The retained roof
We start with whatever drawings and repair records exist. Many Glendale buildings have been added onto, so one roof area may have a different membrane or a different number of layers than the area next to it.
A roof inspection covers the whole surface and notes what we could and could not see. A roof that looks fine from the hatch can still be wet or loose underneath, which is why the walk-through is only the first step.
Core cuts tell us what layers are there and whether they are dry at that spot. We pick core locations on purpose, near drains, around old leak areas and in sections that look different. A handful of dry cores is good news, but it does not clear the entire roof by itself.
We measure the roof itself, not the building's floor area. Parapet heights, level changes, curbs and drains all go into the takeoff, because each one adds labor and material that a square-foot price would miss.
The moisture evidence
Wet insulation is the main reason a recover fails. Covering it traps the water, it keeps rotting the deck and loosening the fasteners, and the new membrane can blister from below.
An infrared moisture survey, done on a clear evening after a sunny day, shows areas that hold heat differently and are likely wet. We confirm those areas with cores or moisture probes before calling them wet.
When the survey turns up wet sections, those areas get torn out and replaced to match the surrounding roof before anything goes over the top. If the wet area turns out to be a large share of the roof, a full tear-off usually makes more sense.
A partial tear-off with a recover over the rest can work well. The key is a clean edge between the two areas, matching insulation thickness so the new surface stays flat.
The Glendale operating plan
For a San Fernando Road building, we work out the crane or hoist spot, the truck route and where materials can be staged without blocking loading docks.
Near the Glendale Galleria and along West Broadway, deliveries and noisy work usually have to fit around retail hours and tenant traffic. We meet with property management on site to learn the building's actual rules instead of assuming them.
Glendale's hot, dry summers and mostly winter rain make the long dry season the easier time to run a recover. When Santa Ana winds blow, we keep loose materials tied down and stop work if handling large sheets becomes unsafe.
Adhesive odor can reach rooftop air intakes, so we agree with building engineering on when units can be shut down or their intakes protected. If we open the roof and find something unexpected, such as rotted deck, we tell you the same day along with the cost before we continue.
Talk through recover and removal at your building
Tell us about the roof's age, past leaks and any limits on work hours. We will inspect it, run the moisture testing it needs and give you a clear price for a recover alongside a tear-off.
Related Roofing Pages
Other services, systems and conditions Glendale owners often review alongside this one.
Questions About Roof Recover and Overlay
Often, yes, as long as the leaks have not soaked a large part of the insulation. We find the leak sources, map any wet areas with a moisture survey and cores, and tear out the wet sections before recovering the rest. If too much of the roof is wet, a tear-off is the better choice.
They are a big part of it, but not the whole answer. Cores show the layers and moisture at specific spots. We also look at the moisture survey, how the roof is attached, the deck condition, the code limit on layers and whether the structure can carry the added weight.
Usually quieter and less disruptive, since there is far less demolition. Usually cheaper too, but wet-area removal, curb raising and new edge metal can narrow the gap. We price both options so you can compare real numbers.
Not always. We measure the flashing height at each curb against the new roof height. Curbs that would end up too short get raised; those with enough height stay as they are. The estimate lists them one by one.
We identify the coating first. Some can be cleaned and covered with a separation layer or cover board; others react with the new membrane or adhesives and need more prep. A small test area or a check with the manufacturer settles it.