Roof types
Built-Up and Modified Bitumen Roofs in Palm Beach County
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Asphalt flat roofs
Built-up and modified bitumen roof repair and replacement
Built-up and modified bitumen are the asphalt flat roofs of Palm Beach County, and Molsbee Roofing repairs and replaces both on homes, condos and commercial buildings across the county. A built-up roof is the older tar and gravel kind, built up in layers with gravel on top. Modified bitumen is the asphalt sheet, torched, cold-applied or self-adhered, that stands up to foot traffic and rooftop equipment; it's still the traditional Florida flat roof. You'll find both on Florida rooms, additions, garage tie-ins and the flat sections behind parapets, and on plazas, condos and offices. Flat roofs fail at the details: drains, seams at a wall, pipe penetrations and low spots where water ponds. We find the way in, photograph it, and tell you whether it's a repair or a new roof. Family-run since 1975, from our shop in Lake Worth Beach. Free inspection, price in writing. The phone is answered 24 hours a day at 561-318-8624.
- 1975roofing here since
- 200+Google reviews, 4.8
- CCC1327429Florida licensed
Built-up and modified bitumen
Repair the old roof, or replace it right
Tar and gravel repairs, modified bitumen, and what a flat re-roof includes.
Built-up (tar and gravel) roof repair
We repair built-up roofs where the gravel has worn thin, the layers have blistered or the edges have let go. Most leaks on an old built-up roof start at a drain, a scupper, a seam at a wall or a pipe, not in the middle of the roof. We find where the water gets in, fix that spot and photograph it, and we'll tell you straight when the roof is past patching.
Modified bitumen
Modified bitumen is the asphalt sheet, torched, cold-applied or self-adhered, often in multiple plies with a granulated cap. It stands up to foot traffic and rooftop equipment and details well at tight walls, which is why we use it on Florida rooms, small flat sections of a house and roofs crowded with units. On a large open roof, TPO welded at the seams may suit it better, and we price both.
Replacing a built-up roof
Built-up roofing is heavy and slow to install, and a gravel-surfaced system is not an option on every deck. When a built-up roof is done, we strip it, check the deck, fix the slope with tapered insulation so water heads for the drains, and put down modified bitumen or TPO. Older buildings may need an engineer's review before a heavier system or new equipment goes up.
Drains, seams and buildings with a board
A proper flat re-roof resets the drains and scuppers and flashes every pipe and wall, each a separate line on your written price. On a condo or commercial building we write the scope by section with photographs, so a manager or a board can review it before anyone commits, and the work is staged so no section sits open between work days.
Before you replace a flat roof
Drainage, deck and weight
- Find the cause
Ponding, a backed-up drain or a seam at a wall, not just the wet spot.
- Deck condition
Wet or soft deck comes out before the new roof goes down.
- The weight
Heavy systems and new equipment may need an engineer's review on older buildings.
- Board approval
Condo and HOA roofs need their approvals in hand before work starts.
A flat re-roof, step by step
- 1
Free inspection
We walk the whole roof, find the way in and photograph the drains, seams and edges.
- 2
Written scope
Repair or replacement, the system and the drainage work, each on its own line.
- 3
The work
Old roof stripped, deck checked, tapered insulation, then modified bitumen or TPO with drains and flashings reset.
- 4
Final check
The town or county inspection passed and the manufacturer warranty registered.
Why Molsbee
Flat roofs since 1975
- Flat roof work since 1975
Three generations of our family have roofed Palm Beach County.
- Photos of the cause
We show you where the water gets in, not just where it shows.
- A scope a board can use
Written by section, with photographs, before anyone commits.
- Florida Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1327429
The town or county inspects the work along the way.
All flat roofs
Flat roofing in Palm Beach County.
TPO, modified bitumen and EPDM, and the drainage and slope that decide how long a flat roof lasts.
Flat roofing
Service areas
Flat roofs across the county
Built-up and modified bitumen repair and replacement across Palm Beach County.
Flat roofs price by the size and the system. A repair at a drain or a seam sits at the low end, and a full tear-off with tapered insulation sits at the top.
All service areas ↗
Built-up and modified bitumen, explained
Frequently asked questions.
Can a tar and gravel roof be repaired?
Often, yes. Where the gravel has worn thin, a blister has opened or an edge has let go, we repair the spot and the flashing around it. If the layers are wet or failing across the roof, repairs only chase the next leak, and we'll show you the photos and price a replacement.
What replaces an old built-up roof?
Usually modified bitumen or TPO. Modified bitumen where the roof gets walked on or carries equipment, or on a small flat section of a house; TPO for most larger commercial roofs. We strip the old roof, check the deck and fix the slope with tapered insulation before the new roof goes down.
Repair or replace: does the quarter-roof rule apply to a flat roof?
It can. The quarter-roof rule considers how much of a roof system or section is repaired, replaced or recovered in any 12-month period. Above a quarter, the roof covering across that entire system or section generally must be replaced or recovered to meet current code requirements. If that system or section was built, repaired or replaced in compliance with the 2007 Florida Building Code or a later edition, only the portion being worked on must meet applicable current code requirements. We check which applies before we price.
Do you work with condo boards and property managers?
Yes. The inspection comes with photographs and a written scope by section, so the manager or the board has something to review and vote on before work starts. We pull the permit with the town or county, and each inspection has to pass before the next stage.
What does the free flat roof inspection check?
We walk the whole roof, not just the spot over the leak: drains, scuppers, seams at walls, pipe penetrations, the edge metal and any low spots where water ponds, plus the condition of the gravel or the cap sheet. You get the photos and a written price for a repair or a new roof. The phone is answered 24 hours a day at 561-318-8624.
Get a free roof inspection.
Free inspection. Written price before anyone starts.