When looking into commercial roofing there are a number of things to think about and to decide on, depending on the needs of your business. Roofing companies classify the main systems into two groups. They are known as low slope and steep slope.
Low sloped roofing, which is also known as flat roofing is a complicated industry all to itself. There are thousands of different areas to choose from ranging from roof deck types to insulation requirements to roof membranes and more. In order to make the process easier, you should always involve a professional roofing contractor to assist you in choosing the best roof to work with your needs. They are the experts on all things roofing and can be a great asset to your decision making. For low sloping roof membrane there are three main components: weatherproofing, reinforcements and surfacing. A low sloping roof system can be split into five subsections:
- Built up roof membranes
- Metal panel roof
- Polymer bitumen sheet membrane
- Single ply membrane
- Spray polyurethane foam based
A steep slope roof system is typically composed of components that are installed like shingles. This consists of three main parts: roof deck, underlayment and roof coverings. Steep slope roofing also has five subsections:
Asphalt shingles
Most types of roof can be installed by your typical roofing contractor but for a metal panel roof or metal roof slate, or any kind of roof like this, you would want to employ steel roofing contractors to take care of it. Steel roofing contractors specialize in steel roofs obviously, but they are also qualified to install any kind of roofing that includes metal at all. When you are looking into hiring a roofer, it is recommend to make appointments with no less than three contractors. You can ask for references from customers and then contact those people to make sure the work they did is up to your standards. This will help you in deciding on a contractor instead of just hoping for the best. Of course, word of mouth is also the greatest advertising, so if you know someone who recently had a roof done, find out if they are pleased with the work and if so, hire the same company. Chances are, if they know you were referred by a previous customer, they will make sure the work is just as good.
Going back to the actual roofs, there are a lot more to choose from than just what is in these lists but it gives you a general idea of what you should be looking for. In using the same example, if you would like a steel roof then contacting steel roofing contractors would be the first step and that’s not even included in the two groups. Or a green roof where you can grow vegetation, also not included. However, even though there are many more types to consider for the most part, they tend to fall into these two categories which should make it easier for you to look into.