Today’s blog post takes a close look at something of interest to building owners and managers—commercial roof replacement costs. Replacing a roof can be one of the biggest capital expenditures a building owner or facility manager makes. This post builds on one of our earlier posts about commercial roof maintenance costs.
How much does a commercial roof replacement cost? One study reports on a roof with average dimensions of 10,000 square feet, a new commercial roof can cost over $42,500, or over $4.25 per square foot. That study also found 80% of the roofs tracked had been replaced before they needed to be.
In another case, the roofing and pavement consulting firm Benchmark presented a cost range from retail roofing projects it has examined. Benchmark reported on a majority of retail roofing projects it has looked at, roof replacement costs generally range from $3.50 to $6.50 per square foot. However, the cost depends on whether a project was aiming for roof recovery or consisted of a complete tear-off and replacement job.
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Commercial Roof Replacement Costs over Time
One well-known study looked at commercial roof replacement costs over time. The study drew upon data collected over a space of 9 years. The study concentrated on lifecycle costs for low slope commercial roofs that were chosen from among 100,000 square meters of roofing on 38 buildings owned by Carnegie Mellon University (or 1.08 million square feet of commercial roofing on 38 buildings, approximately). This overall roofing network ranged from newly-installed roofing systems to roofing systems over 50 years old. The entire network was valued at between $22 million and $32 million, when an average roof replacement cost of $215 to $323 per square meter (costs accumulated over 9 years) was used.
All of the buildings were located within Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which made them subject to the same climate conditions and some other variables. All of the roofs had insulation installed under them that met the requirements set by local climate conditions.
The low slope commercial roofs were chosen because they were the most prone to leaking problems. The researchers also said low slope EPDM and SBS modified bitumen roofs could be considered representative of the data used in this study.
Carnegie Mellon University Roof Study Results
Pros & Cons of Various Roofing Systems
Learn MoreIn terms of 2006 dollars, the average roof replacement cost came out to $269 per square meter over 9 years, or $4.5 million spent on replacement of 16,900 square meters over a 9-year stretch. From 1998 to 2006, roof replacement costs, termed “owner capital costs”, ranged from $0 to approximately $1.62 million, or a total of $4.12 million for the entire time span.
The variances in roof replacement costs show the importance of thinking about commercial roofing in terms of lifecycle. Among other things, roof budgeting relies upon two primary factors: the roof’s service life expectancy and how much square footage the roof’s dimensions consist of.
Put Off Roof Replacement with Roof Restoration
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There is a cost-effective, life-extending option that building owners or facility managers can consider when the existing roof is structurally sound and otherwise suitable for restoration. Roof restoration, or a process in which liquid-applied roofing products are installed over an existing commercial roof, can extend an existing roof’s useful life and help avoid or delay some replacement costs.
In this process, the liquid-applied roofing products refer to commercial roof coatings, or coating products that are formulated to create a continuous protective surface over an existing roof substrate. Because it is a restoration process, it may involve substantially less tear-off than a complete roof replacement.
The existing roof should be evaluated for wet insulation, structural deterioration, drainage problems, damaged materials, failed seams or penetrations, and other conditions that may need to be corrected before restoration is considered.
Commercial Roof Restoration Options
Commercial roof coating systems can provide a restoration option for suitable existing roofs. Depending on the roof condition, substrate, coating system, preparation, and project requirements, restoration may help extend the useful life of an existing roof while reducing the amount of tear-off required.
Reflective coatings may also reduce solar heat absorption when appropriate for the building and climate. Actual service life, energy performance, warranty coverage, and project savings depend on the specific roofing system and conditions.
A commercial roofing contractor can inspect the existing roof and discuss whether repair, restoration, recover, or replacement is appropriate.
