Flat and low-slope roofs work differently from a pitched roof. They do not shed water on their own, so they live or die by their drainage and their seams. Orian Construction & Roofing repairs, recoats, and installs flat roofs on homes, additions, and small commercial buildings across Los Angeles County.
No roof is truly flat. What people call a flat roof has a slight slope, just enough to move water toward a drain or a scupper. That small slope is the whole game. When it works, the roof stays dry. When a drain clogs or the surface sags, water sits, and standing water is how flat roofs fail. Everything we do on these roofs comes back to keeping water moving.
Around Los Angeles, flat and low-slope roofs show up in specific places: mid-century homes, garage conversions, rear additions, second-story decks, and the small commercial buildings and duplexes that fill the older parts of the county. Each one uses a membrane or a coating rather than tile or shingle, and each material has its own strengths. Our job is to match the system to the building and install it so the seams and edges hold.
If your flat roof is already leaking, the source is usually a failed seam or a spot where water has been sitting, and our leak detection pins it down. For a full read on the roof before you decide anything, a written roof inspection is the place to start.
There is no single best flat roof material. The right one depends on the building, the budget, and how the roof gets used. Here are the systems we work with most.
A single-ply white membrane that reflects heat, which suits our sun. Its heat-welded seams make a strong, continuous surface across the roof.
A tough asphalt-based system in layers, well suited to roofs that see foot traffic. A dependable choice for many homes and small commercial roofs.
A liquid-applied coat that renews an aging flat roof and adds a reflective, water-resistant layer without a full tear-off. More on roof coating.
Traditional layered systems still found on many older LA roofs. We repair what is there and replace it when it has run its course.
When a drain clogs or the surface dips, water pools and sits. It adds weight and works through the membrane over time. See flat roof holding water.
Ponding water →The joints between membrane sheets are the first place a flat roof opens up. We reseal or reweld them and check the edges.
Flat roof repair →Years of sun break down an older flat roof. A coating can renew it, or a recover puts a fresh membrane over a sound deck.
Roof coating →Family owned and based on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks. We treat the drainage as part of the roof, because on a flat roof that is exactly what it is.
Unlike a pitched roof, a flat roof gives you a middle option. Between a small repair and a full replacement sits recoating, which can add years to a roof that is worn but structurally sound. Here is how we sort out which one fits.
We handle flat and low-slope roofs for homeowners, property managers, and small businesses across the county from our shop on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks. A few of the areas we serve:
Tell us about your flat roof and what it is doing. We come out, check the surface and drainage, and give you a written estimate.