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Commercial roofing in Denver, built for hail, sun and snow
Repairs, re-roofs, restorations, new construction and maintenance for offices, retail centers, warehouses, churches, schools, apartments and mixed-use buildings within about 30 miles of Denver.
Roof systems
Five commercial roof systems, installed, repaired and maintained
The systems you actually find on Front Range buildings, including roofs we didn't install. Each page covers how the system is built and how it holds up here.
TPO roofing
Heat-welded white membrane over insulation and cover board. The most common choice for new low-slope roofs and full re-roofs.
TPO roofing Single-plyEPDM roofing
Synthetic rubber that stays flexible through deep cold and summer heat. Often the right call to repair, recover or match on existing roofs.
EPDM roofing Multi-plyBuilt-up roofing (BUR)
Smooth and gravel-surfaced asphalt roofs on older commercial buildings. Repair, maintenance and tear-off when the plies are spent.
Built-up roofing MetalMetal roofing
Standing seam and through-fastened panels for commercial, multifamily and mixed-use buildings, plus fastener, seam and flashing repair.
Metal roofing FoamSpray foam roofing (SPF)
Seamless foam insulation and roof in one, protected by an elastomeric coating that has to be renewed on schedule.
Spray foam roofing Not sure?Start with an inspection
Don't know what's on the roof or under it? An inspection or infrared survey answers that before anyone quotes a fix.
Inspections & IR surveysServices
From one leak to a full replacement
The same estimating team handles a pitch pan repair and a full tear-off, so the advice doesn't change with the size of the job.
Leak repair
We trace water to its entry point, often feet from the ceiling stain, and send photos of the cause and the fix. Water coming in now? Report the leak or call (720) 296-0000.
Replacement & recover
Tear-off or recover, decided by core cuts and moisture data. Insulation upgrades, drainage corrections and edge metal are scoped in, not added later.
New construction for GCs
A pre-qualified roofing subcontractor for Front Range GCs: submittals, coordination with mechanical and sheet metal trades, and clean closeout. For general contractors.
Inspections & IR surveys
Condition inspections, infrared moisture surveys, core cuts and drone reports that show where the roof is wet and what it will need. Inspections.
Maintenance programs
Our S.M.a.R.T. program puts your roof on a spring and fall schedule with drain cleaning, repairs and a written report each visit. S.M.a.R.T. maintenance.
Storm & hail claims
Damage documentation, adjuster meetings, detailed scopes and supplements for commercial buildings and multi-building associations. How we handle claims.
Why commercial roofs fail early in Colorado
A low-slope roof that would last a long time in a mild climate gets a harder life here. The Denver metro sits at about a mile of elevation, near the heart of Hail Alley, with weather that can move from 70 degrees to snow in a day. Each of those conditions attacks a different part of the roof:
- Hail, mid-April to mid-August. Hail fractures cover boards, crushes insulation and bruises membranes and asphalt plies. The damage often leaks months later, after freeze-thaw opens what the hail cracked, when the storm date is hard to prove.
- UV at altitude. Less atmosphere filters the sun, so membranes, coatings, sealants and seam tapes dry out and craze faster than at sea level. Sealant-dependent details like pitch pans fail first.
- Freeze-thaw cycles. Water in a small seam opening freezes, expands and widens it a little more each cycle, and Front Range winters bring a lot of cycles.
- Snow load and ponding. Snow drifts against parapets and rooftop units, then melts into clogged drains and low spots, where standing water adds weight and speeds membrane wear.
- Chinook winds. High winds off the foothills pull hardest at corners and perimeters. Loose edge metal is where wind damage starts.
- Rooftop traffic. HVAC and solar crews puncture membranes and leave screws behind. Walkway pads and a look after other trades visit prevent many leaks.
Once water reaches the insulation, the repair-or-replace math changes. That's why our work starts with knowing what's under the membrane.
Repair, restore or replace?
Most roofs have more than one reasonable option. We price them side by side, with expected service life, and let you decide. These conditions usually point to each answer:
| Option | Usually fits when | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| Repair | Damage is isolated: a few leaks, failed flashings, open seams or punctures, and the insulation is dry | Targeted fixes plus a maintenance plan so the next problem is caught early |
| Restore | The membrane is aging but intact, the insulation is dry and the deck is sound | Cleaning, seam and flashing repairs, then a restoration coating. Only works over a dry roof |
| Recover | There is one existing roof, it is mostly dry and the deck can take the added weight | Removing wet areas, then installing new insulation and membrane over the old roof |
| Replace | Wet insulation is widespread, there are already two roofs, the deck is damaged or the system is past its life | Full tear-off to the deck, deck repairs, code-compliant insulation, new membrane, flashings and edge metal |
Three questions settle most decisions: how much insulation is wet, how long you'll hold the building, and whether the work triggers code upgrades such as current energy-code insulation on a tear-off. An infrared moisture survey answers the first, you answer the second, and we check the third with your building department before pricing. See commercial roof cost factors.
Coating over wet insulation traps the problem. A restoration coating is an excellent value on a dry, sound roof. Applied over saturated insulation, it seals the water in. We won't propose a coating until we know the roof is dry.
Roof systems compared
The right system depends on the building's slope, structure, use and how long you plan to own it.
| System | How it's built | Best for | Watch for in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|
| TPO | White thermoplastic sheet, heat-welded seams, over insulation and cover board | New low-slope roofs and re-roofs where cooling costs matter | Hail resistance depends on membrane thickness and cover board; check welds at details |
| EPDM | Synthetic rubber sheet with taped or adhered seams; adhered, fastened or ballasted | Existing EPDM roofs, cold-climate flexibility, recovering in kind | Seam tape and flashings age in the sun; shrinkage pulls at edges and penetrations |
| Built-up (BUR) | Multiple asphalt plies with a smooth coating or gravel surface | Existing smooth and gravel roofs on older commercial buildings | Blisters, alligatoring and splits; gravel scour at drains and edges |
| Metal | Standing seam or through-fastened panels, steeper slopes | Sloped commercial, multifamily and mixed-use roofs | Fastener backout, sealant failure, hail denting, snow sliding onto walkways |
| Spray foam (SPF) | Sprayed polyurethane foam with an elastomeric top coating | Irregular roofs, recovers, buildings that need more insulation | UV wears the coating; recoat on schedule and repair hail pocks before foam is exposed |
| Modified bitumen & coatings | Torch, cold or self-adhered asphalt sheets; liquid coatings over existing roofs | Small roofs, details and restoration of sound, dry roofs | Coatings only work over dry insulation; seams and laps need regular checks |
Choosing a single-ply membrane? Read TPO vs. EPDM.
Warranties, explained
"Warranty" can mean three very different things on a commercial roof, and proposals don't always make clear which one you're getting:
- Workmanship warranty. Truman's warranty on our installation: seams, flashings and details we built. On replacements, it comes from us and we answer for it directly.
- Manufacturer material warranty. Covers defects in the membrane or other products. It generally does not cover the labor to find and fix a problem, or installation errors.
- Manufacturer system (NDL) warranty. A no-dollar-limit warranty covers materials and labor for covered leaks, up to the full cost of repair. It's only available through approved applicators, requires the manufacturer's own inspection at completion, and usually requires a specific assembly. As an approved applicator, we can offer extended manufacturer warranties on qualifying commercial projects.
Check what any warranty excludes and what it requires of you. Many exclude hail above a stated size unless you buy an enhanced assembly, and most require documented maintenance and repairs by an authorized contractor. Our S.M.a.R.T. program keeps that record.
Commercial hail and insurance claims
Commercial property policies handle hail differently than most people expect. Deductibles are often a percentage of the building's insured value rather than a flat amount. Some policies pay actual cash value instead of replacement cost. Metal roofs may carry cosmetic-damage exclusions. And when a claim leads to a full replacement, the cost of meeting current code may only be covered if the policy includes ordinance or law coverage. Read the policy before the storm, not after.
After a storm, we document the damage while the date of loss is easy to tie to it: photos and measurements on every roof section, test cuts for crushed insulation and fractured cover board, and infrared and drone imagery where they help. We meet the adjuster on the roof, prepare a line-item scope and file supplements when items are missed. See after a hailstorm and, for communities, association hail claims.
We follow Colorado's roofing law. You'll get a written contract, and we never pay, waive or rebate a deductible. We're a local general contractor's roofing company, not a storm crew that leaves town when the claims slow down.
How a project runs
Five steps from first call to signed closeout
Estimating is led by Andrew Rickert, our operations manager, a CPA and Class-A licensed general contractor who has been with Truman since 2009. You deal with the same people from the first roof walk to the warranty.
Inspect
We walk the roof, photograph every section and detail, and add core cuts or an infrared survey when the decision is expensive.
Propose
Options side by side, with line items, schedule, warranty and the cost drivers broken out so you can compare bids.
Prepare
Permits, submittals, lead times, crane and staging plans, tenant notices and manufacturer pre-job requirements.
Build
Watertight at the end of every day, a clean site, daily photo updates and one point of contact who answers the phone.
Close out
A final walk with you, the manufacturer's inspection where required, and warranty documents. We don't collect final payment until you sign off.
Who we serve
Set up around how you make decisions
Boards, managers, owners and builders each need something different from a roofer.
HOAs, condos & multifamily
Board-ready findings, comparable bid packages, phasing plans that fit reserves, resident notices and association hail claims. A preferred vendor for many Colorado HOAs.
HOA & multifamily roofingGeneral contractors
A roofing subcontractor with general contractor roots going back to 2003. Prequalification paperwork, bonding and certified-business status ready when you bid.
For general contractorsOwners & facility managers
Offices, retail, industrial, churches, schools and mixed-use buildings. See the kind of work we do, by building type and roof system.
See projectsFAQs
Commercial roofing FAQs
How long does a commercial re-roof take?
Most single-building projects take from a few days to a few weeks once materials arrive. Size, tear-off depth, deck repairs, weather and access drive the schedule. Your proposal includes a schedule, and we update it as the job moves.
Can you work while our tenants or residents stay in the building?
Yes. Most commercial roofing happens on occupied buildings. We plan staging, crane lifts, noise, odors from adhesives and rooftop air intakes, and access around business hours, and we give you notices to send to tenants or residents.
Do you pull permits?
Yes. Requirements differ from city to city and county to county across the metro, and a full replacement can trigger current energy-code insulation and other upgrades. We confirm them with the building department before pricing, and the permit is included in the proposal.
Can a new roof go over our existing one?
Sometimes. Codes generally prohibit a recover when the existing roof is wet or there are already two roofs on the building, and the deck has to be able to carry the weight. Core cuts and a moisture survey tell us whether a recover is an option before we quote it.
What warranty will we get?
A workmanship warranty from Truman, and on qualifying systems a manufacturer warranty. We spell out in the proposal whether that is a material-only warranty or a no-dollar-limit system warranty, what it excludes and what maintenance it requires.
Will you work on a roof another contractor installed?
Yes. We repair and maintain roofs regardless of who installed them. If the roof is still under a manufacturer warranty, we'll check what the warranty requires before making repairs so we don't put your coverage at risk.
How far do you travel?
We work on commercial and association buildings in Denver and communities within about 30 miles, from our Centennial office near the Denver Tech Center. See our service areas.