Menu

Roof Replacement on a 6-Storey Residential Apartment Building

Roof Replacement on a Residential Apartment Building Built in 1960. apartment building Roof Replacement concept.

Project Specifications

  • Building Height: 56′

  • Total Roof Area: 30,079 sq ft

  • Deck Substrate: Concrete

  • Vapour Retarder: Existing left in place

  • Original insulation: 1” fiberboard left in place – soiled/damaged insulation was replaced, as needed
    Insulation: 1.5” Polyisocyanurate and 0.5” fiberboard cover board applied in roofing asphalt

  • Membrane Type: 2-Ply SBS Modified Bitumen membrane with roofing asphalt and granular cap sheet, torch applied.

  • Ballast: None

  • Flashings: 2-Ply SBS Modified Bitumen with granular cap sheet grey

  • Metal Coping: 26 gauge dark brown pre-painted metal

Project Details

Client Name: Ranee Management (repeat client)
Address: 521-523 Finch Avenue West, Toronto (North York neighborhood)
Project: Roof replacement on a 6-storey Residential Apartment building built in 1960
Timeframe: September 5, 2023 – November 15, 2023

Roof Replacement on a Residential Apartment Building Built in 1960 by Elite Roofing.
Roof Replacement on a Residential Apartment Building Built in 1960 by Elite Roofing.
Roof Replacement on a Residential Apartment Building Built in 1960. apartment building Roof Replacement concept.
Roof Replacement on a Residential Apartment Building.

Client Goal/Purpose of Project

The membrane on the client’s roof was failing, causing excessive active leaks throughout the building. Our client purchased the property in the past 5-10 years. We had not worked on the building for the former landlord, with the existing roofing installed by other contractors. What we found before and during the project presented numerous challenges, requiring flexibility and transparency.

Key Challenges

After multiple service visits over the past few years, the client was no longer satisfied with the poorly performing roofing system, realizing it was time for a complete roof replacement. The existing roof membrane was installed with asphalt BUR (built-up roof), a second layer of ballasted EPDM membrane, and 10-12 lbs per sft of river stone–a combination of materials that made roof removal a laborious process. Here are some of the key challenges we faced during the project:

Planning

The client was quite concerned about the impact the roof replacement would have on the building’s tenants. We would need to take steps to meet these objectives:

  • Minimize disruption to tenants affected by the installation of new interior plumbing connections.
  • Keep the complex’s drive-in garage doors around the entire perimeter unobstructed.
  • Ensure a safe environment around a complex with unexpectedly high foot traffic.

The biggest hurdle was the tight space available at the base of the building for staging and working. The main issue was how to get material delivered to the rooftop.

We would need to tackle the removal of all of the roofing layers plus keep the building watertight while dealing with multiple active leaks we discovered. Removing dry, fully adhered fiberboard insulation is also a difficult process, as the insulation needs to be chipped off in small pieces, potentially causing damage to the vapour retardant and concrete substrate. Other unexpected (and unwelcome surprises) along the way presented additional challenges.

The ballasted EPDM overlay membrane was in extremely poor condition. The membrane was not secured at the perimeters, causing it to shift or move, resulting in large rips and visible leaks. We noted significant EPDM membrane shrinkage from lack of securement at the parapet walls and upturns. In addition, the insulation on the top layer of the roof assembly was completely saturated.

Once we removed the stone ballast, EPDM membrane, and top layer of insulation, the existing original membrane was the only layer providing protection from rain. We had to be very careful to inspect and keep this membrane sealed. At times, this called for some material temporary repairs.

Management & Execution

At the commencement of our work it was revealed that the exhaust fan housings were in worse shape than indicated by our original inspection. In addition, the membrane around the fan housing curb upturns was not secured adequately. Leaks caused by these issues meant we would need request that the landlord engage a company to replace the housings to ensure the new roof was watertight. The housings were probably original and over 60 years old!

The removal process revealed that the overlay EPDM membrane had hidden large areas of water ponding, requiring the installation of additional roof drains. There were also 2 layers of roof membrane and insulation on the building making drainage hard to assess until the assembly was installed.

The original parapet walls were too low and combined with the new thicker insulation we added, required modifications.

Several unanticipated challenges required us to coordinate with other trades, including HVAC (York Sheet Metal) and Plumbing (Silver Plumbing).

We installed new wood blocking in multiple layers to raise the parapet walls, allowing for proper membrane upturns and sheet metal installation.

Before Roof Replacement

Pictured below: ponding water from leaks and membrane issues of the apartment building prior to the roof replacement.

Solutions for the Residential Apartment Roof Replacement in North York, Toronto

The Elite team went above and beyond to resolve the multiple issues we encountered during project implementation, without derailing the roof removal or replacement. We successfully met the goal of re-roofing the complex without significant impact on the tenants–even with repeated and unanticipated challenges.

We attribute much of the success to the factors below.

Our extensive experience in the multi-tenant residential apartment building market, transparency, and strong relationships with other trade contractors all contributed to this project’s success. We have experienced many of the unpleasant surprises listed in this post on other projects over the years and were able to quickly change our approach whenever necessary without deviating from the primary goals set by the client. The client confirmed the changes to the scope of work prior to implementation.
Given the tight staging area of the apartment building roof replacement, the first option we considered was leaving a cable crane in place for material handling. The second option was to remove the existing membrane and ballast in stages and send many smaller deliveries.  The first option, leaving a cable crane in place, would have been more beneficial for our forces and allowed for possibly a sooner completion date. However, the disruption for the tenants would have been significant. The second option, sending material in smaller deliveries, would limit the daily disruption and material storage on the ground. This would be a slower process but would allow our forces to better control the flow of materials, limit the disruption and better handle onsite safety.  We decided to proceed with option two, which gave us better control over safety issues and would meet the priority of minimizing disruption to the tenants. We used a phased approach, first removing the stone ballast first, and then overlaying the EPDM membrane and the top layer of insulation.  
With the client’s approval, York Sheet Metal was contracted to inspect, measure, build and install all new metal exhaust fan housings.
We contacted Silver Plumbing to inspect areas of ponding and devise a plan to install new interior plumbing for new roof drains to alleviate water ponding.  This was done at the end of the project once the installation of the new roof assembly was complete.
We installed new wood blocking in multiple layers to raise the parapet walls, allowing for proper membrane upturns and sheet metal installation.
Elite led the project, coordinating the work required by other trades (HVAC by York Sheet Metal, Plumbing by Silver Plumbing).
We regularly inspected and sealed the membrane each night, sometimes performing additional temporary repairs on the old roof sections.
When dealing with each part of the project, the ultimate goal of all our recommendations and final decisions was to ensure a long-lasting and well-performing roofing system. Throughout the process, we kept an open line of communication with the client and carefully reviewed options as we faced each unexpected challenge. This transparent process kept us aligned with the client, who remained satisfied despite some short-term discomfort and unplanned extra expenses. 
Once we understood the roof removal challenges, we approached the client and suggested a change in the original scope-of-work. We recommended leaving the original vapour retardant and fiberboard insulation in place, which saved the client money.

The #EliteAdvantage

Successfully planning and implementing a residential apartment building roof replacement is a major undertaking under optimal circumstances. So many things can go awry. Our advice for roofers is always to be ready to adapt quickly on the job site without deviating from the ultimate primary goal set at the beginning of the project.  

When hiring a roofing contractor, look for one with relevant experience and the technical knowledge to execute the original scope of work plus overcome unexpected challenges. Other characteristics to look for include transparency with clients, project leadership skills, and a commitment to meeting the client’s priorities. Elite Roofing is committed to getting the best results for our clients, aligning with their priorities and meeting whatever challenges come our way.

Download
Commercial Industrial Roofing Contractor.