Commercial Roofing, Greater Seattle Area | Volcano Builders Skip to content

Commercial Roofing Across the Greater Seattle Area

Commercial roofing across the Greater Seattle area for property managers and building owners: leak repair, membrane roof replacement and the details that keep a flat roof dry.

  • Every leak is traced to its entry point before we price a patch or a new roof.
  • Tear off, hoisting and odor heavy work planned around tenants, after hours or on weekends if needed.
  • Licensed, bonded and insured under WA license VOLCABI792C6.

By appointment. Limited start dates.

  • Over 200 projects
  • 4.9 on Google
  • 20+ years of experience
  • WA license VOLCABI792C6
Roofer in a hard hat and safety vest pushing a weighted roller across a new membrane layer on a flat commercial roof
Stock photo: roofer rolling a new membrane layer on a flat roof

Trusted to build for

UPS CBRE Patagonia Google CCRM Fertility Bayview Seniors Community
Who it is for

Roofs over tenants, residents and inventory

A commercial roof protects someone else's business or home, which changes how repair and replacement have to be planned.

Property managers

A ceiling stain in one suite often traces to a seam, drain or curb above another tenant. You need the source found, the fix documented and a straight answer on whether the roof needs a budget line.

Building owners

When a roof nears the end of its life, the choice between repair, recover and replacement drives cost, permits and insulation. You want those options in writing before committing capital.

Facility managers

The building stays open during the work. Crane picks, dumpsters, fumes and noise are sequenced so entrances stay usable and the space below stays dry each night.

What we do

Commercial roofing in the Greater Seattle area: what we handle

Low slope membrane roofs and pitched roofs on commercial, retail and multifamily buildings, from a single leak to a full tear off.

Commercial roof repair

Leak tracing from the ceiling up: open seams, punctures, split flashing, clogged drains and failed sealant at penetrations, repaired to match the existing roof.

Membrane roofs

Single ply TPO and PVC, and modified bitumen, the common low slope roof types, with seams and details suited to the membrane in place.

Flat roof replacement and recover

Tear off to the deck with damaged sheathing replaced, or a recover over the existing roof where its condition allows, with new insulation priced in when the energy code calls for it.

Flashing, parapets and edges

Base and counter flashing at walls, parapet caps, coping and edge metal, the transitions where leaks tend to start.

Drains, scuppers and gutters

Resetting roof drains, rebuilding scuppers and replacing gutters and downspouts so water leaves the roof instead of ponding.

Rooftop equipment curbs

Curbs, pipe boots and penetrations around rooftop units, exhaust fans and vents, flashed into the new roof, with licensed mechanical trades moving and resetting the equipment.

For houses, see Roofing Contractors Across the Greater Seattle Area. Related: Facility Maintenance & Repairs Across the Greater Seattle Area, Commercial Painting Across the Greater Seattle Area, Multi-Unit & Mixed-Use Across the Greater Seattle Area and Commercial Construction Across the Greater Seattle Area. In Bellevue, see Commercial Roofing in Bellevue.

Minimal downtime

Reroofing an occupied building, step by step

Most commercial roofs are replaced over people working, shopping or living below, so the job is planned around them and the weather.

  1. Roof survey and written options

    We walk the roof and the ceilings below, photograph drains, seams, flashing and curbs, check the deck and insulation, and send a written scope separating repair from replacement.

  2. Staging and protection plan

    Hoisting, material staging, protected entrances, rooftop unit shutdowns and any after hours tasks are agreed with you first, and each section opened during the day is made watertight before the crew leaves.

  3. Close out with photos

    You receive photos of flashing, drains and curbs taken before they are covered, the permit record where one was needed, and an invoice matched to the approved scope.

Local knowledge

Reroofing permits and energy code for commercial roofs

  1. The Seattle rule

    A new roof cover usually needs a reroofing permit

    Seattle Building Code 106.2 exempts a roof recover over the existing covering, and a roof replacement that exposes less than 500 square feet of roof sheathing or insulation in any six month period. Replacing sheathing of any size, or any structural change, needs a permit.

    What we do

    Our written scope states whether your roof needs the reroofing permit, and we apply for it before any tear off starts.

  2. The Bellevue rule

    Two sheets of sheathing is the line

    Bellevue lets a commercial roof replacement go ahead without a building permit only when the repaired or replaced substrate is limited to two 4 by 8 foot sheets. A recover needs no permit unless the new layer adds more than 5 percent to the total roof weight.

    What we do

    If more sheathing proves damaged once the old roof is off, we pause that area and apply for the permit before closing it in.

  3. The energy code rule

    Replacement can trigger new insulation

    Under Energy Code section C503.3.1, a roof replacement where the old insulation sits entirely above the deck, or where there is none, must meet the insulation level for new construction, and the roof's R-value may never be reduced. A recover is exempt.

    What we do

    We confirm where the existing insulation sits during the survey and include any insulation the code requires in the replacement price.

Washington rule WAC 296-880-20005 requires fall protection where workers face a drop of four feet or more, six feet for roofing work on a low pitched roof (WAC 296-880-30005), and requires skylights to be guarded, so roof edges and skylights are protected before work begins. On multi-unit residential buildings, Bellevue notes RCW 64.55 can add building enclosure documents and an inspection to the permit.

Proof

Why property teams bring us their roofs

Things you can verify before you sign a roofing scope.

Registered with Washington L&I

RCW 18.27.020 makes it a gross misdemeanor to work unregistered or to use an unregistered subcontractor. Our registration, VOLCABI792C6, shows on the L&I Verify tool.

Roof and interior under one contract

As a general contractor we can repair the roof and then rebuild the wet ceiling tiles, drywall and finishes below it on one schedule.

Vendor paperwork ready

Licensed, bonded and insured. We provide the certificate of insurance, W-9 and license details your vendor onboarding asks for.

Setting us up as a vendor? Read Vendor Compliance, Licensing & Insurance.

Warranty

Our workmanship warranty

  • 2 years standard. Our installation and labor are covered for 2 years from substantial completion.
  • Up to 5 years. You can extend the workmanship coverage up to 5 years for an added charge, set in your contract.
  • Not transferable. Coverage stays with the client who signed the contract and does not pass to a new owner.
  • Materials. Materials, finish materials included, carry the manufacturer's or supplier's warranty, and we help you file a claim.

Remodeling Warranty for the Greater Seattle Area

Questions

Commercial roofing questions

What does commercial roofing in the Greater Seattle area include?

Repair and replacement of low slope and pitched roofs on commercial and multifamily buildings: leaks, TPO, PVC and modified bitumen membranes, flashing, drains, scuppers, equipment curbs and insulation, in Seattle and on the Eastside.

Does a flat roof replacement in Seattle need a permit?

Usually, yes. Seattle Building Code 106.2 exempts only a recover over the existing roof, or a replacement that exposes less than 500 square feet of sheathing or insulation in any six month period, and replacing sheathing of any size always needs a permit. See the SDCI roof replacement affidavit.

Can a new roof be installed over the old one?

Sometimes. A recover over the existing covering is exempt from permit in Seattle and in Bellevue, where the added layer must not raise the roof weight by more than 5 percent, and the energy code does not require new insulation for a recover. Whether your roof qualifies depends on the condition of the existing roof and deck.

Will a commercial roof replacement require more insulation?

It can. When the existing insulation is entirely above the deck, or there is none, Energy Code section C503.3.1 requires the replacement to meet the insulation level for new construction, and the R-value can never go down. See the Bellevue roofing permit guidance.

Can the building stay open while the roof is replaced?

Yes, in most cases. Hoisting, staging and protected entrances are agreed with you in advance, noisy or odor heavy tasks can move to evenings or weekends, and each section opened during the day is made watertight before the crew leaves.

What happens to rooftop units during a reroof?

Licensed mechanical trades disconnect, lift and reset rooftop units where the roof beneath them is replaced, and we flash their curbs into the new membrane. Shutdowns are scheduled with your facility team in advance.

Volcano Builders team member holding a phone showing the Google Business listing, Built Without Compromise

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