ServicesFlat Roofing
Flat Roofing in Hawaiian Gardens
Flat roofs fail where water sits and seams open up. We find those spots, fix the drainage, and repair or replace the membrane. Before we start, we cover your patio, planters and walkways, and we tell you each morning what the crew is doing that day.
What flat roof work covers
A flat roof is never truly flat. It needs a slight slope to move water to a drain, scupper or gutter. When that slope sags or a drain clogs, water ponds. Sun and heat then work on the wet spots until the surface cracks or blisters.
We work on the low-slope roofs you see around here: the main roof on some older homes, room additions, garages, carports and patio covers. Some jobs need a seam repair and a fresh coating. Others need the old layers torn off down to the deck. We tell you which one yours needs and show you photos of why.
If part of your home has a pitched roof too, we can look at both on the same visit. The flat section often tells us where the rest of the roof is headed. We work in English and Spanish.
What's included in a flat roof job
A walk of the whole surface
We check every seam, drain, scupper and edge, and we press on soft spots. You get photos of what we found, so you are not taking our word for it.
Drainage corrections
If water sits after rain, we fix the cause. That can mean tapered insulation to add slope, a cleared or rebuilt scupper, or a better path into the gutters.
Membrane repair or replacement
We work with modified bitumen, single-ply membranes like TPO, built-up roofs and reflective coatings. We match the system to how your roof is used and how it drains.
Flashing at walls and openings
Most flat roof leaks start where the roof meets a wall, a vent pipe, a skylight or an AC curb. We rebuild those details instead of smearing sealant over them.
Protection and daily cleanup
Tarps go over plants and patio furniture, and plywood goes down on walkways we carry material across. At the end of each day we sweep for nails and haul off debris.
When a flat roof is asking for help
- Water that sits for days
- A thin film that's gone by the next afternoon is fine. Standing water that hangs around points to trouble with the slope or a drain.
- Bubbles in the surface
- Trapped air or moisture pushes up raised pockets. When one splits open, water gets a straight path inside.
- Overlaps coming loose
- Check where the layers overlap. Edges that lift or dark lines along a seam tell you the layers are separating.
- Ceiling stains underneath
- A brown ring below a flat section usually means water has been coming in for some time. The actual leak is often several feet from the mark.
- Worn or cracked surface
- Gravel piled in the corners or a chalky, cracked coating leaves the membrane exposed to sun. A recoat at this point can spare you a full tear-off.
The steps of a flat roof job
- 1
Free look and a written estimate
We climb up, photograph the roof and check the ceilings below the flat section. You then get a free written estimate with each part of the job on its own line.
- 2
Set the schedule together
You'll know how many days to expect, where the trash bin goes and which doors need to stay clear. Pets or kids at home? We work the plan around them.
- 3
Cover up, then remove
We cover plants, the patio and walkways first. The old layers come off section by section so nothing is left open overnight, and we check the deck for rot before new material goes on.
- 4
Install, then test
The new slope, membrane and flashing go in, and we send water toward the drains to confirm it flows. We finish with a walk-through and a swept yard.
What sets the price of a flat roof
Two flat roofs of the same size can price very differently. Most of the spread comes from what is under the surface and how water leaves the roof. Your written estimate breaks each of these out so nothing shows up later.
- Repair, recoat or replace
- A seam repair and new coating costs far less than a tear-off. We only recommend replacement when the layers below are wet or the deck is failing.
- Number of old layers
- Some roofs have two or three old roofs stacked up. Each layer adds labor and disposal.
- Deck condition
- Plywood that has soaked up ponding water has to be cut out and replaced before the new roof goes on.
- Drainage work
- Adding slope with tapered insulation or rebuilding scuppers adds material, but it is often what stops the leak for good.
- Access and permits
- Tight side yards and roofs over finished rooms take more care to work on. A full reroof also needs a permit, which we pull and include in the price.
Questions people ask about flat roofs
- Could a coating work on my flat roof instead of a new one?
- In some cases. A coating only makes sense when the membrane is dry and still bonded firmly to what's under it. If we find soaked insulation or soft decking, coating over it would seal the water in, so we'll say so and show you the photos.
- Will my patio or plants get damaged?
- Planters, shrubs and patio furniture get covered before any old roofing comes off, and walkways we haul material across get protection laid down. Debris drops right into the bin instead of your lawn. Every evening we sweep for nails so the yard is usable.
- Why is the stain far away from where the roof leaks?
- On a flat roof, water slips under the surface and runs along the deck before it drops through. It often gets in at a wall, vent or seam several feet from the stain. So we check the entire roof, not only the patch above the ceiling mark.
- Will insurance pay for damage to a flat roof?
- That comes down to your policy and the cause. A fallen limb or wind may qualify, but ordinary wear usually doesn't. We work directly with your insurance claim with photos and a written scope, and the adjuster decides on coverage.
- Can I finance a new flat roof?
- Yes. Financing is available through Service Finance Company, subject to credit approval. We'll walk through it with you along with the written estimate.
Let us check your flat roof
We look at the drainage, seams and flashing, photograph them and tell you what we found in everyday words. We work in Hawaiian Gardens and nearby towns such as Lakewood, Cerritos and Artesia.