Commercial Roof Repair in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley

Where low-slope roofs actually fail

At the drains and scuppers. Blocked, and the roof becomes a shallow tank. Standing water weighs roughly five pounds per square foot for every inch of depth, so a two-inch pond across a large area is a serious structural load as well as a leak risk.

At the seams. The open field of a membrane rarely fails first. The overlaps do, and so does every penetration: vent pipes, mechanical curbs, conduit, satellite mounts.

At the parapet. Where the membrane turns up the wall, and the coping on top of it. That junction takes the most movement and the most weather, and on older buildings it is the single most common source of leaks.

Under the membrane, invisibly. If insulation beneath the surface is saturated, the roof is already failing whatever the top looks like. This is the thing that decides between a re-cover and a full tear-off, and it cannot be judged by eye.

Re-cover or replace

The honest answer requires a test cut or a moisture survey, not an opinion from the parapet.

If what is underneath is dry and the build-up is not already at its layer limit, a re-cover is usually the economic choice. If the insulation is wet, a re-cover seals the water in and the new roof fails early, so you would be paying twice.

Anyone quoting a re-cover without establishing which of those you have is guessing with your money.

Membrane types, briefly

Most flat roofs around here are one of three things, and knowing which you have changes the repair.

Built-up (tar and gravel). The traditional layered system. Durable, repairable in sections, and heavy. Failures show at the flashings and where the gravel has migrated away and left the surface exposed.

Modified bitumen. Rolled sheets, usually torch or cold applied. Repairs are straightforward if the material is compatible, which is why patching with the wrong product is a common cause of repeat failure.

Single-ply (TPO or EPDM). A thin membrane, mechanically fixed or adhered. Efficient and light, but the seams carry everything, so seam integrity is the whole inspection.

Patching one system with another rarely bonds properly. Half the failed repairs we are called to are a compatibility problem rather than a workmanship problem.

Working around a tenanted building

Most of what goes wrong on commercial projects is scheduling rather than roofing.

Tear-off is loud, dusty and drops debris, and there are usually people working underneath. We stage by section, agree access windows with you and the tenant in writing before anything is booked, and where a business needs to trade normally we work early mornings and overnight.

For property managers and boards, the scope comes back split by section and by cause, so it can be approved or budgeted rather than accepted as a single lump figure.

What commercial roof work costs

These are the ranges Stucco Contractor Pro publishes for a new roof. Estimates depend on size, pitch and materials, and financing is available. For diagnosis and repair we do not publish a figure, because a number set from the ground is a number that changes once we are on the roof. You get a written estimate after the inspection.

Commercial low-slope work is quoted after inspection rather than from that table, which is residential. The variables are the deck, the existing build-up, whether the insulation is dry, and access.

What customers say

Who does the work

Bryan runs the crew and is on site for the assessment. The company has worked roofing, exterior stucco, siding and painting on residential and commercial property across the San Gabriel Valley for over 25 years. Stucco Contractor Pro holds California contractor license number 1079589, which you can look up on the CSLB website.

Frequently asked questions

Why is water sitting on our roof?

Because it is low-slope and something is stopping it reaching a drain, usually a blocked drain or scupper, sometimes a dip in the deck. Water standing more than a day or two is finding a low spot, and if that spot is a sagging deck the weight makes it worse.

Can we re-cover instead of replacing?

Only if what is under the membrane is dry and the build-up is not at its layer limit. If the insulation is saturated a re-cover traps the water and the new roof fails early. That is established with a test cut, not by looking.

Can you work outside business hours?

Yes, and on a tenanted building we usually recommend it. Early morning and overnight blocks let a business trade normally, and we price that in rather than treating it as a variation later.

How do you handle access with tenants in place?

We stage by section and agree the access windows in writing with you and the tenant before anything is booked, so nobody discovers a crew on the roof on a busy morning.

What format does the quote come in?

Split by section and by cause, so a manager or a board can see what is urgent, what is preventative and what can wait a budget cycle.

Related services

For an active leak, see emergency roof repair. Drainage is covered under gutter installation and repair. Condition assessments are under roof inspections. Our main roofing services page covers the rest.

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Service Areas

Eastside

• Highland Park
• Eagle Rock
• Atwater Village
• Boyle Heights
• Lincoln Heights
• El Sereno

South LA

• South Los Angeles
• Baldwin Hills
• Leimert Park
• Crenshaw

San Fernando Valley

• Sherman Oaks
• Studio City
• North Hollywood
• Van Nuys
• Encino
• Reseda
• Tarzana
• Woodland Hills
• Canoga Park
• Chatsworth
• Northridge
• Granada Hills
• Sylmar

Additional Cities and Suburbs

• Azusa
• Covina
• West Covina
• Baldwin Park
• Glendora
• Pomona
• La Verne
• Claremont
• Rancho Cucamonga
• Ontario
• Upland
• Chino Hills
• Diamond Bar
• Walnut

Lake Areas

• Lakewood
• Lake View Terrace
• Lake Balboa