Commercial roofing for small buildings in Horsham and nearby

What kind of commercial roofs we take on

We are a family-owned roofing company, and owner Jim Armstrong personally oversees every job. That suits a certain size of building: the office on a side street, a row of shops, a small apartment building, a church hall, a restaurant, a medical office in a converted house. Roofs a facility manager or a building owner looks after directly.

• Flat and low-slope roofs in EPDM rubber and modified bitumen, the most common thing on small commercial buildings.
• Shingle roofs on offices and multi-unit buildings that look like houses.
• Metal roofs on smaller buildings and outbuildings; see metal roofing.
• Leak repairs, flashing, drains and gutters on all of the above, including emergency calls 24/7.

If you manage a large warehouse or a big-box roof, call anyway and describe it. If the job is bigger than what we do well, we will tell you that up front rather than take it on.

What a building owner can check twice a year

Most commercial roof leaks start small and get found late, because nobody goes up there until water hits a ceiling tile. If you have safe roof access, a walk-around every spring and fall catches most of it:

1. Clear the drains and scuppers. Leaves, bottles and debris block drains and turn the roof into a pond. This is the single most useful thing you can do.
2. Look at the rooftop units. HVAC curbs, exhaust fans and vent pipes each have their own flashing. Look for open seams and cracked sealant, and for screws, panels or debris left behind by service techs.
3. Walk the edges and walls. Where the roof turns up a parapet or meets a taller wall, look for membrane pulling away and metal coping that has come loose.
4. Look for ponding. Water still standing a day or two after rain means a blocked drain or a sag. Note where it is.
5. Check inside. Stained ceiling tiles, rust on the underside of the deck, and musty top-floor rooms. Mark stains with tape and a date so you can see if they grow.

Ask your HVAC contractor to tell you when they are up there: Dropped tools, panels left on the membrane and foot traffic around rooftop units cause a lot of commercial leaks. A quick look after every service visit is cheap insurance.

Repair, restore or replace?

On a commercial building the roof is a budget line, so the question is usually how to spend the least over the next several years, not just this month. A sound roof with one or two leaks at flashing or seams should be repaired. A roof with wet insulation spread across it, membrane cracked all over, or leaks that keep coming back in new places is usually past the point where repairs pay off.

We give you photos of what we find and a written estimate with the work spelled out line by line, so you can take it to a board, a landlord or a partner. Our rule of thumb is the same as on homes: once a repair would cost more than about 30% of a new roof, start planning a replacement. For more on membranes and drainage, see flat roofing.

Leaking now, with people or stock underneath

Call (215) 824-6932 any time. Get stock, files and electronics out of the way, cover what you cannot move with plastic, and catch the water in buckets or a trash can. If water is near light fixtures or panels, shut those circuits off. We stop the water first, usually the same day, and schedule the permanent repair after. More on that on our emergency roof repair page.

What it usually costs

Commercial prices depend mostly on roof size, how many units and penetrations are up there, how many old layers come off, and access for materials. A single leak repair is a much smaller number than a re-roof.

• Commercial Roofing: $5,000 – $40,000
• Flat Roof Repair: $350 – $1,800
• Flat Roof Installation: $4,000 – $15,000

Questions we get asked

What size commercial roofs do you work on?

Mostly small commercial buildings: offices, shops, restaurants, small apartment buildings and similar. Commercial projects we do typically run $5,000 to $40,000. If your building is bigger than what we do well, we will tell you up front.

What roofing systems do you install on commercial buildings?

EPDM rubber and modified bitumen on flat and low-slope roofs, plus architectural shingles and metal on pitched roofs. We recommend a system based on the building, how the roof drains, and what is mounted on it.

Are you insured for commercial work?

Yes. We hold PA license #PA164826 and carry general liability and workers' compensation insurance. We will show you proof of insurance before any work starts.

How often should a commercial flat roof be inspected?

Twice a year, spring and fall, and after big storms is a good habit. Clearing drains and checking flashing around rooftop units catches most problems while they are cheap to fix. Our inspections are free and come with photos.

Do you handle emergency leaks on commercial buildings?

Yes. Call (215) 824-6932 any time. We stop the water first, usually the same day, then schedule the permanent repair.

Can I get an estimate I can take to my board or landlord?

Yes. Every estimate is written and line-item, with photos of what we found, so whoever approves the budget can see exactly what is being done and why.

Related pages

• Flat Roofing: Low-slope roofs over porches, additions and row homes, where ponding water is the enemy.
• Emergency Roof Repair: Active leak or storm damage? Call any time, day or night. We tarp it to stop the water, then make the permanent fix.
• Metal Roofing: Standing seam and metal panel roofs for homeowners who want a roof that lasts decades.
• Roof Inspection: A free, top-to-bottom look at your roof with photos, so you know what you actually need before you spend anything.
• Gutter Installation: Seamless gutters and downspouts sized to move water away from your foundation.
• Roof Replacement: Full tear-off and new roof when repairs stop making sense. Written, line-item estimate before anything starts.
• Horsham: Home base. Our shop is here.
• Willow Grove: Post-war Capes, ranchers and splits on their second or third roof.
• Lansdale: Twins, singles and older borough homes.
• North Wales: Borough homes and newer developments around it.
• Fort Washington: Wooded lots where trees and storms are the main roof threat.
• Warminster: Our neighbor to the north; lots of 1950s-70s ranchers and splits.
• Montgomery County: Where we do most of our work, from Horsham out across the county.
• Bucks County: Warminster, Doylestown, Newtown, Yardley, Chalfont and everywhere in between.