Commercial roof cost in Houston
What a commercial roof costs in Houston for 2027: repair, restoration, retrofit and replacement prices per square foot, and what moves the number.
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01
What a commercial roof costs in Houston
A property manager can't build a budget around "call for a quote," so here are our numbers.
These are Houston-market ranges for the work we do. Every roof still gets priced in writing after it has been walked, because two roofs the same size can need very different work.
- Repair
- A standard repair generally runs $1,500 to $3,500, priced off the damage rather than per square foot.
- Membrane restoration
- $4.50 to $8.00 per square foot for a fluid-applied system over existing TPO, PVC, modified bitumen or built-up. Nothing is torn off.
- Metal restoration
- $3.75 to $5.00 per square foot for a fluid-applied system over metal panels that are rusted on the surface but still solid.
- Metal retrofit
- $6.50 to $8.00 per square foot for a TPO roof built over the existing metal panels, and $9 to $12 for PVC.
- Metal replacement
- $7 to $12 per square foot for new panels, trim and fasteners.
- Membrane tear-off and replacement
- $15 to $20 per square foot, taken down to the deck, with wet insulation and damaged deck replaced.
The rest of this page explains what each line buys, what pushes a roof to the top or bottom of its range, and how to turn these numbers into next year's budget.
02
Repair: priced off the damage
A repair fixes what failed and leaves the rest of the roof alone. Most leaks start at a detail, not across the whole roof: a seam, a curb, a wall flashing, a drain, an old repair area. A standard repair at one of those generally runs $1,500 to $3,500.
The price follows the damage, not the roof size. It rises with how far the water has traveled, how much insulation is wet, how many details failed, the roof system and how hard the roof is to reach.
An active leak is different. The emergency visit and the temporary protection are billed separately, and the permanent repair is priced in writing before it starts. Details are on our commercial roof repair and commercial roof leak repair pages.
03
Restoration: the middle option
When a roof is worn across its whole surface but the deck is sound and the insulation is dry, it can often be restored instead of replaced. A fluid-applied system goes over the existing roof, and nothing is torn off.
On TPO, PVC, modified bitumen or built-up, a membrane restoration runs $4.50 to $8.00 per square foot, against $15 to $20 to tear the same roof off and replace it. On metal panels that are rusted on the surface but still solid, a restoration runs $3.75 to $5.00, against $7 to $12 for new panels.
Whether a roof qualifies gets checked first, with core samples, usually two to four small cuts, each patched right away. Wet insulation or a soft deck rules restoration out, and we will tell you that. More on how it works is on our commercial roof restoration and metal roof coating pages.
04
Retrofit: a new roof over the old metal
Some metal roofs need more than a new surface. The steel is sound, but the building needs insulation, or a membrane roof, or the panels have worn past what a coating should go over.
A retrofit builds a new roof on top of the existing panels. Insulation fills the flutes, board goes over it, and a TPO or PVC membrane goes on top. TPO runs $6.50 to $8.00 per square foot and PVC $9 to $12. The old metal stays, so the building is never opened up.
On sound steel, we generally prefer a retrofit to new panels. Where a restaurant sits under the roof, PVC stands up to the grease. See our TPO roofing page.
05
Replacement: when the roof has to come off
Tearing a membrane roof off to the deck and replacing it runs $15 to $20 per square foot, with wet insulation and damaged deck replaced. A metal roof replacement runs $7 to $12 per square foot for new panels, trim and fasteners. New TPO over a roof that is still sound is priced per roof.
Replacement is the right answer when the deck is failing, the insulation is wet across large areas, or the roof has been patched past the point where patching makes sense. It is the wrong answer when a few details have failed on an otherwise sound roof.
How we plan a replacement, and the options for each system, are on our commercial roof replacement page.
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What moves the price
Two roofs the same size can land at opposite ends of a range. These are the things that move them.
- Wet insulation
- The biggest single factor. Water sitting under the membrane has to come out, and patching the top over it just traps the problem.
- The deck
- A sound deck keeps restoration and recover options open. Soft or damaged deck has to be replaced, and that pushes a job toward replacement.
- Layers to tear off
- A roof that has already been recovered once has more to come off, and more to dispose of.
- Curbs, drains and penetrations
- Every curb, drain, pipe and wall is a detail that has to be flashed by hand. The more of them a roof has, the more the work costs.
- Access and height
- How easy the roof is to reach, how many stories the building has, and where a lift can stand.
- Drainage
- Ponding gets fixed first. Crickets, new scuppers and tapered insulation are priced from the roof, because they vary too much for one range.
- System and warranty
- The system, the chemistry on a coating, and the warranty term all move the number.
07
Repair, restore or replace: which one your roof needs
The cheapest answer is the one your roof can actually take. Here is how the condition usually points.
- A few failed details, the rest sound
- Repair. Priced off the damage, generally $1,500 to $3,500 each.
- Worn across the surface, deck sound, insulation dry
- Restoration. $4.50 to $8.00 per square foot on membrane, $3.75 to $5.00 on metal.
- Sound steel, needs a new roof or insulation
- Metal retrofit. $6.50 to $8.00 for TPO, $9 to $12 for PVC.
- Wet insulation across large areas, or a failing deck
- Replacement. $15 to $20 on membrane, $7 to $12 on metal.
As Wade Coons puts it: "I wouldn't start with replacement. First we need to find out where the water is getting in, what shape the roof is actually in, and whether the leaks are isolated or the whole system is failing. If the roof can be repaired and bought more time, I'll tell you that. If replacement is the smart move, I'll show you why and give you the numbers."
08
Worked examples on a 20,000 square foot roof
Arithmetic on the ranges above, not a quote. It shows why checking the roof first matters on a large building.
- Metal roof, restored
- At $3.75 to $5.00 a square foot: $75,000 to $100,000.
- Metal roof, replaced
- At $7 to $12 a square foot: $140,000 to $240,000.
- Membrane roof, restored
- At $4.50 to $8.00 a square foot: $90,000 to $160,000.
- Membrane roof, torn off and replaced
- At $15 to $20 a square foot: $300,000 to $400,000.
On a roof that qualifies, the gap between restoring and replacing can decide whether the project gets approved this year or waits for next year.
09
Building a 2027 roof budget
Many property managers set next year's numbers in the fall. A roof budget is easier to defend when it is built from the roof, not from a guess.
Get the roof walked before the budget closes. You want a dated record of what is wrong now, with photos, so the numbers have something behind them.
Then split it three ways. First, the repairs that are already known. Second, a maintenance program to keep small problems small. Third, the bigger decision, restore, retrofit or replace, with a year attached and a price in writing.
Wade's point on that middle line: "Most roof problems do not start as a full roof problem. They start at seams, penetrations, curbs, walls, gutters, drains, and old repair areas. If those details are ignored, a small leak turns into insulation damage, tenant problems, interior damage, and then a much bigger decision. Maintenance is what keeps a roof from becoming a capital expense before it has to."
A maintenance program is priced per square foot. The rate depends on how easy the roof is to reach, how many stories the building has, and how busy the roof is.
Want numbers for next year's budget?
We walk the whole roof, photograph what we find and send back the scope and the price in writing, split so the urgent items can be approved now and the rest planned. The assessment is free when we are quoting the work.
10
Comparing bids
Two bids for the same roof can be far apart for good reasons. Before comparing totals, check that they are pricing the same job.
- Scope in writing
- What exactly gets repaired, coated or torn off, and how many square feet.
- Wet insulation
- How much the bid assumes gets replaced, and how extra wet areas found during the work get priced.
- Tear-off or recover
- Whether the old roof comes off or a new one goes over it.
- Testing
- Whether anyone cut core samples or tested for moisture before quoting a restoration.
- Warranty
- Who stands behind it, the manufacturer or only the contractor, and for how long.
- Photos
- Whether the bid shows you what it is fixing.
If one bid recommends a full replacement and another recommends repairs, ask each to show you why. A good contractor can point to it on the roof.
Who you are dealing with
Coons Roofing is a commercial-only roofing contractor working across the Houston metro. It is owned and run by Wade Coons, who is on every project from the first roof walk to the final walkthrough. There is no salesman between you and the person who looked at your roof.
Certified applicator for Versico, FiberTite, Duro-Last, Karnak, IPC, Western Colloid, Elevate and GAF. Fully insured with general liability and workers compensation coverage.
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Commercial roof cost FAQs
How much does a commercial roof cost in Houston?
It depends on what the roof needs. A standard repair generally runs $1,500 to $3,500. Restoring a membrane roof runs $4.50 to $8.00 per square foot, and a metal roof $3.75 to $5.00. A TPO retrofit over metal runs $6.50 to $8.00 per square foot, and PVC $9 to $12. Replacing a metal roof runs $7 to $12 per square foot, and tearing off and replacing a membrane roof $15 to $20. Every roof gets priced in writing after it has been walked.
How much does a 20,000 square foot commercial roof cost?
As arithmetic on the ranges, not a quote: a metal roof that size comes to $75,000 to $100,000 restored, or $140,000 to $240,000 replaced. A membrane roof comes to $90,000 to $160,000 restored, or $300,000 to $400,000 torn off and replaced. Which one a roof can take depends on the deck and whether the insulation is dry.
What is the cheapest way to fix a commercial roof?
The cheapest answer is the one the roof can actually take. If a few details have failed and the rest is sound, that is a repair. If the roof is worn across its surface but the deck is sound and the insulation dry, a restoration costs far less than a tear-off. Replacement is for a failing deck or wet insulation across large areas.
How should we budget for a commercial roof next year?
Get the roof walked before the budget closes, so the numbers come from the roof and not a guess. Then split it three ways: the repairs already known, a maintenance program to keep small problems small, and the bigger decision, restore, retrofit or replace, with a year attached and a price in writing.
Why are two commercial roofing bids so far apart?
Usually because they are not pricing the same job. Check whether each bid tears off or recovers, how much wet insulation it assumes, whether anyone took core samples or tested for moisture, and who stands behind the warranty. If one recommends replacement and the other repairs, ask each to show you why on the roof.
Why won't you give a price over the phone?
Because the roof decides the price. Two roofs the same size can need very different work, and the biggest factor, wet insulation, can't be seen from the ground. We walk the roof, photograph what we find, and put the price in writing.
Does the roof assessment cost anything?
The assessment is free when we are quoting the work. An emergency visit for an active leak, and any temporary protection, are billed separately.
Need a real number for your roof?
Tell us the building and what is going on with the roof. We walk all of it, photograph what we find, and put the scope and the price in writing. If it doesn't need replacing, we will tell you that.
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Where we work across the metro
We cover Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, Brazoria, and Waller counties. Pick your city for local detail on what we see on roofs there.
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