Six systems, compared honestly
Lifespan, sample cost per square foot, wind rating and warranty for every commercial system we install, plus a plain guide to picking one.
The comparison table
Ranges are samples for illustration on this demo site. Your number depends on insulation, tear-off layers, sheet metal and access.
| System | Typical lifespan | Sample cost / sq ft | Wind rating | Warranty available | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TPO membrane | 20 to 30 years | $7.50 - $11.50 / sq ft | FM 1-90 to 1-120 | Up to 30-year NDL (sample) | Distribution centers and tilt-wall warehouses |
| EPDM rubber | 25 to 35 years | $7.00 - $10.50 / sq ft | FM 1-60 to 1-90 | Up to 30-year NDL (sample) | Older office and flex buildings with lots of penetrations |
| PVC membrane | 20 to 30 years | $9.00 - $13.50 / sq ft | FM 1-90 to 1-150 | Up to 30-year NDL (sample) | Food processing and commercial kitchens |
| Modified bitumen | 20 to 25 years | $8.00 - $12.00 / sq ft | FM 1-90 | Up to 20-year NDL (sample) | Schools and municipal buildings |
| Metal retrofit | 40 to 60 years | $12.00 - $20.00 / sq ft | UL 580 Class 90 | Up to 35-year weathertight (sample) | Pre-engineered metal buildings with screw leaks |
| Roof coatings | 10 to 20 years per application | $3.25 - $6.00 / sq ft | Follows existing roof | 10 to 20-year material and labor (sample) | Sound roofs 12 to 20 years old |
Scroll the table sideways
Where the money lands
Installed sample ranges on a typical Houston low-slope reroof, insulation and edge metal included.
System by system
What each one is good at and where it quietly fails early.
- SYS-01
TPO membrane
Heat-welded white single-ply that reflects Houston sun and keeps big warehouse decks cooler.
- Lifespan
- 20 to 30 years
- Sample cost
- $7.50 - $11.50 / sq ft
- Wind
- FM 1-90 to 1-120
Seams must be probed daily; a cold weld is the most common failure
Full system page - SYS-02
EPDM rubber
Proven synthetic rubber with decades of track record, flexible in heat and easy to repair.
- Lifespan
- 25 to 35 years
- Sample cost
- $7.00 - $10.50 / sq ft
- Wind
- FM 1-60 to 1-90
Black EPDM absorbs heat, which raises cooling load in Texas
Full system page - SYS-03
PVC membrane
Welded vinyl membrane that shrugs off grease, chemicals and rooftop exhaust.
- Lifespan
- 20 to 30 years
- Sample cost
- $9.00 - $13.50 / sq ft
- Wind
- FM 1-90 to 1-150
PVC and TPO cannot be welded to each other directly
Full system page - SYS-04
Modified bitumen
Redundant multi-ply asphalt system that stands up to foot traffic and punctures.
- Lifespan
- 20 to 25 years
- Sample cost
- $8.00 - $12.00 / sq ft
- Wind
- FM 1-90
Torch work needs a hot-work permit and a one-hour fire watch
Full system page - SYS-05
Metal retrofit
Standing seam panels and recover framing over leaking R-panel or low-slope roofs.
- Lifespan
- 40 to 60 years
- Sample cost
- $12.00 - $20.00 / sq ft
- Wind
- UL 580 Class 90
Added dead load must be checked by an engineer
Full system page - SYS-06
Roof coatings
Silicone and acrylic restoration that seals a sound roof and can defer replacement.
- Lifespan
- 10 to 20 years per application
- Sample cost
- $3.25 - $6.00 / sq ft
- Wind
- Follows existing roof
Wet insulation must be removed first or the coating will blister
Full system page
Start with the building
Six situations, six answers. Pick the line that sounds like your property and open the system page behind it.
TPO is the default answer on distribution centers, tilt-wall warehouses and retail anchors. White reflective membrane keeps surface temperatures down through a long Houston cooling season, and heat-welded seams are tested at the end of every day.
TPO membranePVC resists what destroys TPO around restaurant fans, food plants and sterilizer vents. On mixed roofs we often install PVC only in the contamination zones and transition to TPO elsewhere with a warrantable detail.
PVC membraneEPDM is the easiest of the three single-plies to repair years later with primer and seam tape. On unconditioned warehouses the solar gain of black membrane matters less than the simplicity.
EPDM rubberMulti-ply modified bitumen takes abuse that thin single-ply does not. It is our common answer on hospital and plant roofs where technicians are up there several times a week.
Modified bitumenA standing seam retrofit over sub-purlins puts a new watertight roof above the old one without tearing it off, and adds insulation in the cavity. Production keeps running below.
Metal retrofitA silicone or acrylic restoration can add ten to twenty years for roughly half the cost of replacement, provided an infrared scan shows the insulation is dry. We price both options side by side.
Roof coatingsA roof is six layers deep
Owners compare membranes because that is the word on the proposal. The layers underneath decide how the roof performs in hail, wind and a Houston August.
- Deck
- Steel, concrete or wood. Rusted metal deck gets a unit price and an allowance quantity in every proposal.
- Vapor retarder
- Used where interior humidity or cold storage demands it, set directly over the deck.
- Insulation
- Polyiso in two staggered layers so joints do not line up, plus tapered packages at drains and crickets.
- Cover board
- High-density board that spreads hail impact instead of letting the insulation crush. The single best hail upgrade.
- Membrane or panel
- The waterproofing layer people name, and the layer that matters least without the four above it.
- Edge and flashing
- Hurricane-rated coping and edge metal, counterflashing, pitch pans, curbs and drains built in our own shop.
Material questions
What owners ask once the proposals are on the desk and the numbers do not match.
Standing seam metal and multi-ply modified bitumen generally post the longest service lives, often 30 years or more, followed by EPDM. Membrane chemistry matters less than the insulation package, the attachment and whether the roof is maintained. All figures on this page are sample ranges.
Insulation thickness and taper, cover board, attachment method for the wind zone, the amount of sheet metal, how many roof layers must come off, deck repairs, and whether the building stays open during the work. Membrane cost is rarely the largest line.
A high-density cover board plus a thicker membrane typically adds a modest percentage to the assembly and is the upgrade insurers ask about most often on the west side of the metro. We price it as an alternate so you can compare.
Sometimes. Codes generally allow a limited number of existing roof layers, and a recover only makes sense when the roof below is dry and attached. We core the roof first and tell you honestly which of the two applies.
We will tell you which system fits
Core cuts, an infrared scan and two or three priced options so the decision is made with data.
Free roof survey · Written proposal in 5 to 7 business days (sample)