Modified Bitumen Roofing in Plano, TX

How a modified bitumen roof is installed changes how you should read the bid. A self-adhered system, a cold-applied one and a torch-applied one each need their own materials and steps spelled out. We lay that out for Plano roofs alongside what we found on the building. You should be able to see which sheets go down and what prep comes first, instead of comparing asphalt roof prices with no description of the work.

The February 14-17, 2021 winter storm put roofs across North and Central Texas through a hard freeze. Whether the building is a big civic property like the Plano Municipal Center on K Avenue or a small retail strip, we review the roof records and what we can reach on the roof. The recommended scope explains the installation method and the existing roof it goes over in each work area.

Select an identifiable application method

GAF describes SBS modified bitumen as asphalt modified with styrene-butadiene-styrene, a rubber polymer. Its SBS products come in hot-mopped, cold-applied, heat-welded, mechanically fastened and self-adhered versions. A proposal needs to name the product and method chosen for your roof. Listing several options isn't the same as saying what the crew will actually do.

A GAF modified bitumen proposal should name the sheet and application method together. If another method is considered, it gets its own materials and prep description. You can see what changes between the options. The product name stays tied to its installation method, so the materials ordered and the work in the estimate match.

Describe the sheets and sequence

We identify each sheet in the system and the order it goes down, along with what each one bonds to. If the method uses a base sheet and a cap sheet, both are named with their installation step. A square-foot price that names only the top sheet leaves the work under it unexplained. Prepping the first surface is listed separately from installing the cap sheet. If those steps use different materials, the estimate shows each one in its place.

A built-up roof is another asphalt option, and we compare the layers in each. We look at what each bid actually installs instead of assuming both include the same sheets. You can follow the materials through the work and spot a layer that one bid includes and another treats as an extra. The base layers and the finished cap sheet are described as one system.

Examine retained material before repair

A repair has to account for the existing surface and how the new sheet will tie in. We find old patches, coatings and visible damage in the work area, note the material staying in place and the prep the product requires. If a lifted or blistered section affects the edge of the repair, we fix it rather than assume a new layer on top will solve what's underneath.

Our commercial roof repair assessment ties what we see on the surface to the sheet we'll install. We show the tear-off boundary and keep it separate from any testing of hidden layers. You can tell whether the estimate covers a local repair or a bigger change. If a closer look changes the boundary, the finding and the new quantity are recorded together so the added work has a clear location and reason.

Review layers and receiving construction

We identify the deck or existing roof the new system will go over, and the insulation, cover board and fastening included. Where a hidden condition affects the decision, we test. Each application method needs the right base under it. A photo of the roof surface can't tell you what's underneath a sheet that's staying.

On a campus building like those at Collin College's Spring Creek Parkway campus, we'd inspect the roof areas before planning the layers. An EPDM roof alternative should describe its full method separately. You'll see what tear-off and materials each price covers, without assuming two bids on the same square footage include the same work underneath.

Define flashing and building coordination

Each modified bitumen method needs its flashing at curbs, drains, pipes and roof edges spelled out. We check the curb or edge each flashing meets and note any repair needed first. Torch work in particular has to be planned around the building, so the proposal also explains the work-area arrangements we've set with the building team.

Our occupied building reroofing plans put the installation and flashing steps next to building logistics. If another trade's curb or equipment work changes, we review how it affects our method and schedule. You'll know which work can go ahead and which depends on a finished repair. Those responsibilities stay in the scope rather than being assumed under a general roofing line.

Record the actual asphaltic work

We record the installed sheets and application method at each work location, with photos of the base layers and finished details. If a repair needed tear-off or different prep, that's recorded with its boundary. The finished cap sheet shouldn't be the only record of the work you paid for.

For Downtown Plano buildings and elsewhere, anyone reviewing the roof later can see which method was used. A future repair can be planned against the actual materials and details. Field changes are easy to understand too, with the finding, the revised work and the finished area linked rather than an unexplained material change or larger quantity on the final invoice.

Commercial Roofing Questions

What should a modified bitumen proposal say about the installation method?

It should name the sheets and how they'll be applied, whether torched, mopped, cold-applied, fastened or self-adhered, along with the prep and the roof they go over.

Why should the bid list every sheet, not just the cap sheet?

Because the top sheet doesn't show the work underneath. Listing each sheet in order shows exactly what the crew is installing.

How do old patches affect a modified bitumen repair?

We check the old repairs and the edge where the new sheet will tie in. The prep and repair are set before treating the old patch outline as the new repair area.

Can we compare a different roof system by square footage alone?

No. Compare the full base layers, tear-off and flashing work. The same square footage can include very different work.

What records should we keep after modified bitumen work?

The sheets and application method, repair locations, photos of the base layers and finished details, and the reason behind any change in quantity or method.

Compare the asphaltic application scope

Schedule a modified bitumen roof review in Plano. We'll record the surface and base layer conditions and explain the sheets, installation method and flashing work.

Request a Roof Assessment