Schedule a Consultation (754) 236-0675
Illustration of a completed white single-ply low-slope roof with flashed curb, finished vent boots and capped parapet

Gravity will not
clear a flat roof.
Drainage design will.

Flat sections fail at the seams, the terminations and the wall flashing — almost never in the open field. We treat a low-slope roof as its own scope with its own drainage plan, not as a smaller version of the main roof.

Discuss Your Roof See The Sequence
  • Licensed, bonded & insured · CBC1265280
  • 104 municipalities across 3 counties
  • Design-build: permitting & construction in-house

Miami-Dade · Broward & Palm Beach Counties

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The ServiceSection 02 of 15

A different engineering problem entirely.

Flat and low-slope roofing covers the sections a sloped system cannot — additions, garage and porch conversions, ADUs, cabanas, porte-cocheres, and the low-slope portions of otherwise pitched roofs.

On a typical South Florida house this is rarely a whole-roof system. It is usually a hybrid, and treating the flat portion as an afterthought to the main roof is one of the most reliable ways to end up with a leak. Gravity does not clear water off a flat surface the way it clears a steep one, so drainage design, seam quality and wall-flashing detail matter more than material selection on its own. We scope flat sections separately, with their own drainage plan.

Minimum fall1/4 IN/FT

No roof marketed as flat is level. Where the structure does not provide the fall, tapered insulation crickets build it.

Ponding limit48 HOURS

Water standing longer than roughly two days is a common warranty exclusion and measurably accelerates membrane failure.

Licensed GCCBC1265280

Elbaz Construction holds the certified building contractor licence and pulls the roofing permit as contractor of record.

ScopeSection 03 of 15

What a low-slope roof scope covers.

The membrane is the easy part. These are the decisions around it.

01Survey and moisture checkThe existing build-up identified, and whether water has already reached the insulation or deck below.

A saturated insulation layer under an intact-looking surface is common. Recovering over it traps the water and shortens the new roof to a fraction of its rated life, so it is checked before a system is quoted.

02Drainage designWhere water goes, how fast, and what builds the fall — structure, tapered insulation, or both.

This is the part most often skipped. A membrane laid dead level on a roof with undersized outlets will pond regardless of how good the membrane is, and ponding is what voids the warranty.

03System selectionSingle-ply (TPO) or modified bitumen, chosen against reflectivity, foot traffic, equipment loading and the roof’s exposure.

TPO gives high solar reflectance and heat-welded, testable seams. Modified bitumen gives substantially greater puncture resistance and a long Florida track record. The right answer depends on how the roof is used, not on preference.

04Tear-off or recoverWhether the existing system comes off entirely or a new one is applied over it.

Recovery is cheaper and faster and is sometimes right. It is wrong wherever there is trapped moisture, more existing layers than code allows, or a deck that needs inspection.

05Deck repairAny structural deck damage found once the old system is off.

This is quoted as a provisional item because it cannot be known in advance. Finding it is the argument for tear-off over recovery on an older roof.

06Insulation and cover boardRigid insulation to the required thermal performance, plus a cover board to take the membrane.

Cover board is what gives the membrane something stable to bond to and adds meaningful resistance to hail and foot traffic.

07Membrane and seamsField membrane installed and every lap welded or adhered to the system manufacturer’s specification.

Weldable seams are probe-tested. A seam that passes a probe is a seam that was actually welded, not merely laid over.

08Flashing and terminationsParapet and wall upstands, curbs, penetrations, drains and scuppers.

Wall flashing is the most common leak source on these systems, more often than the open field. It gets detailed and inspected accordingly.

09Inspection and warrantyRoofing inspections called and attended, and manufacturer documentation registered.

System warranties depend on installation to specification and on drainage performance. Both get documented at handover.

Illustrated SequenceSection 04 of 15

One roof, stripped and rebuilt.

Illustrative sequence · not photographs of an Elbaz project

Every image on this page is a generated illustration of low-slope roofing work. None is a photograph, and none shows a roof completed by Elbaz Construction. The re-roof stages are drawn as one building so the sequence reads in order; the detail frames are separate technical illustrations. We hold genuine roofing photography, but it depicts pitched shingle and tile work rather than the low-slope systems this page is about, so it is not used here.

Illustration of a weathered low-slope roof at the end of its service life with cracking, staining and ponding rings
01Illustration: an existing low-slope roof at the end of its life
Illustration of a roofing inspector checking a vent penetration and taking a moisture reading on a low-slope roof
02Illustration: inspection, checking penetrations and moisture
Illustration of tear-off in progress on a low-slope roof, old covering stripped back to the deck on one half
03Illustration: tear-off, old system stripped back to deck
Illustration of rigid insulation and cover board being laid to fall over a stripped roof deck
04Illustration: insulation and cover board laid to fall
Sequence NotesSection 05 of 15

Why flat is harder than steep.

Water has to be driven off

A steep roof sheds water because gravity does the work. A flat roof only sheds water because someone designed a fall into it. A minimum slope of roughly a quarter-inch per foot is what moves water toward drains or scuppers, and where the structure does not provide that, tapered insulation crickets build it. Get this wrong and no membrane saves the roof.

Ponding is the clock

Water standing on a membrane for more than about forty-eight hours is a common trigger for warranty exclusion and measurably accelerates failure. It also concentrates dirt and biological growth, and on an older roof it marks exactly where the deck has already deflected. Ponding is a symptom of drainage design, not of membrane quality.

The seams and edges fail first

The open field of a membrane rarely fails on its own. What fails is the laps, the terminations, and above all the wall flashing where the roof meets a vertical surface. Single-ply seams are hot-air welded and can be probe-tested; modified bitumen laps are torched or self-adhered with their own inspection method. Either way, the seam is where the roof is actually made.

Choose the system for the use

TPO is a single-ply membrane with welded seams and high solar reflectivity, commonly rated around twenty to thirty years, and it earns its keep on a hot roof. Modified bitumen is a multi-layer SBS-modified asphalt system with roughly four times the puncture resistance and a long Florida record, commonly rated fifteen to twenty. Foot traffic and rooftop equipment push the answer toward bitumen; energy performance pushes it toward TPO.

Illustration of membrane turned up a parapet wall and terminated under a metal termination bar beneath the coping
05Illustration: parapet flashing under a termination bar
Sequence shownExisting roof, inspection, tear-off, insulation, membrane, flashing, drain, scupper, penetration, completion
BuildingOne conceptual South Florida flat-roofed building with parapets
Systems referencedSingle-ply TPO and SBS-modified bitumen
Details shownParapet flashing, roof drain, through-wall scupper, pipe boot
Standards referencedMinimum fall around 1/4 in per foot; 48-hour ponding threshold
ImageryGenerated illustration — not photographs
Elbaz project?No. No frame on this page shows a roof completed by Elbaz Construction.
Why illustratedOur genuine roofing photography is of pitched shingle and tile work, not low-slope systems
StandardsSection 06 of 15

A flat roof is a drainage system that happens to be waterproof. Most failures are a design problem wearing a membrane.

Six things we hold to on a low-slope roof.

01Durability

Fall designed, not hoped for

Every low-slope scope starts with where the water goes. Tapered insulation is specified where the structure does not deliver the slope.

02Design

System matched to how the roof is used

Reflectivity, foot traffic and rooftop equipment decide between single-ply and modified bitumen. Not habit.

03Function

Outlets sized and placed properly

Drains and scuppers are positioned at the low points the fall actually creates, and sized for the area they serve.

04Planning

Moisture checked before a system is quoted

Recovering over saturated insulation traps water and wastes the new roof. That gets established first.

05Craftsmanship

Seams tested, not assumed

Weldable laps are probe-tested. Terminations get a bar and sealant, not sealant alone.

06Quality control

Flashing treated as the main event

Wall and parapet detail gets the attention the field membrane usually gets, because that is where these roofs leak.

South Florida adds three constraints: intense UV and heat load age a membrane faster than the rated life assumes, summer rainfall arrives faster than undersized outlets can clear it, and hurricane wind uplift makes attachment and edge-metal detail a code matter rather than a preference.

Illustration of a welded lap seam on a white roof membrane being checked with a seam probe
06Illustration: probe-testing a welded lap seam
Details That MatterSection 07 of 15

Where the water actually gets in.

Separate technical illustrations rather than part of the sequence above. Each shows a detail that decides whether a low-slope roof reaches its rated life.

Illustration of white single-ply membrane being rolled out and its seam hot-air welded on a low-slope roof
07

Illustration: single-ply membrane installed and seams welded

Illustration of a roof drain set into a tapered sump with the membrane clamped and a domed strainer fitted
08

Illustration: roof drain set into a tapered sump

Illustration of a through-wall scupper at a parapet with its flange welded into the roof membrane
09

Illustration: through-wall scupper at the parapet

Illustration of ponding water standing on a weathered flat roof with a pale tide mark showing previous ponding
10

Illustration: ponding water on a failing roof

Illustration of a pipe penetration sealed with a prefabricated boot welded to the roof membrane and clamped
11

Illustration: pipe penetration with a welded boot

Illustration of tapered insulation boards forming a cricket to direct water toward a roof drain
12Illustration: tapered insulation forming a cricket
FallBuilt by structure or tapered insulation, never assumed
SeamsWelded and probe-tested where the system allows
Wall flashingThe most common leak source, detailed accordingly
OutletsDrains and scuppers sized so water actually leaves
Status of imageryGenerated illustration throughout — no frame here is a photograph
SystemsSection 08 of 15

What the specification decides.

The six choices that determine how a low-slope roof performs.

TPO single-ply
Heat-welded seams, high solar reflectance
Commonly rated around 20–30 years. Reflectivity gives a real energy benefit on a hot roof, and welded seams can be probe-tested.Favoured where energy performance matters most.
Modified bitumen
SBS-modified, torch-applied or self-adhered
Multi-layer asphalt system with roughly four times the puncture resistance of a single-ply membrane and a long Florida track record. Commonly rated 15–20 years.Favoured where foot traffic or equipment loading is real.
Insulation
Rigid board, flat or tapered
Delivers thermal performance and, in tapered form, builds the fall that the structure does not provide.Tapered layouts are designed, not improvised on the roof.
Cover board
Gypsum or high-density board
Gives the membrane a stable substrate and adds resistance to hail and foot traffic.Frequently the cheapest durability upgrade available.
Flashing and edge metal
Termination bars, coping, drip edge
Wall and parapet terminations, plus perimeter edge metal, which is also a wind uplift component rather than a trim detail.Edge metal specification is a code item here.
Outlets
Roof drains and through-wall scuppers
Positioned at the actual low points and sized for the area served, with overflow provision where required.An undersized outlet guarantees ponding.

Provenance note: every image on this page is a generated illustration and the diagrams in section 11 are drawings we produced. No image here is a photograph, and none shows a roof completed by Elbaz Construction. We hold genuine roofing photography, but it depicts pitched shingle and tile work rather than the low-slope systems this page covers, so presenting it here would misrepresent the service.

ProcessSection 09 of 15

Nine stages, one contractor.

01

Consultation

Where the flat sections are, what they cover, and what they are doing now.

02

Roof survey

Existing build-up, number of layers, deck type, outlet positions and evidence of ponding.

03

Moisture assessment

Whether water has already reached the insulation or deck, which decides tear-off versus recover.

04

Drainage design

Fall, tapered layout where needed, and outlet sizing and position.

05

System selection

Single-ply or modified bitumen, matched to use and exposure, with the warranty terms read.

06

Permitting

Roofing permit applied for, with product approval documentation.

07

Tear-off and deck repair

Existing system removed where required and any deck damage made good.

08

Install

Insulation, cover board, membrane, seams, flashing, outlets and edge metal.

09

Inspection and closeout

Inspections called and attended, warranty documentation registered and handed over.

PlanningSection 10 of 15

Approvals and documentation.

Roofing permit
Low-slope re-roofing is a permitted activity in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. The submission identifies the system and its approvals.
Product approval
The membrane system, fasteners and edge metal carry Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance numbers appropriate to the jurisdiction.
Existing layer count
Code limits how many roof layers may remain in place, which is one of the factors deciding whether the existing system can be recovered or must come off.
Wind uplift
Attachment pattern and perimeter edge metal are wind-uplift components. The specification follows the design pressures for the building, not a default.
Deck inspection
Where tear-off exposes the deck, it is inspected before the new system goes down.
In-progress inspections
Jurisdictions commonly inspect the deck and the in-progress installation as well as the finished roof.
Drainage compliance
Fall and outlet provision are part of the design, and overflow provision is required in some conditions.
Final inspection
The completed roof inspected and the permit closed.
Warranty registration
Manufacturer system warranty registered where the installation qualifies, with documentation handed over.

Requirements, review times and fees differ across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach and can change, and HVHZ jurisdictions apply their own product-approval rules. Nothing here is a guaranteed approval timeline. We will confirm what your address requires and keep the submission moving.

Where It FailsSection 11 of 15

Five details that decide the outcome.

Drawings, not photographs. A low-slope roof rarely fails in the middle. It fails where the membrane stops.

01

Fall

A minimum slope — commonly around a quarter-inch per foot — moving water to drains or scuppers. Built with tapered insulation where the structure does not provide it.

02

Seams

Hot-air welded on single-ply, torched or self-adhered on modified bitumen. Weldable seams can be probe-tested; that test is the point.

03

Wall flashing

Where the roof meets a vertical wall or parapet. The single most common leak source on these systems.

04

Penetrations

Vents, curbs and supports, each needing a boot or upstand welded into the field rather than sealed on top of it.

05

Outlets

Drains and through-wall scuppers sized and positioned so water actually leaves, not merely heads in the right direction.

DecisionsSection 12 of 15

What moves the number, and what moves the date.

We do not publish roofing prices, because area, system, and whether the old roof comes off move the total independently. These are the drivers.

What moves the number

Tear-off or recover
Removing and disposing of an existing system costs materially more than covering it — but recovering over trapped moisture wastes the new roof entirely.
System choice
Single-ply and modified bitumen differ in material and labour, and multi-ply systems take longer to install.
Tapered insulation
Building fall with tapered board is a design and material cost that a structurally sloped deck avoids.
Deck repair
Unknown until the old system is off; quoted provisionally.
Outlets and drainage work
Adding or relocating drains and scuppers involves more than roofing trades.
Penetrations and curbs
Every vent, curb and support is a detail to flash; a busy roof costs more per square foot than an open one.
Access
Roof height, hoisting and debris routes, particularly on occupied buildings.
Warranty level
Extended manufacturer system warranties carry specification and inspection requirements that affect cost.

What moves the date

Permit review
Jurisdiction queue and completeness of the product approval documentation.
Material lead time
Membrane, tapered insulation packages and edge metal are frequently ordered in.
Weather
Membrane work needs a dry deck and a workable window; the summer pattern shortens working days.
Tear-off findings
Deck damage discovered on strip-out extends the programme.
In-progress inspections
Deck and installation inspections gate the next stage.
Occupied building access
Working hours, hoisting and debris routes.

Bring to the first call

  • Where the flat sections are and what they cover.
  • Roughly how old the existing roof is.
  • Whether you have seen ponding after rain, and where.
  • Whether there is any interior staining or known leak.
  • What rooftop equipment sits on it.
  • Whether the building is occupied during the work.
CompletionSection 13 of 15

What a finished low-slope roof looks like.

Field membrane down, seams welded and tested, flashing and edge metal complete, outlets clear and the roof falling to them. An illustration of the finished condition rather than a photograph of an Elbaz roof.

  • A survey that establishes what is already under the surface.
  • A drainage plan, not just a membrane quote.
  • A clear recommendation between tear-off and recover, with the reason.
  • One contractor holding the permit through final inspection.
Illustration of a completed white single-ply low-slope roof with flashed curb, finished vent boots and capped parapet
13Illustration: the completed low-slope roof

Questions, answered.

Systems, drainage, ponding, seams, permits and cost drivers.

Is a flat roof really flat?

No. Nothing marketed as flat is level. A minimum fall — commonly around a quarter-inch per foot — is required to move water toward drains or scuppers, and where the structure does not provide it, tapered insulation builds it.

TPO or modified bitumen?

TPO is a single-ply membrane with heat-welded seams and high solar reflectivity, commonly rated around 20–30 years. Modified bitumen is a multi-layer SBS system with roughly four times the puncture resistance and a long Florida record, commonly rated 15–20. Foot traffic and rooftop equipment favour bitumen; energy performance favours TPO.

Why does standing water matter so much?

Water sitting on a membrane for more than about forty-eight hours is a common warranty exclusion and measurably shortens membrane life. It is also a symptom — it tells you the fall or the outlets are wrong, which is a design problem rather than a material one.

Where do flat roofs actually leak?

At the seams, the terminations and above all the wall flashing where the roof meets a vertical surface. The open field of the membrane is rarely the failure point.

Can you go over the existing roof instead of tearing it off?

Sometimes, and it is cheaper and faster when it is appropriate. It is the wrong call where moisture is already trapped in the insulation, where the layer count would exceed what code allows, or where the deck needs inspecting.

How do I know if water is trapped under my roof?

A moisture survey. An intact-looking surface can sit over saturated insulation, and roofing over that traps the water and gives you a fraction of the rated life.

Do I need a permit to re-roof a flat section?

Yes. Low-slope re-roofing is a permitted activity here, and the submission has to identify the system and its product approvals. HVHZ jurisdictions apply their own rules.

How long should a low-slope roof last?

Commonly around 20–30 years for a single-ply system and 15–20 for modified bitumen — but those figures assume the roof drains. A ponding roof will not reach them regardless of what the membrane is rated for.

Can a flat section be tied into my tile or metal roof?

Yes, and that junction deserves specific attention. Most South Florida flat roofing is exactly this hybrid situation, and the transition between the two systems is a detail rather than an afterthought.

Why are the images on this page illustrations?

Because our genuine roofing photography is of pitched shingle and tile work, not low-slope systems. Rather than show you a pitched roof on a low-slope page, these stages are drawn and clearly labelled as illustrations.

Why Elbaz.

Licensed general contractor

Certified building contractor, licence CBC1265280, bonded and insured.

Flat treated as its own scope

A separate drainage plan rather than a smaller version of the main roof.

Moisture checked first

Whether to recover or tear off is decided on evidence, before a system is quoted.

Seam and flashing discipline

Weldable seams probe-tested; wall and parapet terminations detailed as the primary risk.

Local experience

Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, including HVHZ product approval requirements.

One point of contact

Survey, design, permit, installation and inspections coordinated by us.

Documentation at handover

Product approvals, inspection sign-off and manufacturer warranty registration.

Financing

Financing options available through our partners.

Proof & ReadingSection 14 of 15

What South Florida homeowners say.

Reproduced verbatim from our Google Business Profile. Nothing here has been edited, merged or rewritten.

Redid my whole bathroom and kitchen. Great service - Great quality - very quick - very professional !! Highly recommended!

Adir DavidovGoogle review

They are amazing! Very professional. Met my exact requests with so much patience and knowledge. They renovated my whole house and the whole process was such a breeze. I highly recommend them!

Lee MoraliGoogle review

We hired them to renovate our investment property and they provided exceptional quality service for an affordable price!

Shir PartushGoogle review

Amazing experience with the entire company! They did a great job in my house for some work that needed to be completed, and I am extremely happy with the result. Super professional & great service. I highly recommend Elbaz Construction.

Mia ZafraniGoogle review

After I've been Looking for a good company to renovate my house , I found those guys! These people are super professional super honest super Fast !! Don't hesitate to Rent their service! They are number one!!

carmit cohenGoogle review

I highly recommend them for home improvement. They renovated my master bathroom and a few upgrades for other guest bathrooms. They are very professional, courteous and transparent. They are great at communicating and finding ways to streamline the work. Sean has impeccable project management and customer relationship management skills. Very pleased with the work!

Omri BGoogle review

Further reading.

ServiceRoof RepairWhen the failure is local rather than systemic.ServiceRoof Coating & MaintenanceExtending service life on a sound low-slope roof.ServiceRoof Inspection & Wind MitigationAssessment, documentation and insurance implications.CategoryRoofingThe full roofing scope across South Florida.ServiceHome AdditionsWhere most residential low-slope roofing actually appears.PlanningNOA & Impact Product Compliance PermittingProduct approval documentation for roofing systems.

Service Areas

Proudly serving homeowners across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach

(754) 236-0675

104 municipalities across three counties — and we hold the licence to build in all of them. Not sure about your address? Ask us.

Next StepSection 15 of 15

Tell us about the roof.

The useful first conversation is about where the flat sections are, how old they are, and whether you have seen water sitting after rain — because that last answer usually explains the rest.

Request A Consultation

What happens next

01   You send the details
The form below, or a call to 754-236-0675.
02   We come back to you
With what the symptoms suggest and what to check.
03   We survey the roof
Build-up, layers, deck, outlets and evidence of ponding.
04   You get a written scope
System, drainage plan and whether it is tear-off or recover, with the reasoning.

Licensed, bonded and insured — certified building contractor CBC1265280. Serving Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach.

Preferred contact method

We use your details only to respond to this enquiry. No lists, no resale.

Thanks — that came through.

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