Residential Vs. Commercial Roofing

Not all roofs are created equal. Depending on the location, the size of the building and the local climate, there are a variety of factors that can create differences between roofs. These differences are especially noticeable between commercial and residential roofs.

To help you assess which one may be best for your project, here are some of the key differences between residential roofing and commercial roofing.

Materials

Residential and commercial roofs usually don’t differ greatly when it comes to the types of materials used to build them. Concrete or roof shingles are common materials and can show up in either type of space. The biggest difference in materials is the amount needed.

Commercial buildings usually have a much larger area than residential buildings. While there are exceptions to this, such as smaller family-owned businesses and large-scale apartments and condos, this is generally true for most cases.

As a result, commercial spaces require a larger amount of materials and resources for roofing compared to residential buildings. This can cause a widespread difference in the roofing process, from impacting the possible designs to cost to maintain.

Designs

Whether you’re looking into residential roofing or commercial roofing, one of the biggest differences you may notice is the difference in roof types. Commercial roofs, due to their large areas, are very limited in design. Most are flat, with little to no variation.

Residential roofs are open to more variation in designs and styles, however. These roofs can be flat or steep and can come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Installations

Installations on large-scale commercial buildings can be much more dangerous than residential, not to mention that they can also require a different set of tools. As a result, the installation process for a residential building, which can be done in only a few days and with minimal equipment, compared to that of a commercial building is widely different.

Cost

Due to the extra materials and resources needed for commercial roofs, as well as the installation costs and the maintenance involved later on, commercial roofing is much more expensive than residential roofing.

Before contacting any roofing agency and hiring them for work, it’s important to seek out estimates to set your budget.

Maintenance

Additional costs can also appear during maintenance.

Roof maintenance involves a variety of different steps, including checking to make sure there are no visible signs of damage, checking for rot or water damage and cleaning gutters. Since commercial roofs are larger than residential roofs, it can often be difficult to complete these tasks, especially at a glance.

This means that you may need to hire a professional every few months — once or twice a year at the very least — to come out and assess the quality of condition of your roof.

At home, however, you can complete these tasks yourself, and usually with ease. Since the area of the roof is smaller, a visual assessment can be done with a quick glance — and cleaning the gutters is no more difficult than climbing onto a ladder. As a result, you’ll notice that another major difference between commercial and residential roofing is the amount of time and money that goes into maintenance.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re looking at roofs for a residential or commercial space, picking a high-quality and reliable roofer is an important part of the process.

Here at U.B. Code Roofing, our team of time-served experts is dedicated to providing the best roofing experience possible for you. Working under full license and insurance, we offer free estimates to help you budget for your project.

To learn more or to book your free estimate, contact us today.