Commercial roof emergency? (866) 487-8572 — 24/7 storm, leak, and active-damage response across NC, SC, GA, TN. Roof emergency? (866) 487-8572 · 24/7 · NC SC GA TN (866) 487-8572 · 24/7 emergency
Low-Slope · TPO · EPDM · BUR · Coatings

Commercial Flat Roofing for Low-Slope Buildings Across the Southeast.

Membrane roof systems for warehouses, plants, distribution centers, and commercial buildings across NC, SC, GA, TN. We install and replace TPO, EPDM, built-up, modified bitumen, and coating-restoration roofs — certified applicators for Carlisle, Firestone, GAF, Johns Manville, and IKO. Line-item bid in about 36 hours.

0
Flat-roof membranes
0
Commercial roofs installed
0
NDL warranty available
0
Bid turnaround
24/7 emergency
(866) 487-8572
Request for Quote
Bid in 48 hours

Tell us about the facility. A licensed PM reviews every RFQ personally.

Your info goes to a licensed PM. We don't share or sell leads.
Certified applicators for single-ply membrane manufacturers
01 · Commercial flat roofing

One head, several systems — we install every commercial flat roof type.

Commercial flat roofing is a category, not a single product. Every low-slope commercial building — warehouse, manufacturing plant, distribution center, retail strip, office — carries a membrane roof rather than the shingles or panels used on steep-slope construction. The job of a flat-roofing contractor is to match the right membrane to the building, install it weather-tight, and detail the drainage and penetrations so the roof reaches its full warranted life. We carry all six low-slope systems and hold certified-applicator status with Carlisle, Firestone, GAF, Johns Manville, and IKO, so the recommendation is driven by the building rather than by which product we happen to stock.

The most common single-ply choice on commercial flat roofs is TPO — a white, reflective membrane with heat-welded seams that delivers strong cost-to-performance and cuts cooling load on conditioned buildings. EPDM rubber is the better call where rooftops see heavy foot traffic, where a ballasted assembly is wanted, or where cold-climate thermal cycling rewards EPDM's elasticity. For roofs with ponding history, heavy mechanical loads, or a specified redundant membrane, built-up roofing and modified bitumen lay down multiple plies that tolerate abuse. And when an existing membrane is still serviceable, a silicone or acrylic coating restoration renews it for 10–15 years and defers the cost and disruption of a full tear-off.

The deciding factors are rarely about the membrane alone. Drainage governs membrane life more than the membrane brand: where water ponds, we build tapered insulation to positive slope so the roof sheds to its drains instead of holding standing water that degrades any system. Insulation R-value is set to the applicable state energy code, structural deck capacity is verified before we add insulation depth, and every penetration, curb, and flashing is field-detailed to the manufacturer's standard so the NDL warranty actually holds. That discipline is the difference between a roof that reaches 25 or 30 years and one that leaks at year eight.

02 · Cost · By System · 2026

Commercial flat roofing cost by system.

Installed commercial flat roofing runs roughly $6–14 per square foot across the Southeast — system, tear-off vs. recover, insulation depth, and rooftop complexity drive where a project lands. A coating restoration over a sound membrane is the lowest-cost path and defers a full replacement.

TPO single-ply (mechanically-attached)
$6.50–9.50/sqft
installedmost common
EPDM single-ply (fully-adhered)
$7.50–11/sqft
installedtraffic / cold
Built-up roofing (BUR)
$8–12/sqft
installedredundant ply
Modified bitumen (APP / SBS)
$7–11/sqft
installedtorch / mop
Silicone / acrylic coating restoration
$2.50–5.50/sqft
installeddefers reroof
Tapered insulation (drainage build)
+$1.50–3/sqft
add-onponding fix
Source: Southeast Commercial Roofing bid data, 2026. Single-ply ranges reflect 60-mil membrane, full tear-off, R-25 polyiso over a sound deck. Fully-adhered, 80-mil, tapered insulation, or penetration-dense roofs trend toward the upper end. Coating restoration assumes a serviceable existing membrane with no widespread wet insulation (confirmed by moisture scan). Excludes asbestos abatement, structural reinforcement, and Davis-Bacon wage projects (quoted separately).
03 · Installation process

How we install a commercial flat roof.

Every flat-roof replacement runs the same six-phase process, built around NRCA commercial standards and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.28 fall protection. The difference between a 20,000 sqft retail roof and a 400,000 sqft warehouse is phase count and crew size, not method — and a moisture scan up front always decides recover vs. tear-off before a single board goes down.

01

Roof survey and moisture scan

Drone survey plus on-roof walk to assess membrane condition, drainage, penetrations, and rooftop equipment. Infrared or electronic moisture scan and core samples establish whether insulation is wet and whether the roof can be recovered or must be torn off. Detailed line-item bid delivered in about 36 hours.

02

System selection and spec

Recommend the flat-roof system that fits the building: TPO for cost and reflectivity, EPDM for traffic and thermal cycling, BUR or modified bitumen for redundancy and ponding, or a coating restoration for a serviceable existing membrane. Insulation R-value set to state energy code; tapered insulation specified where drainage is poor.

03

Permitting and tear-off

Commercial roofing permit filed with the county, including structural calcs for insulation load and code R-value compliance. Phased tear-off sequenced so no section is exposed to weather while the building operates below. Deck inspected, rotted sheathing replaced, fasteners verified before new system goes down.

04

Insulation and membrane install

Insulation board laid to target R-value; tapered packages built to drains where needed. Membrane installed per manufacturer spec — TPO heat-welded seams, EPDM seam-taped or fully-adhered, BUR/modified bitumen torch- or mop-applied. All flashings, curbs, and penetrations field-detailed to manufacturer standards.

05

Drainage and penetration detailing

Drains and scuppers re-set with new clamping hardware, HVAC curbs re-flashed, pipe and conduit penetrations sealed with manufacturer-spec boots. Every penetration documented in a photo log so the building owner has a complete as-built record for future service.

06

Final scan, warranty, and handoff

Final moisture scan confirms no trapped substrate moisture. Manufacturer NDL warranty registered (20–30 years by system). As-built drawings, penetration map, and a maintenance schedule delivered to the owner so the roof's full warranted life is protected.

Recent projects

Commercial flat roof projects.

TPO, EPDM, built-up, modified bitumen, and coating-restoration roofs on warehouses, plants, and commercial buildings across NC, SC, GA, TN. Phased tear-off, tapered-drainage builds, and NDL-warranted single-ply installs.

TPO · Fully Adhered
75,000 sqft Cold Storage Facility
Henderson County, NC · Completed Q1 2026
Sqft75K
System80-mil TPO FA
Timeline10 days
Standing Seam Metal
220,000 sqft Automotive Plant
Alamance County, NC · Completed Q4 2025
Sqft220K
System24-ga SS Metal
Timeline21 days
TPO · Mechanically Attached
350,000 sqft Data Center
Coweta County, GA · Completed Q1 2026
Sqft350K
System80-mil TPO
Timeline26 days
04 · Where flat roofing fits

Recover, replace, or restore — and which building it's on.

The first decision on any flat roof is recover, replace, or restore, and it's settled by the substrate, not by preference. Recover — a new membrane over the existing one — is allowed when there is no more than one existing layer and no widespread wet insulation; it saves tear-off and disposal cost but seals any existing problems underneath. Full tear-off is mandatory when the deck is compromised, when two roof layers already exist, or when an infrared survey shows saturated insulation, because recovering a wet roof voids the warranty and rots the deck. Coating restoration fits a roof whose membrane is still broadly sound: a silicone or acrylic coating renews it for 10–15 years. We run a moisture scan and core samples before recommending any of the three, because the wrong call here is the most expensive mistake an owner can make on a flat roof.

Most of our flat-roof work is on industrial and commercial low-slope buildings where operations continue underneath. We sequence tear-off and dry-in by zone so no section is exposed while the building runs, and we weatherproof every zone before crews leave the roof — critical for protecting inventory and production. See our work on manufacturing plant roofing, distribution and warehouse roofing, and cold-storage roofing, where reflective single-ply and high-R insulation directly cut the building's cooling and refrigeration load. Whatever the building, the deliverable is the same: a weather-tight, properly drained, manufacturer-warranted flat roof with a complete as-built record.

05 · Answers

Questions about commercial flat roofing.

Who provides commercial flat roofing near me in NC, SC, GA, or TN?
Southeast Commercial Roofing installs and replaces commercial flat roofing across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. We are a certified applicator for Carlisle, Firestone, GAF, Johns Manville, and IKO, NCLBGC-licensed in NC and SC LLR-licensed in SC, headquartered in Flat Rock, NC (Henderson County). We bid low-slope roofs from a 10,000 sqft retail strip to a 500,000 sqft distribution center, and turn detailed line-item bids in about 36hr. Active metros include Charlotte, Raleigh, Atlanta, and Nashville, plus the full NC, SC, GA, and TN footprint.
What is the best flat roof system for a commercial building?
There is no single best system — the right flat roof depends on the building. TPO is the most common single-ply membrane on commercial flat roofs: white reflective membrane, heat-welded seams, strong cost-to-performance, ideal for warehouses and big-box. EPDM rubber wins on rooftops with heavy foot traffic, ballasted assemblies, or cold-climate thermal cycling. Built-up roofing (BUR) and modified bitumen suit roofs with ponding history, heavy mechanical loads, or where a redundant multi-ply membrane is specified. Silicone and acrylic coatings restore a serviceable existing membrane without a full tear-off. We recommend on facility specifics, not on what we'd rather sell.
What does commercial flat roofing cost per square foot?
Installed commercial flat roofing runs roughly $6–14 per square foot in the Southeast depending on system, tear-off vs. recover, insulation depth, and rooftop complexity. A mechanically-attached 60-mil TPO with R-25 polyiso over a clean deck sits near the low end; a fully-adhered 80-mil membrane, tapered insulation, or a roof dense with HVAC and process penetrations trends higher. A restoration coating over a sound membrane runs $2.50–5.50/sqft and defers a full replacement. We price every roof line-by-line — membrane, insulation, flashings, penetrations, and tear-off are separated so owners see exactly where the cost lives.
Should I replace my flat roof or recover it?
It depends on the substrate. Recover (installing a new membrane over the existing one) is allowed by code for a roof with no more than one existing membrane and no widespread wet insulation — it skips tear-off cost and disposal, but traps any existing problems underneath. Full tear-off is required when the deck is compromised, when there are already two roof layers, or when an infrared moisture survey shows saturated insulation. We run a moisture scan and core samples before recommending either path, because recovering a wet roof voids the warranty and accelerates deck rot. The NRCA publishes the tear-off-vs-recover decision criteria we work from.
How long does a commercial flat roof last?
Service life depends on system and maintenance. A properly installed TPO or EPDM single-ply roof runs 20–30 years; built-up and modified bitumen 20–30 years with redundant plies; a maintained coating restoration adds 10–15 years and is renewable. Most manufacturers — Carlisle, Firestone, GAF, Johns Manville — back qualified installs with a 20- or 30-year NDL (No Dollar Limit) warranty, which we register on every system we install. Reflective white membranes also cut cooling load, which matters for conditioned manufacturing and cold-storage space.
Do you install flat roofing on industrial and warehouse buildings?
Yes — low-slope industrial buildings are our core work. We sequence around production schedules and weatherproof every zone before crews leave the roof, so plant operations and inventory stay protected. See our pages for manufacturing plant roofing, distribution and warehouse roofing, and cold-storage roofing. Crews are certified for OSHA 29 CFR 1910.28 fall protection, which applies to every commercial roof over four feet.
What is the difference between a flat roof and a low-slope roof?
"Flat roof" is the common term, but no commercial roof is truly flat — every membrane roof is built with a minimum 1/4-inch-per-foot slope to drain. The industry term is low-slope roofing (anything below 3:12 pitch). Low-slope roofs use membrane systems — TPO, EPDM, BUR, modified bitumen — rather than the shingles or panels used on steep-slope roofs. Where drainage is poor and water ponds, we add tapered insulation to build positive slope toward drains, which prevents the standing-water deterioration that shortens membrane life.
Can you repair a leaking flat roof instead of replacing it?
Often, yes. Many flat-roof leaks are localized — a failed seam, a cracked pipe boot, a clogged drain, or storm-damaged flashing — and repair extends the roof rather than triggering replacement. We start with an infrared or electronic moisture survey to map whether water has spread into the insulation. If the membrane is broadly sound, targeted repair plus a coating restoration is the cost-effective path. If the survey shows widespread saturation or the membrane is past service life, repair is throwing money at a failing roof and replacement is the call. We document both options so owners decide with full information.
06 · Flat-roof systems

Choose your flat-roof system.

Get Started

Need a commercial flat roofing bid?

TPO, EPDM, built-up, modified bitumen, and coating-restoration roofs from 10,000 to 500,000 sqft. Moisture scan, line-item bid in about 36 hours, and NDL manufacturer warranty. NC, SC, GA, TN.