Afraid your next roof replacement will come sooner or is going to cost more than you expect? You’re probably right. Find out what’s driving quicker and higher roof replacement costs in the infographic below.

Commercial Roofing replacement

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Everything You Didn’t Know Makes a Roof More Expensive

With increasingly volatile market conditions, the cost of building material prices rose 3.5% YOY from 2024-2025. This is the largest annual increase since early 2023. Here’s what you can do to take control over the cost of your roof replacement.

What Makes Your Commercial Roof More Expensive to Replace?

  • 7 major elements
    • 1. Rising costs for raw materials
      • 82.5% of construction materials experienced a significant cost increase between 2020 and 2023, with an average jump of 19%
      • How rising commercial material prices have affected sales:
        • Metal Roofing Systems
          • Decreased -12%
          • No Change – 30%
          • Slightly/Greatly increase – 58%
        • Single-plyRoofing
          • Decreased -11%
          • No Change – 31%
          • Slightly/Greatly increase – 57%
        • Solar
          • Decreased -%
          • No Change – 44%
          • Slightly/Greatly increase – 56%
        • Metal Accessories
          • Decreased -4%
          • No Change – 43%
          • Slightly/Greatly increase – 54%
        • Coatings
          • Decreased -12%
          • No Change – 36%
          • Slightly/Greatly increase – 52%
        • Low-Slope Asphalt
          • Decreased -18%
          • No Change – 33%
          • Slightly/Greatly increase – 48%
        • Steep-Slope Asphalt Shingles
          • Decreased -16%
          • No Change – 36%
          • Slightly/Greatly increase – 48%
        • Polymer / Synthetic Roofing
          • Decreased -16%
          • No Change – 37%
          • Slightly/Greatly increase – 47%
        • Slate
          • Decreased -28%
          • No Change – 28%
          • Slightly/Greatly increase – 44%
        •  
    • 2. Poor installation of roofing materials
      • Poorly installed, leaky roofs could damage:
        • Inventory
        • Assets
        • Safety
        • Insulation
          • Customers may be required to replace insulation to increase R values & meet building code requirements
    • 3. Larger size 
      • Metal roofing average cost per square foot: $6.00 – $24.50
      • Average Warehouse Size: ~17,500 sq. ft
      • Largest US warehouses: Up to 4.3M sq. ft
      • A range of $105,000 to $105.350M on the lower and higher ends
    • 4. Choice of roofing system
      • Built up
      • Single Ply (TPO, EPDM, PVC)
      • Standing Seam Metal
    • 7. Choice of Attachment
      • Built up
        • Hot
        • Cold Process
        • Torch Down
      • Single Ply
        • Ballast
        • Self-adhered
        • Applied Adhesive
        • Mechanically fastened
    • Roof Requirements
      • Restaurants
        • PVC for grease
      • Hospitals
        • Mechanically fastened or self adhered because of ventilation requirements
      • Specialized Industry
        • FM Global
        • ES1
        • Insurance

Having the right insurance policy can work wonders in times of disaster. But are you optimizing your premiums and reducing costs by taking everything into account?

Every Roofing Factor That Affects Your Commercial Insurance Costs, Frequency, and Scope of Replacement

  1. Life Cycle Roof Management
    • For the Midwest, this includes:
      • Annual inspections
      • Drain cleaning
      • Snow removal
      • Ice dam removal
      • Heat tape installation
    • Maintenance records can help reduce your insurance premiums
  2. No proactive maintenance
    • According to data gathered in a 15-year alliance between Elevate Building Products and ProLogis, proactively maintaining a roof leads to significant savings

      It costs ~$0.14 sq/ft to proactively maintain a roof annually, versus ~$0.25 sq/ft for annual reactive maintenance. That’s a savings of $0.11 sq/ft per year!
  3. Damage from other trades
    • ~40% of all roof problems occur because of human error due to uncertified installs and maintenance.
    • Such as
      • Plumbing
      • HVAC
      • Solar
      • Facility Maintenance

With all this in mind, what options do you have for lowering roofing project costs?

Driving Down Commercial Roofing Project Costs

  • Preventative maintenance
      • Document your ongoing maintenance
        • Passing a roof inspection may lead to an insurance discount or lower rate
        • Commercial property owners often need to document maintenance themselves
          • But some service providers offer customer portals with all:
            • Inspections
            • Reports
            • Documentation
            • Multi-year repair plan
          • These assist with:
            • Budget planning
            • Maximizing ROI
            • Improving roof lifespan
  • Life Cycle Roof Management

The Other hidden cost driver? A better commercial roofing warranty.

Getting a Good Warranty to Go With Your Roof

    • A good roof warranty can:
      • Protect against expensive damages
      • Last 20+ years
      • Increase the value and marketability of a facility
    • But not all warranties are built alike
      • Here’s how to know you’re getting a good deal:
    • Maximizing your warranty when purchasing
      • Two types:
        • Manufacturing warranty
          • The manufacturer repairs or replaces compromised materials
          • cover different types of manufacturer warranties.
            • Two general categories:
              • Standard Material: Manufacturing defects
              • Extended System: Complete coverage
        • Workmanship warranty
          • The installer repairs or replaces damage
  • *KRI is certified to provide 20 – 40 year warranties depending on the roofing system. Not all contractors can provide these warranties due to the certification required.
    • AVOID Defect Only Warranties
      • How to avoid voiding roof warranties
        • Improper installation by other trades
        • Uncertified service
        • Poor maintenance and maintenance records
        • DIY work or modifications
        • Inadequate ventilation
    • OPT FOR
      • Dual manufacturer and workmanship warranties
      • Longer warranties from long-lasting, proven providers
      • Warranties that address weather in the Midwest
  • Avoid all these issues (and more) by hiring a trusted roofing contractor
    • Like Kato Roofing: Award-winning, woman-owned roofing contractor serving Minnesota and the upper Midwest
    • All complete roofing systems come with:
      • Standard KRI warranty
      • Optional manufacturer’s warranty

See how much you can save on your next roofing project with a detailed roof analysis.

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