Commercial roofing for warehouses, distribution centers, and industrial facilities throughout Birmingham, AL. TPO, EPDM, and metal roof systems. The work is planned around roof access, active building use, drainage, membrane condition, and the owner's timeline for repair, maintenance, or capital work.
Frequently asked questions
Is built-up roofing still installed on new Birmingham commercial buildings?
Yes, though it is less common than TPO or EPDM for most new commercial construction. BUR is specified on buildings that need heavy foot traffic tolerance, chemical resistance, or where the building owner has a specific preference for the redundant ply system. We install new BUR on appropriate Birmingham commercial projects — industrial buildings near BHM airport, chemical storage and processing facilities, and specialized institutional buildings where the multi-ply redundancy justifies the additional installation cost.
How do I know if my existing Birmingham BUR roof can be recovered or needs replacement?
Moisture core testing is the only reliable answer. We pull cores in a grid pattern — minimum five locations per 10,000 sq ft — and cut them open to assess insulation moisture content. If insulation is dry, ply adhesion is intact, and the deck shows no deterioration, a recover is on the table. If cores show wet insulation or delaminated plies, tear-off is the correct scope. We deliver the core results in a written report with photographs — not a verbal recommendation on the job site.
How does Birmingham's spring hail season affect BUR?
Aggregate-surfaced BUR handles hail better than single-ply membranes — the aggregate dissipates impact energy across multiple plies rather than concentrating it at a single membrane layer. However, hail impact can displace or fracture aggregate and crack hardened bitumen flashings at penetrations. After any Jefferson County hail event of 1.5 inches or larger, we recommend a post-storm inspection to document flashing and aggregate condition before water intrusion develops.
What does BUR tear-off and replacement cost compared to TPO on a Birmingham building?
BUR tear-off typically runs higher than TPO tear-off because of the weight and adhesion of the multi-ply system — more labor to remove, heavier loads to haul. New BUR installation cost is also higher than TPO on a per-square basis. The lifecycle comparison depends on the specific building and capital horizon. We produce detailed scope comparisons — BUR versus TPO versus modified bitumen — for any Birmingham building where the system choice is not predetermined by the existing deck or structural constraints.
