Modified Bitumen Tear off and Replace Price Range

[mgbinspect]

Writing a commercial inspection on a small one story office building - 5000 SF. It needs a roof. I need a reasonable and generous price range for a modified bitumen roof tear off, which will most likely be replaced with a more to date modified rubber roofing product. Not sure what they'll choose, but it would be nice to be in the ballpark with a square foot price. anyone got some recent numbers?

[kurt]

This is most general, but if everything's draining, there's not significant metal work, scuppers are OK, minimal penetrations, no masonry rebuild, etc., I'd say 'bout $9-12 per sf in Chicago, MINIMUM.

The average utility grade 2 flat (around 1200sf) usually runs about $12,000-15,000 for a decent tear off and replacement.

[mgbinspect]

This is most general, but if everything's draining, there's not significant metal work, scuppers are OK, minimal penetrations, no masonry rebuild, etc., I'd say 'bout $9-12 per sf in Chicago, MINIMUM.

The average utility grade 2 flat (around 1200sf) usually runs about $12,000-15,000 for a decent tear off and replacement.

Thanks Kurt, unfortunately, this is a really weird building - not Solid masonry and steel bar joists, but a modular building from the 70's with brick veneered wood frame walls and wood joists/rafters (flat) with plywood sheathing. Never seen a commercial building built like this one.

The roof slopes up about two feet on a 45 to meet the aluminum cap flashed parapets. The whole systems been leaking badly so there will be sheathing replacement, which I'll plug in @ $125 a sheet.

There are three scuppers on the roof that drain through a clearly failing cast iron pipe - bad news. So the roof drainage system really needs to be replaced as well. I'm tempted to suggest PVC, my only hesitation is sound dampening. Any thoughts?

The drainage system is really strange. It goes down into the crawlspace, which is a good four feet below grade and drains out of a concrete scupper near the parking lot that is actually above grade - no pump in sight, so you have to figure that the weight of water alone pushed it back up and out and the pipe in the crawl space must always have water in it. Very odd.

There are also six packaged heat pumps up there. So, it ain't gonna be easy.

[kurt]

Interior drains failed? Add another $10,000 not including interior repairs to get at the pipe.

All new scuppers, coping, metal work, and whatever else is going to push it up.

Sounds like a freak show.

[mgbinspect]

Any thougths on recommending going back with PVC? I believe it's the route I'd go. I don't suppose you have to worry about noise like you would if it was a busy plumbing stack. What's your experience, sir?

[kurt]

I'd replace it with cast. It'd be awful noisy with plastic.

Of course, plastic would work fine.

[mgbinspect]

Thanks Kurt,

You've been a big help.

Have a great night.

[Tom Raymond]

I might be a little late but, if the whole thing is that jacked up you really need to have a good commercial roofer making those cost guestimates. Simply tell them that it's wrecked and they need to have real estimates to make a truly informed decision.

As for the odd construction, that sure sounds like a more modern building than the 70's. There is a Tim Horton's here that has steel stud side walls with a wood frame flat roof about 5 years old, a Dunkin Donuts that is all wood framed about 3 years old, and a Community Bank that is all wood framed with the coping covering that's also about 3 years old. The last was funny to watch them build, it took as long to roof as it did to frame, working around all the fall protection and gaurd rails really slowed them down. DD has structural foam sheathing and synthetic stucco finish and was an insanely fast build. The other two went up fast initially but both have brick veneer exteriors (Timmy's has lots of brick inside as well) that would have made them cheaper and faster to build full masonry.

Tom

[mgbinspect]

I might be a little late but, if the whole thing is that jacked up you really need to have a good commercial roofer making those cost guestimates. Simply tell them that it's wrecked and they need to have real estimates to make a truly informed decision.

As for the odd construction, that sure sounds like a more modern building than the 70's. There is a Tim Horton's here that has steel stud side walls with a wood frame flat roof about 5 years old, a Dunkin Donuts that is all wood framed about 3 years old, and a Community Bank that is all wood framed with the coping covering that's also about 3 years old. The last was funny to watch them build, it took as long to roof as it did to frame, working around all the fall protection and gaurd rails really slowed them down. DD has structural foam sheathing and synthetic stucco finish and was an insanely fast build. The other two went up fast initially but both have brick veneer exteriors (Timmy's has lots of brick inside as well) that would have made them cheaper and faster to build full masonry.

Tom

Yeah, I actually expected it to be brick and block or brick over steel stud, but to my surprise when I started scooping out termite destroyed wall sill plate and stud behind the vinyl cove and wall covering, it's wood frame.

Funny thing is the buyer got it for 100k (commercial property for 23.25/SF in a run down town and exceptionally poor town. They run clinics on a sliding scale fee for the less fortunate.) and is prepared to throw 250k at it.. sweet! NOn profit organization with apparently deep pockets. Must be nice...

[jaywl]

I wanted to fix my roof. I got someone but unfortunately, it's a big waste of time and money.

Do you know anyone who can give me a fair roofing estimates pls?

I am really looking for more details on this before I make my final decision. I did, however, watched this video @:

(Link to Advertising Deleted)

It gives valuable tips yet I still want more advice then make my decision later. I cannot afford to make anymore mistakes on my roof repair.