Commercial Roofing
Your building, back to business.
Flat and low-slope systems for offices, warehouses, retail, and multifamily, installed, repaired, and replaced by a Class A contractor that's been doing it since 1990.
Systems & services
The right membrane for the roof you actually have.
Every flat roof is a set of trade-offs, sun exposure, foot traffic, rooftop equipment, budget cycle. We install all five major systems, so the recommendation fits the building instead of the truck's inventory.
TPO
Heat-welded single-ply with a reflective white surface that cuts summer cooling loads. The workhorse for warehouses and big open decks.
Learn moreEPDM
The proven black rubber membrane, decades of field history, excellent in freeze-thaw, and economical to repair as it ages.
Learn morePVC
Chemically resistant and heat-welded, the right answer over kitchens, labs, and anywhere grease or chemicals hit the roof.
Learn moreBuilt-Up (BUR)
Multiple asphalt plies with redundancy built in, a heavyweight for roofs with heavy foot traffic and long ownership horizons.
Learn moreModified Bitumen
Asphalt toughness in rolled sheets, granule-surfaced, well-suited to smaller commercial roofs and mixed-slope buildings.
Learn moreCommercial Repair
Leaks at curbs, seams, and drains, found, documented, and fixed before they reach the deck.
Learn moreFlat Roof Repair
Ponding, blistering, open seams, and failed flashings on any of the five major membrane systems.
Learn moreNew Construction
Spec-driven commercial roofing for general contractors, Class A licensed for work at any contract value.
Learn moreHow we work
Built around your operations, not ours.
A commercial re-roof shouldn't shut a business down. We stage tear-off and dry-in so the building stays weathertight every night, coordinate with your tenants and schedule, and keep the site clean enough to walk a client through.
- Class A
Virginia's highest contractor license class, qualified for commercial work at any contract size, fully insured.
- 1990
Roofing Central Virginia's businesses and homes for 35 years, under the same name.
- Repairs
Not every aging membrane needs replacing. We repair and maintain existing roofs to buy you budget cycles, and tell you honestly when that stops making sense.
Quick answer
Hardesty Roofing installs and repairs commercial roofing across Central Virginia, covering all five low slope membrane systems: TPO, EPDM, PVC, modified bitumen and built up, as well as commercial metal. We are Class A licensed, Virginia’s highest contractor classification, and have worked from our Midlothian office since 1990. Free assessments for owners, property managers and general contractors. Call 804-523-9955.
The five systems
There is no best membrane, only the right one for the building.
Anyone who tells you one membrane is simply better than the others is selling what they happen to install. The systems genuinely differ, and the right answer depends on the building: what is on the roof, what happens inside it, how much foot traffic the roof takes, what the deck is, and what the budget and intended holding period look like.
A commercial kitchen exhausting grease onto the roof needs a different membrane from a warehouse. A roof crossed daily by technicians servicing rooftop units needs different puncture resistance from one nobody walks. We specify against the building, and we install all five so we have no reason to steer you.
- Single ply
TPO, EPDM and PVC. Lighter, faster to install, and seamed by heat welding or adhesive depending on the system.
- Multi ply
Modified bitumen and built up. Heavier, layered, and more forgiving of foot traffic and abuse.
- Reflectivity
White membranes reduce rooftop heat gain. Black EPDM absorbs it. This matters more on a conditioned building than people expect.
What it costs
How commercial roofs get priced.
Commercial roofing is specified before it is priced. Until the membrane, the thickness, the attachment method and the insulation are settled, a number is meaningless, and two quotes for the same building are not comparable unless they specify the same assembly.
That is the most useful thing to know when you are comparing bids: check that the membrane thickness and the attachment method match before you compare the totals. A thinner membrane mechanically attached will always beat a thicker one fully adhered on price, and it is not the same roof.
- Membrane and thickness
Measured in mils. Heavier membrane costs more, lasts longer and generally qualifies for a longer manufacturer term.
- Attachment
Mechanically attached, fully adhered or ballasted. This affects cost, wind performance and how the roof behaves in a storm.
- Insulation and tapered work
Insulation thickness is driven by energy code. Tapered insulation to correct drainage is a significant line when a roof ponds.
- Tear off or recover
Recovering over an existing roof is cheaper where it is permitted and the substrate is dry. Where insulation is saturated, it is not an option.
What to expect
How a commercial project runs.
Free inspection
We assess the existing roof, identify the membrane and its condition, probe for saturated insulation, and review drainage and rooftop equipment. Owners and property managers get the findings in writing.
Written estimate
You get a written estimate with the options laid out and no vague line items. We explain the tradeoffs and give you our honest recommendation, including when the cheaper option is the right one.
Scheduled work
We schedule around you and show up when we said we would. Crews protect landscaping and vehicles, and magnet-sweep for nails at the end of every working day, not just the last one.
Final walk and paperwork
We walk the finished job with you, answer anything still open, and hand over the warranty documentation. Manufacturer coverage gets registered at closeout, because it is not real until it is registered.
Warranty
Two promises, and they are not the same promise.
Commercial roofs carry two separate warranties. The membrane manufacturer warrants the material and, on some systems, the installed assembly. Hardesty warrants the workmanship. They are different promises with different terms.
Membrane warranty length varies widely by system, by membrane thickness, and by whether the manufacturer inspects the finished job. We tell you what the specific assembly qualifies for before the work is specified, not after.
- 5 yrs
Hardesty's own workmanship warranty on labor. If our installation fails, we come back and fix it.
- Varies
Membrane coverage is set by the manufacturer and varies by system and thickness. Longer terms generally require heavier membrane and a manufacturer-inspected installation.
- In writing
You get the term for the exact material you choose, in writing, before you sign anything.
Common questions
Commercial roofing questions.
Which membrane should we use?
It depends on the building. Grease or chemical exhaust points to PVC. Heavy foot traffic favors a multi ply system. A tight budget on a simple warehouse often points to mechanically attached TPO. We install all five, so the recommendation is not driven by what we happen to stock.
Can we recover over the existing roof instead of tearing off?
Sometimes, and it is meaningfully cheaper when it is allowed. It depends on how many roofs are already on the building, whether the existing insulation is dry, and what the code allows. Saturated insulation rules it out.
How do we compare two roofing bids fairly?
Check that both specify the same membrane, the same thickness in mils, the same attachment method and the same insulation. If those differ, the totals are not comparable. This is where most commercial bid comparisons go wrong.
Will you work around our operations?
Yes. Tell us the constraints early and we will schedule to them, including outside business hours where that is what the building needs.
Do you work with general contractors on new construction?
Yes. New construction commercial roofing is a regular part of our work in Central Virginia.
What warranty will we get?
Two. Hardesty warrants the workmanship for five years. The manufacturer warrants the membrane, and that term varies by system, by thickness, and by whether the manufacturer inspects the completed installation. Longer manufacturer terms generally require heavier membrane and an inspection.
Our roof ponds after it rains. Is that a problem?
Yes, and it is worth addressing rather than living with. Standing water accelerates seam and flashing failure and adds structural load. Tapered insulation or drainage correction is often part of the right answer.
How long does a commercial roof last?
It varies widely by system and thickness, and drainage matters as much as the membrane. A well drained heavier membrane substantially outlasts a thin one that ponds, regardless of which system it is.
Free Estimate
Put a Hardesty roof over it.
Walk-throughs and estimates are free, written, and scoped for your budget cycle, repair, restore, or replace.
804-523-9955Prefer to talk? Call the shop directly. 14430 Sommerville Court, Suite B · Midlothian, VA 23113
Worried about the cost? We offer in-house financing. Ask and we will walk you through it.
Ask About Financing