / short-comings.

EPDM Rubber

• EPDM Rubber – Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer – a rubber-like black membrane, usually non-reinforced. Most common application method is a fully adhered (glued down) membrane with glued seams / flashings.
• Material Warranty Period: Up to 40 years Commercial / NO Residential. EPDM roof system life expectancy – 10 to 15 years. Although the material warranty goes up to 40 years for a 90-mil Epdm from some manufacturers, it does not cover the seams. Failing seams are the main cause of EPDM roof leaks followed by ponding water, for which EPDM has no warranty either.
• Special Notes: EPDM is the least expensive single ply roofing type and requires no special equipment to install it (unlike PVC and TPO which require hot-air welding equipment) and thus is the first choice for roofing contractors entering the flat roofing market and asphalt shingle roofers, who ‘install rubber here and there’. Although many commercial roofing companies also use EPDM, they usually do not perform Residential installations so many times a home owner deals with a Part-Time flat roofing company.

Please note that there are many manufacturers of all three types of roofing, and each has their own formulation / manufacturing process / warranty conditions and periods, etc. Therefore we only provide a general summary for each of those roof types. Also, since our specialty is installation of IB roofs, when we use the term PVC or CPA we refer to IB PVC Roof (CPA is the way IB Roof Systems refers to its PVC product. IB membranes are generally ‘compatible’ with other PVC products).

Common single-ply flat roofing choices: CPA/PVC membrane – IB Roof

CPA/PVC single play flat roofing membrane made by IB Roof Systems is by far, the best choice for any type of flat roof. The main advantage of IB’s CPA/PVC membrane is that the seams are Hot Air welded creating a physical bond between the sheets, which is stronger than the membrane itself. Such seam is a permanent seal, ensuring that there will be no leaks even if you have puddles of ponding water on your roof (which by the way is covered under IB’s warranty, unlike other types of flat roofing membranes that only cover the defects in material). IB’s CPA/PVC white membrane is the true energy efficient Cool Roof, this will not only give you years of worry-free performance, but will actually save you money in reduced energy costs. IB also offers a variety of colors, many of which will also qualify to carry a Cool Roof label. But the main factor speaking in favor of IB’s CPA/PVC membranes, is that they have historically proven to last over 25 years without a single leak!

Learn more about IB’s outstanding single ply flat roofing membrane, its advantages, and many choices for Residential, Commercial and Restaurant use.

Dear readers, we are getting an overwhelming amount of questions about IB Solar Wise PV systems, cost of solar, efficiency of IB SolarWise PV system vs. conventional Solar panels, and whether solar will work for you. To answer most of these questions we have created a comprehensive solar PV planning and design guide. Please familiarize yourself with how solar works, solar terminology and Solar PV Roofing price structure – find out how much solar PV roofing should cost – Solar PV prices.

Quick Page Navigation:

• What is IB SolarWise PV? – Introduction to roof-integrated Solar PV system produced by leaders in flat roofing and renewable energy – IB Roofs and Uni-Solar
• IB SolarWise video – Watch IB Solar PV roofing system in action – installation, performance and financial benefits.
• Prices of IB SolarWise PV – Estimate how much an IB Solar PV roofing system will cost for your project before any Federal Renewable Energy Tax credits and State solar rebates.
• Why should you want a roof-integrated Solar PV system? – Learn why BIPV is the way to go when you want to switch to solar PV, and probable consequences of using conventional solar systems.
• Financial benefits of IB SolarWise – Discover why IB solarwise is the least expensive solar PV system to install and maintain.

IB SolarWise roof-integrated Photo-Voltaic systems:

IB SolarWise Roofing is a Revolutionary Product combining Permanent Flat Roofing and Renewable Energy in one easy-to install, leaks-proof flat roofing solution for environment and money conscious Home and Business owners, and has a pay-off period of under 5 years*, while industry standard is 7-10 years or more.

IB SolarWise utilizes Thin Film laminate Solar PV modules produced by Uni-Solar – a US manufacturer of Solar products. Both IB Roofs and Uni-Solar have been in business for over 30 years, and combining their respective experience in Flat Roofing and Solar Photo-Voltaic gives you the highest quality, Super-Energy-Efficient product for Residential, Commercial or Industrial buildings.

SolarWise is more than just a system – it is a way to integrate two different system to work seamlessly, to be leaks free and maintain its warranty without incurring additional costs for the building owner.

IB Solar Wise helps roofing contractors and solar integrators eliminate their biggest worries – roof leaks and solar photovoltaic equipment damages by creating a seamless integration between two previously incompatible technologies.

IB SolarWise Video

Until recent availability of IB SolarWise system, solar integrators had to rely on caulking and screws to attach solar panels to the roof surface. This created leak problems for which solar integrators did not want to take responsibility. Roofing contractors were ‘terrified’ of solar equipment and its sky-high replacement cost in case of damage during roof repair. Now all these problems are eliminated by integrating solar PV components into a long-lasting IB roofing membrane, resulting in the elimination of leaks, reduced solar and roofing installation & materials costs and reduced requirement for dead-weight load on the structural components of the building.

IB SolarWise Prices

Here we will demonstrate a cost structure for a hypothetical 3 KW solar PV system installed on a roof of home or business. Do understand that this cost includes the installation of IB Roof, BIPV Solar panels, Inverter, wiring, etc., and the prices are provided “before” any Federal tax credits and State rebates for solar and other renewable energy projects.

Lets assume that our roof is an average residential roof that is 1500 sq. ft., which has a slight pitch and is positioned in a southern direction with no shading (perfect conditions for solar PV installation). Please note that slope of the roof, shading or southern exposure do not directly affect your cost for a solar system, but these conditions will affect your system’s efficiency and total electricity output. Theoretically, on a 1500 sq. ft. roof, we can install up to 7 KW of IB Solar Panels, but for the purposes of this example we will use 3 KW system mentioned before.

There is a lot of confusion about how the solar PV systems are priced – many people assume that solar is priced by Square Foot, but that is the furthest thing from the truth. Because Solar Panels from various manufacturers have different efficiency, the electricity produced by 15 sq. ft. panel from Manufacturer A can be double that produced by same size panel made by Manufacturer B. Therefore all solar PV systems are priced by their output measured by Watts DC. The average industry cost for solar PV systems that are rack-mounted and installed on an asphalt shingles roof of a residential homes range from $10 to $12 per Watt DC.

IB SolarWise PV system utilizes a thin-film Solar PV laminates produced by Uni-Solar Ovonics. These solar panels have lesser efficiency than a more common crystalline silicon panels (big aluminum boxes) per sq. ft., therefore they require more space to have a large size solar array installed. However that is rarely a concern as usually there is plenty of unused, unshaded space on the roof. Prices of IB Solar Wise PV are in the range of $13-14 per Watt DC. This is slightly more than your conventional PV panels, but it also includes a Lifetime roof, and provides a complete, water tight system, which is guaranteed not to leak, as is often the case with conventional PV systems installed on rack mounting systems, which are bolted to the roof.

The $13-14 per Watt DC figure is flexible and a lot depends on the size of the roof and the size of the solar system (number of KWatts), and in some cases can actually be on par with cost of conventional Solar systems, which do not include the roof. Each individual project will be different, so use these numbers for reference only.

Also we recommend that you read the next section of this article, discussing why you would want to have a a roof-integrated solar system installed vs. a conventional solar system.

Solar Flat Roofing: Cautionary tale with the end in mind

Foreword: This story is fictional in nature but real in substance, and definitely happened before.

A brave, responsible, and hard-working person – Jack – decides that installing a Solar PV system is not only beneficial for the environment, but is also a sound investment. So after doing the due-diligence he lines up a solar integrator to install the Solar System on his 7 years-old flat roof. The roof has no signs of leaks and Jack feels that there won’t be any problems.

The solar integrator knows his job well and completes the project in a timely manner, applying for and receiving all the available incentives for the client. the system performs well as expected, and generates the expected amount of electricity. All goes well.

3-5 years later the roof begins to leak and the building owner is faced with a dilemma. He needs to stop the leaks but the solar equipment is in the way. The roofing contractor who is supposed to fix the leak hesitates to move the solar equipment, which prevents him form fixing the roof. The only option is to remove the solar panels array completely, remove the old roof, install a new roof, and then put the solar array back.

Excluding the cost of re-roofing, as it is not related to the solar system, the hero of our story had to pay at least a dollar/watt for removal and a dollar/watt to put back the solar panels. Lets say he had a small commercial system of 10 kW or 10,000 watts. This means that he had to pay EXTRA $20,000 just to take the solar system off and put it back on, so the roofing crew could do the work.

Why was this a cautionary story with the END in mind? Very simple: Jack could avoid the extra expense of $20,000 by using a roof-integrated solar system such as IB SolarWise. Cases like this one happen all to often, and not just with flat roofs. A more common example would be an asphalt shingle roof with a solar pv system, where shingles not covered by solar panels deteriorate at normal rate and will have to be replaced about every 15 years. Lets face it: Shingles rarely last more than 15 years. Consider all the roof penetrations form the solar panels’ rack mounts and the roof lasts 12 years, after which the process described above has to accrue, unless of course you are willing to take the roof leaks.

IB SolarWise roof saves you money in FOUR ways:

1 – IB Cool White PVC roofing membrane reflects up to 90% Sun’s heat, thus your AC does not have to work as hard as if you had a black roof. Read more about benefits of IB Cool Flat Roofs.

2 – SolarWise PV modules (solar panels) generate free electricity** by converting sun-light into Electricity you can actually use, so you do not have to buy it from your utility company, or you buy a lot less than you had to before. In some cases your IB SolarWise PV system will produce MORE electricity than you expected, and you electric company will buy it from you at retail price, in states that have Net Metering laws (most states).

You will also be able to sell so called Renewable Energy Credits or RECs to give you even more money for extra electricity that you produce, thus speeding-up you pay-off period! But that is not all – there are also numerous incentives, grants and tax-rebates offered by Federal, State and local Governments, as well as your utility companies.

3 – IB Roof’s durability and proven performance ensures years of leaks-free operation of you roof as well as virtually no maintenance. As a result, you save money on flat roof and interior repair, which you will otherwise incur with other flat roofing systems, renowned for constant roof leaks.

4 – IB SolarWise PV system will save you money on the installation costs. SolarWise PV is a Building-Integrated PV (BI-PV), which means it is actually a part of the IB flat roofing system. This eliminates the need to use expensive solar panel mounts, brackets and railings that take long to install, therefore adding a lot of money to the total cost of the installation.

How IB SolarWise PV works?

IB SolarWise PV produces DC-current, which goes into an Inverter where it becomes AC-current. The inverter is connected to you home’s or building’s electric circuit and also to your meter. You use all electricity you need, while ALL excess electricity goes into the Grid. Electricity that goes into the grid is purchased from you by your utility company through Net Metering, usually at retail price.

Most of the electricity produced by the SolarWise PV system occurs in the summer, when days are longer and more sun-light is available. At the same time people will usually use a lot more electricity in the summer to run the Air Conditioning units, so depending on the “size” of your solar system, you will produce more, less or the same amount of electricity than you actually consume. However, practice shows that in the summer months, Solar systems produce more electricity then is consumed. Therefore, all excess kWh sent to the grid in the summer you will use in the winter, when a lot less of sun-light is available.

Download Official IB SolarWise PV Brochure

Note: you will need a PDF Reader to open this brochure. We recommend fast and free Foxit PDF Reader.

Benefits Summary

With all the positive qualities of IB SolarWise PV system is the Best solution available for any one looking to have an energy-efficient Cool Flat Roof and a Solar PV system. IB SolarWise PV offers the best of flat roofing and solar electricity:

• Lowest Cost per Watt installed with simplified installation and fastest pay-off period of around 5 years!
• Longest Service Life of both the Roofing System and Solar Modules. IB offers a 20 years Material warranty for the SolarWise PV modules and up to 25 years Commercial warranty with its 80-mil flat roofing membrane – the highest commercial warranty available from any flat roofing manufacturer.Home Owners will enjoy IB’s Lifetime Residential Warranty on any IB roofing product. You will not find it anywhere else, guaranteed! IB Roof Warranty Summary
• Fully Integrated Solution eliminates the risk of roof leaks, often associated with regular Solar systems! Light Weight of about 1 lb. / sq. ft. eliminates the need to upgrade the structural components of your flat roof, which further reduces you costs.

• SolarWise PV is BI-PV which qualifies it for additional incentives and rebates from State and Federal government and other
  entities.

Overall, IB SolarWise PV system is the Most affordable and the Longest lasting, Fully Integrated Solar system you can find for Residential and Commercial / Industrial / Restaurant flat roof!

This frequently asked questions section is designed to cover the topics that you are most interested in, and always ask us about.

• Q: Can I install IB Solar Wise panels over EPDM Rubber (Modified Bitumen, Tar roof, etc)
• A: No. IB SolarWise PV system must be installed over IB roof. The solar panels are welded down to the IB PVC roofing membrane which acts as a water-tight barrier and a substrate for IB Solar
• Q: How much does a square foot of IB Solar PV cost?
• A: IB SolarWise PV system as well as other solar systems are not priced by the square foot, but rather by $/Watt DC. Please refer to our IB Solar PV pricing section for more details
• Q: What is the output of IB SolarWise PV module
• A: IB SolarWise PV modules come use 4 Uni-Solar thin-film laminates per module. Each Unisolar module is 136 Watts DC, so each IB SolarWise PV module is 544 Watts. You also have an option of getting modules that are 1/2 the physical and output size and are 272 watts.
• Q: How many KW of IB solar can I install on my roof?
• A: The 544 Watt IB SolarWise PV modules is 19 feet long by 6 feet wide and require 120 sq. feet of unshaded roof area. Therefore, for 1 Kilowatt of electrical output, you will need about 200 sq. feet of roof. However, since IB Solar modules come in sizes of 544 Watts, you need to calculate how many modules you want installed and how much unshaded roof area you have.

More Q and A are coming soon.

Solar PV References and Resources:

To discover more information and methods of designing a solar house, visit our Renewable Energy Blog. There you will find detailed guides to creating a Net Zero Energy consumption home concept that utilizes Solar and Geothermal technologies that are available on the market today.

Solar PV installation Prices – Detailed guide to $$/Watt price-structure of SolarWise PV and other solar systems.

Solar Rebates and Incentives Guide – Summary of Federal, State and Local tax credits, grants, rebates, incentives for installation of Solar PV systems – both for Residential and Commercial installation. Make your Solar PV profitable from the day it is installed!

Solar PV Price Estimator – Calculate the approximate PV System-size in Watts, Cost/Watt and the Price to install your SolarWise PV system, and an IB Roof of your choice.

Solar PV Pay-off / Break-Even Guide – Detailed look at how Solar PV works, Solar systems design, and how you can get Free Electricity. Speed up the pay-off period of your SolarWise PV. In some instances you can make your Solar PV profitable from the day it is installed!

IB Roof References and Resources:

IB Green/Roof-top Garden Roofs – If you are Eco/Environmentally conscious or just want more Green in your live, and have a flat roof Home or Office building, see why IB Roof is the perfect choice for your Greed Roof!

Green Resources Directory – Visit other Green / Eco-Friendly resources available online.

When it comes to replacing your flat roof, you need to think long-term. Getting a cheaper roof, such as EPDM Rubber, may be appealing at first, but you need to consider some factors that will affect the total price of your new roof. Here we will discuss in detail what the total roof replacement price includes, and factors affecting it.

Installation price from every roofing company also includes that company’s overhead or cost of running the business. For example, an established roofing company should be fully insured. This includes adequate Liability and Worker’s Comp Insurance. If for example you get a very low bid, consider that the bidder might not be adequately insured or have no insurance at all. If that is the case and you hire such a contractor, you will be responsible for any damages or injury claims that may occur.

Introducing IB PVC Roof – the longest lasting flat roofing system.

Over the last 30 years, IB Roofs, once a small family-owned company importer and installer of German-developed PVC flat roofing systems, has become a household name in the flat roofing industry. There is a reason for IB’s success – it is the ultimate quality of their products and unparalleled customer service. IB’s original roofs from 30 years ago are still in service and performing well, and when it comes to working with customers, IB will go out of their way yo give you the product you are looking for – be it a color of the membrane, a thickness, or special application requirements.

Quality of IB Flat Roofs:

IB Roofs has not changed the formulation of their PVC membrane since its early days in the late 1970′. Today’s IB membrane is the same great proven product that they were importing from Germany 30+ years ago. IB did not try to make the product cheaper by using less expensive components and fillers. On the contrary, IB has chosen to use the more expensive non-wicking scrim to prevent the membrane from splitting in the center due to water penetration, as is often the case with cheaper TPO roofs.

At some point, there comes a time when flat roof patches stop working and it is time for a replacement.

Here we will review flat roofing cost structure and factors affecting your price, IB Roof prices in Massachusetts and surrounding states ( CT, RI, NH, ME and VT). We’ll also reveal insights into choosing your flat roofing contractor, and what you should expect to pay for your particular roof, as well as your specific roofing product choice.

Flat Roof Replacement Cost: Residential and Commercial

Our general pricing for flat roof replacement works in the following manner:

Residential flat roofs are priced at $675 per square for a simple roof, with no existing roof removal. This includes 50-mil IB Roof membrane, 1/2 inch foam insulation with 2 r-value, perimeter pressure-treated wood nailer and half-roll membrane around the roof edges for wind-uplift prevention. Roof attachment using heavy-duty screws and barbed plates, 6 inches O.C. along the perimeter and 12 inches O.C. in-field. All required roofing parts and accessories are included.

Generally, for a 1000 sq. ft. residential home, your cost should be around $6750 for an average (simple) roof. If you would like to upgrade the membrane type or add more insulation, this will slightly increase your price. Please note: For all residential installations, all IB roofing membranes come with a lifetime residential warranty, therefore there is no need to upgrade from 50 to 80-mil product, as both will perform the same in protecting your roof from the elements and will remain water-tight throughout its life and beyond.





Commercial flat roofs are priced at $600 per square for roofs over 25 squares (2500 sq. ft.) The price difference from residential roofs is due to ‘economy-of-scale’ factors and lower per-square ‘setup’ and insurance costs.

If your commercial roof is around 50 squares you can expect a $30000 price range.

Use our interactive roof price calculator to estimate the cost of you roofing project. You can choose different roof options difficulty level, and will get ‘quotes’ for an IB roof, as well as other roofing products and approximate energy-savings derived from using an IB roof.

Please Note: All prices described above are assuming an ‘average’ roofing project and may/will change depending on your roof’s condition and scope of work required. The price may change in either direction, and will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

We are a premium roofing contractor and do not compete with other roofing companies solely on price. Our roof packages are priced accordingly to the quality, warranty and customer service we provide.

IB Roof packages and prices in New England

All packages described below include roof installation in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications and state/local building codes. They also include the cost of building permits, material warranty and our labor warranty. Prices below do not include tear-off of the existing roof, as that usually varies a lot from one flat roof to another. The cost of a tear-off is determined on a case-by-case basis when we perform a roof inspection. Please refer to our Residential roofing and/or Commercial roofing sections to see the available material / color / membrane thickness options available for your particular roof.

Package 1 – 50-mil white residential IB Roof with Lifetime warranty:

Our basic and most common roof package, includes 50-mil white IB Roofing membrane with all necessary trim, flashings and accessories such as drip edge, air-vents, inside/outside corner flashings, drains, etc., and 1/2 inch fan-fold Styrofoam insulation.

Cost of this package starts at around $675 per square (100 sq. ft.) of roof area.

Package 2 – IB Traditions flat Roof – Architectural Shingles Pattern imprinted onto the membrane:

IB Traditions was created specifically for low-slope roofs with aesthetics in mind. They offer the beautiful look of architectural shingle combined with proven reliability of an IB roofing membrane to give you decades of leak-free performance and curb-appeal. IB Traditions come in three color options: Sierra Vista ( beige / brown ), Stony Ridge (grey) and Mountain Spruce (green). To maintain a consistent shingles look, all IB Traditions installation feature hand-welding of all seams, and use special accessories / flashings designed to match the aesthetics of IB Traditions.

Cost per square for IB Traditions is $775-825, and includes 1/2 insulation and all necessary trim and flashings.

Package 3 – 80-mil white residential IB Roof with a Lifetime warranty:

Includes 80-mil white membrane, 1/2 insulation and all necessary trim / accessories / flashings. Cost per 1 square is $800. If you are looking for an 8-mil Color IB roof, there are six standard colors available and $850 per square. For custom colors the minimum order must be 100 squares ( This is the requirement of IB Roof Systems, and we have no control over it).

One: Roof Installation Prices

Our pricing structure is based on two direct (main) variables and a number of indirect variables that affect the total price of your roof replacement project. You can expect similar pricing methods from other roofing contractors.

First cost variable: Roof Size

The most important variable is the size of your roof. The bigger the roof, the higher the roofing cost. We base our pricing on the number of Squares, where each square is equal to 100 sq. ft. For example, if your flat roof is 1900 sq. ft. it is 19 squares.

Second cost variable: Roof difficulty

The difficulty of roof installation is the second most important variable affecting the cost of your roofing project. If you have a simple roof with a minimal number of roof penetrations (such as HVAC units, sky-lights, roof drains, through-wall scuppers, vent-pipes, posts, etc.), then your roof prices will be much less than if you had a more difficult roof with multiple roof penetrations and obstacles that require more roof flashing details. These roof penetrations require a great deal of professional manual labor and time, and slow-down the entire roof installation process.

Another factor associated with roof difficulty is the roof’s present condition, and presence of gravel and/or multiple roofing layers. These layers generally require removal and consume a lot of time because it is necessary to dispose of them. At the same time, roof removal must be performed quickly to eliminate the possibility of water penetration during the removal process.

Third cost variable: Indirect costs and material upgrades

Additionally, you can expect changes in roofing cost, depending on ease of access, roof location, and material options: As far as material options go, we offer a complete line-up of IB roofing membranes for residential and commercial installations. This includes: 50, 60 and 80-mil membranes in white and custom colors, as well as specialty membranes such as ChemGuard for restaurants, and IB Traditions (Architectural shingles pattern imprinted onto the membrane) and a Slip-proof IB DeckShield for walk-on flat-roof decks. We also offer a wide range of insulation options from 2-r fan-fold foam insulation to 20-r 3.3 inch ISO board and “tapered insulation” to create a slight roof pitch for drainage purposes.

Total Cost Concept

Consider the total installation price of the new flat roof. It will include: labor, materials, warranty and other factors. Roofing materials usually carry a manufacturer’s warranty period ranging from 5 to 25 years for commercial installation. Residential warranties will range from 5-15 years, while IB has the only Residential Lifetime Warranty in the industry. However, residential warranties are more complex, as many flat roofing manufactures will not warranty residential installations, or they fill impose certain requirements before they issue that warranty.

Any roofing job should also include a Labor warranty from the roofing contractor, and usually you can also purchase additional labor warranty from the manufacturer. IB Roofs offers an ‘NDL’ or No-Dollar-Limit labor warranty, which you can purchase as an additional ‘insurance policy’ for your roof.

Flat Roofing – thinking long-term

Most roofing contractors will warranty the water-tightness of the roof they install for the minimum period required by state law or building code. In Massachusetts for example, such minimum period is 2 years. After that, you are usually on your own. We find this especially troubling when someone chooses to install an EPDM or a black-rubber roof, which is especially popular among roofing contractors for its low materials cost. However, rubber roofs usually start to leak within 5 to 8 years after they are installed, due to failing seam adhesives. By this time your labor warranty has already expired and the cost of repair is on you – the owner.

We at CoolFlatRoof warranty our jobs for the length of the material warranty! We can do so, because we exclusively use IB PVC/CPA roofs, and we know that our roofs will NOT leak due to failing seams or other flashing detail.

Two: Overheads or Cost of doing business

Insurance Costs

It is in your best interest to hire a fully insured roofing company. However, adequate insurance coverage for a roofing company is very high: Worker’s Comp is usually 40 cents for each 1 dollar of payroll, or higher if the company had some incidents in the past. Liability Insurance is cheaper, but still it is one of the most expensive in the construction industry, due to possible damages if a contractor fails do adequately protect the building from water during or after installation.

Advertising: Market acquisition cost

Another considerable overhead for most roofing companies are the Marketing/Advertisement costs, as well as Sales-force commissions and office expenses. For many roofing companies, ‘market acquisition cost’ often range from $500 – $1500 per job. These include ‘Yellow Pages’ and news-paper ads, direct mailing, and Internet advertisement, such as Google or Yahoo Pay-Per-Click ads. As a result, you the customer, end up paying these expenses, or as we call it ‘marketing taxes’, that are not directly related to the cost of you roofing job.

We at CoolFlatRoof, do not spend any money on advertisement, except minimal expenses to run our web-site (around $100/year), so we will not charge you the ‘marketing tax’. Instead, we will provide you with the best materials, workmanship and warranty, for less.

Three: Ongoing repair and maintenance expenses

Ponding / Standing Water

While maintenance for most flat roofs is mostly due to the location of the building and surrounding conditions, one of the most frequent maintenance/repair expenses is due to ponding water. Positive drainage is preferable for any flat roof. However, the very nature of flat roof construction makes it often impossible to avoid ponding water accumulation, or it is too expensive to fix it. Ponding water can be eliminated in two ways: Installing Tapered Insulation, or creating a pitch, which is often impossible due to building design. Both are extremely expensive and will cost more than the roof itself, so eliminating ponding water is often out of budget.

While most flat roofing manufactures will void their warranty if there is presence of ponding water for periods of more than 72 hours after the rain, IB Roofs are explicitly warranted against ponding water and it is proven that an IB roof will keep your home or building dry even if you have big puddles of standing water for long periods of time!

Roof Repairs

As we mentioned above, many flat roofing systems will start to leak with-in 5 to 8 years after installation. Most roof leaks occur as a result of ponding water, failing seams, and to a lesser degree, faulty installation. Other factors affecting performance of a flat roof are weather conditions and devastating UV rays of the Sun. This is very true in the New England. We have hot summers and cold winters, and the temperature can dramatically change in matter of hours. Refer to our flat roof repair guide for more information on how roof leaks occur, and what your repair options and costs will be.

In most cases these repairs will be an out of pocket expense for you, as the usual warranty period will be long over by that time. We on the other hand will uphold our warranty after the usual 2-year period, if the leak happens. However, we do everything right the first time so there is usually no need to repair our roofs!

Four: Energy costs/savings

Cool, energy-efficient roofing form IB

Unlike most conventional roofing systems such as Epdm black-rubber, or Asphalt/Tar based BUR roofs, which attract, store and transfer solar heat, white IB Roofs reflect as much as 90% of the solar heat, and carry a Cool Roof certification! Even if you choose one of IB’s color choices, they are also certified by the Cool Roof Council, by implementing highly reflective color pigments. This will save you tremendous amounts of money in reduced HVAC costs. IB roofs act as a complete thermal barrier and increase the R-value of your roof, thus also reducing your heating expenses in the winter. By adding more insulation you will further increase the thermal qualities of your roof.

Conclusion

An IB Roof is the best choice when it comes to flat roofs. An IB Roof has the lowest Total Cost combined with unsurpassed quality and longevity. If the need to repair your IB roof ever arises, such repairs can be performed even 20 years from the day of installation, with IB’s unique Hot-Air fusion welding. It is however highly unlikely, unless there is unforeseen physical damage to the membrane. Expect not to have to repair your IB roof, ever!
An IB Roof will eliminate your ponding water problems and you will avoid expensive pitch-change. IB will also save you money every year by reducing your energy cost, and you will be covered by the Industry’s Best warranty!

If you are looking for a sustainable, long-lasting roofing product for your home or business pitched roof, the Metal Roof will be the perfect choice for you. Known for decades of leaks and corrosion free service, Aluminum metal roofs are becoming the prime choice for quality and longevity oriented home and business owners looking for a new roof. With its Cool Roof properties and permanent design, metal roofs will outlast any conventional asphalt shingles roof. Metal roofs are light-weight, and do not require any structural modifications. In fact they are only 1/4 the weight of regular shingles and 1/10 the weight of slate, and ceramic / concrete tile. Learn more about metal roof pricing by viewing a cost – benefit analysis of common roofing materials, designs and styles.

Use our Flat Roof Calculator to estimate the installation cost of a new IB Roof, as well as compare it with other alternatives. You can also estimate your annual energy savings derived from installation of an IB roof.

Are you excited about an IB Roof? Fill out our Roofing Estimate Request form and indicate which IB product you are most interested in, as well as details about your roof. We will contact you very soon after receiving your request, and we will work with you to provide the best roofing system available!

Flat Roofing systems: The purpose of a flat roof or any roof for that matter is to keep your home or building safe and dry. The roof MUST protect your investment from the elements such as rain, snow, and even the sun’s heat. However, many flat roofing technologies on the market today have some major, inherent drawbacks that have origins in their design. In fact, most flat roofs fail to serve their main purpose just a few years after they are installed.

You are presented with so many choices for a flat roof and every roofing contractor will tell you their product is the best. But which one do you choose and how do you know that you are getting the best deal? Here we have summarized the most common and ‘popular’ flat roofing choices. You can be the judge and decide which is best for you.

Benefits of flat roof construction:

There is a common misconception among many home-improvement contractors and residential builders / architects that flat roofs = problems. The truth is that flat roofs are very convenient, easier to build, and cost less than pitched / sloped roofs. In some cases, a flat roof is the only way to go, for example, when you have a large size building. Building a reliable pitched roof in those cases will require extra engineering to accommodate for additional structural weight.

Flat roofs are also convenient for installing large HVAC equipment that otherwise would have to be installed on the ground. You can also use flat roof as a roof-top deck, patio or penthouse. Green roofs are also gaining popularity with environmentally conscious companies and organizations.

When you compare all the construction costs and environmental benefits, flat roofs by far surpass any sloped roof, for which the roof products of choice are oil-based asphalt shingles. These asphalt shingles end up in our land-fills every 12-15 years, and yet more and more of them are produced.

Limitations and Disadvantages of flat roofing:

Flat roofs also have a number of disadvantages. The main one is the fact that there is no slope and all the water/snow sits on the roof. While water can be taken care of with proper drainage, snow will sit on the roof until it melts. This requires the engineers / architects to implement building components with a higher structural load. Another disadvantage that haunted flat roof installations for over a century is ponding water. Until the invention of single ply membranes such as an IB roof, there was no effective and economical way to eliminate the leaks caused by ponding water. That had to be taken care of in the initial design/construction stage. Creating a slight pitch and multiple drains was required, and still ponding water caused over 75% of all flat roof leaks.

Now the ponding water problem is solved by either implementing a slight pitch to the roof – such as in ‘space metal buildings”, using tapered insulation to direct water flow toward drains and with the creation of IB PVC / CPA roofing with hot-air welded seams, ponding water is no longer a problem in small quantities. It is still necessary to have adequate drainage system, since a lot of ponding water can cause structural damages to your house or building.

Types of flat roof: Modern and Outdated roofing technologies.

Outdated (Multiple-Ply Roofs) – some are over 100 years old:

• Build-Up Roof (BUR)
• Tar & Gravel
• Bitumen (Modified Bitumen)
• Rolled Asphalt (usually a “single-ply” install, sometimes uses tar-paper as base ply)

Modern (Single-Ply Membranes)- created within last 30 years:

• IB Roof (PVC roofing) – IB PVC roofing membrane is one of the best low-slope and completely flat roofing products available, and that is precisely the reason why we only install IB roofs. With over 30 years of spotless reputation and leaks-free performance in many different climates – from Alaska’s frigid north-lands to Hawaii’s tropical paradise, IB roofs are protecting the buildings and everything inside, without a single material failure since 1978.
  
  IB roofs still feature the same chemical formula as its original design, and with hot-air welded seams, will maintain complete water-tightness over your roof.
• Epdm Rubber Roof – a widely used flat roofing material, mainly popular among contractors because of its low price and no special equipment needed to install the rubber roof. Still, rubber roofs are very prone to leaks, as the seams are glued together, and adhesive tends to break down within 5-7 years. Also in the residential roofing market (and not so much in commercial) there are too many contractors who will install rubber roofing products without proper knowledge and training. As a result, we often go to rubber roof repair service calls to fix problems caused by poor workmanship, often on fairly new roofs.
• TPO Roofing – a single ply thermoplastic roofing membrane similar to PVC roofs from a first glance. But as you start digging, you’ll find numerous problems with TPO roofs, mainly as a result of manufacturers skipping on adding important ingredients into formulation of the TPO membrane, and as a result, quietly scrapping as many as three major generations of the product.
• SFR – Sprayed Foam Roofing (not a single-ply)

Part I: Inferior and outdated flat roofing technologies

These are very common on older buildings, although many newer buildings also have these systems installed. They are rarely installed on any commercial building today. However, they continue to be produced, and many roofers still install them on residential and small commercial roofs. This is particularly due to their low cost of material, and roofers’ lack of experience with BETTER solutions. It is sad that there are some decent roofers offering such an inferior product to their customers. I often hear something along the lines of: “I’ve been doing ‘torch-down’ for 20 years, and it is the best” – very sad – so we will briefly describe them, without getting into details.

BUR / Tar & Gravel / Torch-down: Multiple-ply roof where each ‘tar-soaked’ ply is applied with a torch (yes, open flame on your roof!), or hot mopped (preheated tar transported to the roof and applied with a mop). Gravel goes on top of this ‘sandwich’ mainly as a protection layer from foot-traffic and sun’s devastating ultraviolet rays. There are many deviations from the above procedure, but they are all within a close range of similarity.

Modified Bitumen: It is also applied with a torch in a similar manner described above. It is however a different material than tar. Modified bitumen has rubber and elastomers added into the formula, so it is stronger and more flexible.

Rolled Asphalt: Similar to asphalt shingles – tar paper is saturated in asphalt, with crushed stones glued on top of it. Rolls are installed in an overlapping pattern, with cold-mop application and nails to attach it to the roof deck. Overlapping seams are sealed with tar.

Problems associated with flat roofs:

The nature of flat roofs’ problems is just that they are flat. Water does not run off the roof. Proper drainage must be in place to get rid of water accumulating on a roof. Usually older roofs are not leveled, so water puddles will appear here and there after every rain, and just sit there until it dries out. This is called standing or ponding water. Most roofing systems were not designed for ponding water. In fact, most manufacturers of the roofing systems on the market today, will void out the warranty if there is ponding water on the roof (we will get to this issue later). Other major problems for flat roofs, are penetrations such as skylights, vent or exhaust pipes, chimneys, roof hatches, drains, etc. However the biggest problem with flat roofs is the seams, because they are the most common areas where leaks occur.

Seams:

Seams exist on every flat roof (except tiny ’6×10 porch-type’ roofs, which can be covered with a single sheet of roofing membrane), and are usually put together with some sort of adhesive. After a few years the adhesive breaks due to severe weather changes (here in New England, temperature can change 25 degrees or more, in a matter of one day). Another major factor affecting seams’ adhesive is condensation, which always occurs underneath the roof covering. Condensation expands both in the winter and summer. The most dramatic expansion of condensation happens in the winter time when water freezes, expands and breaks the seam. The same happens to our roads. Think of all the potholes you drive over. Those too were caused by water freezing. In the summer water heats up and also expands. When you see bubbles on the roof surface, it is the water vapor lifting the membrane. The third major factor is actually quality of workmanship and the adhesive itself. For different roofing systems the process is different, but most of them share the same shortcoming – the need for using adhesives, be it glue, hot tar, liquid resin, etc. Adhesives are also required to flash any roof penetrations listed above, but here the workmanship is actually more of a factor than the adhesive.

Conclusion – let’s get real.

It is a shame that in the 21st century we are still using 19th century technology. Even more so, because nearly 50% of roofers in the on-line construction forums will advise you to choose a clearly inferior roof. These heavy and dirty roofs, heat up to 170 degrees and make your AC run like crazy in the summer. These very roofs start leaking prematurely and are impossible to fix. Why would some one acting in good faith actually recommend these? The answer is obvious – they don’t know any better. Fortunately there is ONE modern, technologically advanced flat roofing solution available on the market today – IB Roof. In fact, this solution has been around for a few decades now, and has a proved track record of 30 years of leak-free service!

Read more: Part II – Single-Ply Roofing Membranes – CPA / PVC / TPO / EPDM / SPF

This Free Roofing Price Calculator is designed to give you a rough idea of how much it is going to cost to install a new flat roof, or to replace an existing one. It will also calculate approximate energy savings derived from installing white* (most energy efficient) IB membrane vs. black rubber (EPDM) or Tar & Gravel/BUR roof.

Quick Navigation:

• How roofing cost is calculated – Understanding the roofing price structure and the specifics of our calculator.
• Learn how to use our roofing calculator – If you have questions how to use our roof calculator, or need to know which info about your roof is required, read this quick user guide.
• Roofing material price updates – Because roofing materials as many other products are dependant on price of oil &amp and other factors, we’ll update you on any major change in roof material costs.

Calculate you roofing cost now!

Please note that if you are still receiving last year’s prices, there is a good chance that you will receive a sub-par service, and/or your roofing contractor will use every chance to reduce their costs ( cut corners where ever possible ). No roofing contractor is immune from rising material prices unless they hold a huge inventory (nearly impossible). Therefore, if you get a “great deal”, you may not get a great roof.

How to interpret the instant price quote:

We want you to know that your actual installation cost may vary based on the specifics of your roof and your roof difficulty, and the roofing contractor you use – refer to our roofing price guide for more insight on how roofing contractors come up with their prices. Also, you should know that the price for Tar and Epdm roof material greatly depends on the price of OIL, which was trading at its all time high of $147 per barrel in July of 2008. Although oil prices have fallen dramatically since then, the material costs remained the same and in some cases (for asphalt-bases products such as shingles, rolled roofing, built-up roofs, modified bitumen and EPDM rubber) they actually continue to increase – the last major price increase occurred in March 2009 with all the major roofing manufacturers. Since we DO NOT install Epdm or Tar roofs, we provide you with our estimated cost, based on our experience. Epdm and Tar roof prices also vary from one roofing company to another.

Dear visitors, please be aware that results of our calculator do not always reflect the price quote you are going to receive from us. Our calculator is designed to provide approximate pricing to install a 50-mil white IB roofing membrane on an average size home (1000-2000 sq. ft.). If your roof is small (about 300-400 sq. ft.), then your cost/sq. ft will likely be higher than results from this calculator. This is due to the fact that our set-up costs remain the same, while the amount of work is smaller.

Like-wise, if your roof is large, your cost per sq. foot may be lower, depending on various variables. There is no exact formula on how the price is calculated, as there are too many factors affecting the price of each particular roof, and including them would make our roofing calculator too complicated to use.

Also bear in mind that Specialty Membranes such as IB Traditions for Residential low-slope roofing or 80-mil IB roof will be slightly more expensive compared to a standard 50 mil roof.

IB DeckShield or 80-mil membrane assembly with Pressure Treated wood on top for walk-on flat roof decks will be considerably more per sq. ft., compared to results from our calculator. Please refer to our flat roof decks section of our website for explanation of our walkable flat roof assembly for both Deck-Shield and 80-mil with PT or composition deck.

How to use this roof price calculator

Plug in your roof dimensions into the calculator. Make sure you account for any overhangs / soffits, as that may add significant area to you total roof size. If your roof has an odd shape ( ‘L’ shape or similar ) you can divide your roof into virtual ‘rectangular blocks’ and add up all your measurements to get the total square footage. Plug in that number and multiply it by 1. For example: if your roof is 2300 sq. ft., type 2300 x 1 into ‘roof dimensions’ section of calculator.

Use appropriate ‘roof difficulty’ setting to get a more accurate roof price estimation. Although your roof may look simple, roof penetrations like sky-lights, chimneys specialty vents, AC units, etc. take a long time to flash correctly, therefore adding a significant amount to the total price tag of the roof.

Choose the desired insulation thickness. Insulation makes up a significant part of total material cost, and in some cases may cost more than the roofing membrane itself. Having good insulating value may seem expensive at first, but it will greatly reduce your energy costs, eventually paying for itself. However, if you already have some insulation, adding more will not have a dramatic effect compared to having no insulation at all.

When comparing prices of an IB roof and the cheaper alternatives like Epdm rubber, bear in mind that total roofing cost concept. While IB has a higher initial cost of installation, the difference in price will be more than offset by savings in future roof repairs, energy savings, and virtually no maintenance required for the IB flat roof.

When looking at the numbers produced by this calculator, bear in mind that each roof is different, and your actual cost will depend on your roof’s difficulty level, as well as a number of other factors, such as ease of access, IB membrane thickness and the type you choose, insulation thickness, etc.

Relative Roof Difficulty: Please Choose according to how many through-roof penetrations/HVAC units/Skylights/Vent or
Hot-stack pipes, etc., are on the roof, as this will make a significant price difference. The more penetrations, the more precision
work will have to be performed.

Roofing Material Price Update – June 20, 2008

* IB White Membrane has the highest solar reflectance rate of almost 90%. Energy savings refer to the avoided cost of
electricity to operate the AC in the summer. Our calculator does not consider the R-value of insulation as a savings factor.
However, the thicker the insulation, the more savings you’ll realize all year round.

** Savings are calculated assuming the electricity rates in Metro Boston area from N-Star, effective April 1, 2007.
The going rate then was $0.1875 / kWh, for the consumption of 1000 kWh per month. Electricity rates found in the following
report from Hydro Quebec:
Hydro Quebec Electricity Rates
report – 2007 Your actual rate may vary. To calculate your rate per kWh, look at your last 12 electric bills. Add all 12
statement balances (exclude any previous balances, late fees or other misc. charges not related to your energy use), and divide by the total number of kWh consumed.

Does your flat roof leak and needs immediate repair? If so, this flat roof repair guide is for you! This roof repair guide will help you understand your options, as well as explain how to do an emergency roof repair yourself. You will learn basic flat roof repair techniques to fix a Rubber Roof or Tar & Gravel flat roof. You will find “how-to” roof repair videos and references to more details, and step by step do-it-yourself (DIY) roof repair articles. We will also explain the true costs of roof repair – not just what a roofing contractor will charge to fix your roof, but additional costs incurred after the roof patch leaks. As a result, you may have to spend more money on another flat roof repair, as well as interior repairs to your house.

Before you spend your money on the wrong stuff, consider all your options listed below:

What you should do when your flat roof leaks:

First of all, you should put up buckets to collect water, so the leak does not cause more damage than is already done. Once the dripping water is not causing any more damage to the interior, consider the following steps:

Step 1) If your roof is fairly new – call the roofing company that installed your roof and have them fix it.

Step 2) If it is an older roof, or the original installer will not fix it for some reason, you have three options:

• Fix the roof yourself
• Have a roof repair performed by a roofing contractor specializing in flat roofs
• Or if your roof is near the end of its life, it is best to replace it rather then throw any more money away on repairing it.

Step 3) To prevent more damages to your roof, interior of your home, or the inventory and the equipment of your business, it is a good idea to put up a tarp on you roof, until you choose a course of action – either fixing a roof yourself or choosing a roofing contractor to repair or replace your roof.

Step 4) Estimate the real cost to a repair flat roof. Learn what is involved, what the hidden costs and fees are, and why we consider flat roof repair to be “sunk cost”. This comparison will help you decide if it is time to finally replace your flat roof, or if repair is a feasible option.

Flat rubber roof repair in progress:

NOTE: If your rubber roof is leaking, we are offering Rubber Roof Repair services in MA, RI and CT. We can usually fix your EPDM rubber roof during the first roof inspection / repair visit. Some rubber roofs can be repaired, and you can extend the life of your roof by few years for a relatively low price.

DIY Flat Roof Repair guides

Due to a wide scope of flat roofing materials and different roof problems that cause leaks, it is virtually impossible to cover everything that is related to flat roof repair in one article. For your convenience, we have several DIY roof repair guides for a specific flat roof type and specific repair methods. These guides are easy to follow, and are aimed at both home and business owners.

DIY Rubber roof repair guides

The first guide is for homeowners with EPDM rubber roof leaks. There are essentially two methods of rubber roof repair, or rather two types of flashing materials that are used to repair a rubber roof. First is the older splice adhesive method (black rubber glue) applied directly to the rubber membrane. Second is a newer / better Peel & Stick method, which provides faster and better adhesion and lasts longer.

• Rubber roof repair – our original article about fixing EPDM rubber membrane roofs using “black glue” or rubber seams adhesive.
• EPDM Rubber peel & stick repair – Part II of rubber roof repair guide, which concentrates on the more advanced and efficient way to fix rubber roofs using EPDM primer, Peel & Stick flashing, and Seam tape instead of just using rubber glue.

DIY Rubber Roof Repair Video – learn how to repair EPDM rubber roofs:

The biggest issue for homeowners with DIY rubber roof repair is actually obtaining the EPDM roofing materials, which are usually sold only through distribution, and only to roofing contractors.

If you are a homeowner looking to buy Rubber Roofing supplies, such as: uncured flashing material, cover tape, seam tape, roof cleaner, primer, etc., it is best if you contact local roofers and buy those roofing materials and flashing from them. Roofing contractors may also sell you a piece of rubber membrane, which you would otherwise have to buy as a 1000 sq. ft. roll.

Identifying and repairing a leaky roof:

DIY Tar & Gravel roof repair:

Repairing a Tar and Gravel roof is simpler than fixing a rubber roof. All you really need to do is clean the leaking spot, apply tar, reinforcing mesh, and put gravel over your patch. The biggest problem will be finding the roof leak. Unlike the rubber roof, where it is easy to find a separated seam or flashing, tar roofs are covered with loose gravel, and you do not actually see any holes in the roof. Check out the Tar roof repair video below. For more information on locating and fixing a roof leak, check out the Tar Roof repair guide (a link is posted after the video).


DIY Tar & Gravel Roof Repair Video:

• Tar & Gravel roof repair – learn how to detect and repair leaks in your Built-up or Tar-and-gravel roof, using inexpensive supplies from Home Depot, Lowe’s and other Home improvement stores.

What you should know about Flat Roof Repair before you spend any money.

Flat roof reality check: roof leaks are an inevitable outcome for 99% of flat roofs in service today. If you have a flat roof, chances are that it is already leaking or will begin to leak soon, even if your roof is fairly new and was installed within 5-10 years.

This article is an overview of issues related to flat roof leaks. In the article, we review the cost of flat roof repair, actions you should take to get your flat roof fixed, as well as an outlook of what will happen after your roof is fixed.

The purpose of this Flat Roof Repair Guide is to help you avoid the costly mistakes that many home and business owners make when their roof leaks, and also to help you choose the best solution for your particular roof and your budget.

Note: Due to a wide variety of different flat roofing technologies, this article cannot cover all aspects of flat roof repair. For specific DIY ways to repair your flat roof, please refer to our EPDM Rubber Roof repair, and Tar roof repair how-to articles.

Looking to repair or replace your flat roof? Find reliable roofing contractors when you join Angie’s List today – Use promo code LOCAL to save 15% – real homeowners on this website discuss local service businesses, including roofers. Contractors have no say in what others write, and cannot buy advertisements.

End Part 1 – continue reading part 2 of this flat roof repair guide:

Continue reading this article – Flat Roof Repair Part 2, which discusses steps you should take, when your flat roof begins to leak, how to minimize the damages from these leaks, and look into TRUE cost of flat roof repair.

Note: we cut the original Flat Roof Repair guide into two parts, because it was pushing 4000 words, and was difficult to read even for me, even though I wrote it – do read the second part as it is crucial to tackling flat roof leaks with minimal damages and financial investment / loss.