The Rubber Roofing Company Trained for Boston Installations
Stage #1: Your Flat Roofing Quote, Project Planning & Logistics
Detailed Flat Roof Inspection & Project Quote
EPDM roofing jobs and other flat roofing projects are generally much larger and more complex than traditional residential roofing installations, so it's important to have a rock-solid game plan before moving forward on any work. For Roof Hub and our customers, this starts with a detailed hand-written estimate. We'll meet you at the property, get up on the roof, take measurements, and get a thorough understanding of your company's needs. After that, we'll write you a formal commercial roofing quote you can keep for reference.
Assisting In Property Stakeholder Approval
Every organization who hires Roof Hub to replace their roof has different needs. No matter your project size or timeline, we're experienced in working with businesses large and small to get the job done right. Especially in commercial roof replacement, one of the most important steps is making sure all stakeholders are on the same page. You can always count on us to deliver timely communication through email, over the phone, or in person when necessary.
Streamlined Project Preparation & Roofing Construction Logistics
Fantastic! Now that all important stakeholders have approved the project and signed the contract, we're ready to schedule the installation. Because we specialize in the details many flat roofers ignore (timeliness, organization, and customer service), we're able to get started on your job sooner than you may expect. And along the way, we promise to keep you in the loop about every step of the installation.
Predictable Flat Roof Installation Timeframes
You'll always know the roofing project's next steps as well the estimated timelines for these steps. Clear communication makes for less stressful rubber roof installations, especially in Greater Boston where weather tends to throw a wrench in most construction and remodeling plans.
Commercial Construction Permit Coordination
When it comes to roofing in Boston, we've been around the block. Along the way, we've filed permits for projects in every Boston neighborhood (Dorchester, Brookline, Downtown Boston, etc) as well as a wide range of Greater Boston suburbs (Revere, Quincy, Weymouth to name a few. Without experience with each specific neighborhood, pulling commercial permits the right ways can be hard to navigate. With Roof Hub you don't have to worry about that!
Stage #2: Installing Your Building's New Rubber Roof
Above you'll find basic walkthrough of the Genflex rubber roofing process we follow while replacing flat roofs in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, we don't have the awesome 80's outfits...
Remove All Existing Rubber Roof Layers
Before we install any part of the Genflex EPDM roofing system, it's critical to remove the old roof. Never choose a commercial roofing contractor who wants to simply roll a new roof over your existing roof because this will simply compound your problems and make the project more expensive in the long run.
To start with a "fresh roof", we'll remove the existing roof down to the substrate. Generally, this means removing a few rubber boards but occasionally the removal process is much more labor-intensive. This occurs when a pervious flat roofer contractor did not strip the old roof down to the substrate.
Replace Old Plywood & Roofing Boards
Now that your old roof has been stripped down to the substraights, we have a blank slate to begin installing over. Any rotted materials will be completely removed and replaced so the new EPDM system has a strong foundation to sit on.
All removed materials will be transferred to a street-level dumpster. All dumpster delivery and removal is included in your rubber roofing estimate, and placement is flexible depending on your property's location and individual needs.
Install Industrial Strength Polyiso Boards
Depending on how your structure is built, we'll use one of two types of Polyiso boards, which is a solid foam board that will sit under the EPDM rubber roofing rolls. Each board is 4 feet by 8 feet in size and 2 inches in thickness.
The first type of EPDM polyiso board is tapered. These boards are 4x4 feet. If your building drains in the back, we'll used drip edge towards the back to give the proper pitch for sufficient drainage The slope will help allow water to move towards the drain and into the gutter. If your roof drains in the front or middle, we'll taper the polyiso boards that way.
The second type of EPDM polyiso board is flat, which is used in buildings that either want or need extra insulation in their roof to get up to Massachusetts code. Insulation code in Massachusetts is r30. In these cases, we can double-up the polyiso board if you need a good deal more.
Special metal roof plates are screwed into the boards at a frequency of 5 plates per 4x8 piece of polyiso board. These are the Genflex manuafacturer specifications required to firmly hold the boards in place on your roof.
Roll Out EPDM Rubber Membrane
The EPDM rubber membrane must be rolled out the same way it's going to sit on the roof. And once rolled out across the roof, it's required to sit for a full 30 minutes before any bonding material is used. has to get rolled out the same way it is going to sit on the roof. needs to sit for at least 30 minutes before any sort of bonding is used.
We use the thickest grade of EPDM rubber roofing material available because it's the only flat roof material experts trust to stand up to the constant precipitation and temperature fluctuations experienced in New England.
Apply Liquid Bonding Adhesive
Liquid bonding adhesive must be applied to the Polyiso boards section-by-section in order for the boards to stick to the building's surface and the EPDM material.
To adhere the material, we first paint the liquid adhesive on the surface of the Polyiso boards. Next, we paint the surface of the rubber EPDM. Finally, the boards with freshly applied adhesive are hand-rolled, which guarantees a completely flat surface.
Install Drip Edge & Cover Tape To Better Protect Property
Unlike many parts of the country, buildings in Massachusetts were constructed over a century ago. This is especially true with buildings in downtown Boston and Boston's neighborhoods like Newton, Brookline, and West Roxbury. Because of this, we need to be versatile in drip edge application. On many buildings, we can use a standard 3x3 EPDM drip edge, but sometimes need to custom-make a drip edge to fit older Massachusetts buildings.
Which drip edge we'll use is determined by the amount of insulation in the roof. If the structure has more insulation, we'll need a longer drip edge to cover the added height. If a normal height drip edge was used in the cases, the building would be susceptible to leaks because there wouldn't be enough drip edge to kick water away from the building. Whichever Boston flat roofing contractor you end up choosing, make sure they get this step right. Because if you don't, the building may not be up to code.
Install Seam Tape to Protect & Seal EPDM Roof Seams
The majority of flat roofs aren't small enough to only use one roll of EPDM roof material. So because multiple rolls need to be used, there will be seams between each roll. We use Genflex's commercial-grade seam tape to protect these seams and edges from water infiltration. And though it is called "tape," the rubber is actually much thicker than the EPDM material itself.
Top quality materials for this form of water protection are very important for flat roof replacement in Boston, Massachusetts and the surrounding areas.
Install 'Witches Hats' To Roof's Pipes & Pipe Collars
We're not in Salem, MA but we do know a thing or two about witches hats.
In flat roofing, witches hats are product used to protect a building's pipes and our Boston roofing process is no different. They're constructed from the same heavy-duty EPDM-like material used for the cover and seam tapes.
Apply EPDM Edge Caulking
The last labor-related step to replacing your rubber roof is the application of EPDM edge caulking. The caulking is spread liberally along all potentially-vulnerable areas. Where seam tape meets the rubber and anywhere two rubber seams meet will receive aa coating of EPDM edge caulking.
Stage #3: A Commercial Roofing System With Guaranteed Protection
Walk Roof With Building/Property Management
After your building's brand new rubber roof is complete, a Roof Hub project manager will walk you around the property for a quality assurance inspection. During this time, we'll show you each step of the project for you to sign off on. It's your opportunity to get any final questions you have answered.
Successful Flat Roof Install Confirmation
Once we've shown you the final product and answered any outstanding questions you may have, we'll sign off on the completed project. If, for any reason, there are any lingering issues you'd like handled, we'll work diligently to fix them before deeming the installation complete.
Lifetime Customer Service
Business happens, and we're there for you when it does. Whether you're doing non-roofing related construction on your roof or just have a questions about a part of your rubber roof that feels off, just contact us and we'll help you find a solution. Once you choose Boston's Roof Hub, you're part of the family for life.
Boston Flat & Rubber Roof Replacement Questions
Sometimes building owners need to buy some time between when their roof needs replacement and when the funds are available to actually complete the job.
Though we don't recommend waiting through a Boston winter, we do have solutions to help in these cases. We can use a coating called Gaco roof to temporarily extend the life of your EPDM rubber roof.
There are only a few different ways to roof a flat roof: EPDM, PVC, rolled, and torch down.
Rolled is primarily used in residential flat roofing applications, while the other three are mainly for commercial roofing.
PVC is by far the most expensive and not a good value for property owners, while torch down (tar and gravel) is both dangerous and harder to maintain.
Roof Hub exclusively installs EPDM rubber roofs because they are amongst the best in quality at an affordable roofing price point.
EPDM stands for ethylene propylene diene terpolymer. It's a extremely durable type of flat roofing materials with multiple applications.
You can see how we install it on this page and for more information, visit the EPDM Roofing Association's website.
We use uncured cover tape to protect your roof vents and HVAC systems. It's a moldable rubber that's more pliable than the EPDM rolls. We also use this uncured cover tape around edges and chimneys.
If necessary, we can install a drain for your flat roof. We usually work with existing rains where the flat roof needs to be re-pitched. And in these cases, we'll add a drain cap to the existing drain.
Yes, rubber roof membranes are waterproof when installed correctly and according to manufacturer specifications.
Licensed Massachusetts Roofers
A Fully Insured Roofing Company
We carry commercial roofing insurance for every project and can adjust this the exact amount according to your organization's needs. We are a fully licensed roofing contractor in the state of Massachusetts.
Schedule Your Estimate Today
Completely free, no obligation estimates. Call us now to schedule your free commercial roofing estimate. We'll open up our 2019 calendar for you so you can pick the estimate time that's most convenient for your schedule.