What did the Agritopia homeowner need?
The homeowner, who lives in Gilbert’s Agritopia neighborhood, asked Icon Roofing to replace the modified bitumen on his flat roof. He wanted a full flat roof replacement, not a patch. That meant removing the old roofing completely, fixing whatever the crew found underneath and installing a new roof from the deck up.
Agritopia is a Gilbert neighborhood built around a working urban farm, and its homes mix several roof styles. On this house, the flat roof sits beside pitched clay tile roofs. That layout is common across the Valley. On homes like this, the flat section often collects runoff from nearby roof areas, so its edges and fascia need to stay sound to move water off the roof.
Modified bitumen is an asphalt-based roofing membrane built for low-slope and flat roofs. It is a common choice for residential flat sections like this one, and it comes in lighter colors that suit the look of the home.
What did the crew find under the old flat roof?
Once the old modified bitumen came off, the crew found rotted fascia and damaged roof decking. Both had to be repaired before any new roofing went down. A new membrane laid over soft or rotted wood will not last, so the repairs were part of doing the replacement right.
This is one of the most common surprises on a flat roof replacement. The surface can look tired but intact from above, while the wood underneath has been taking on moisture for years. Flat roofs drain slowly by design, so any small opening lets water sit and soak into the decking. Fascia boards along the roof edge take a beating too, since that is where water leaves the roof.
You cannot see this damage from the ground, and often not from the roof surface either. It shows up during a tear-off. That is why a written proposal should explain how decking and fascia repairs are handled if the crew finds them.
How did Icon Roofing replace the flat roof?
Icon Roofing replaced the flat roof in four stages: tearing off the old modified bitumen, repairing the rotted fascia and decking, installing new underlayment across the full roof and finishing with new tan modified bitumen. Each layer depended on the one below it being sound.
Tear-off and deck preparation
The crew removed the old flat roof down to the decking. With the deck exposed, they could see exactly which boards had rotted and where the fascia had failed.
Fascia and decking repair
Rotted fascia was replaced along the roof edge, and damaged decking boards were replaced with new wood. This gave the new roof a flat, solid base and a sound edge to finish against.
New underlayment
New underlayment went down over the repaired deck, running the full length of the roof and fastened in place. The underlayment adds a layer of protection beneath the finish membrane.
New tan modified bitumen
The crew finished with new tan modified bitumen. The tan color blends with the home’s clay tile roofs and gives the flat section a clean, uniform look.
What does the finished roof look like?
The finished roof is a clean, uniform tan flat roof sitting on repaired decking and new underlayment, with sound fascia along its edge. The new surface blends with the clay tile roofs around it. The homeowner now has a flat roof built on a solid deck instead of new roofing laid over old damage.
The photos on this page tell the story in order. The before and during shots show the exposed deck, the new fascia and decking boards and the fresh underlayment. The after shots show the finished tan roof from several angles, including a long view across the roof toward the front of the home.
What does this project mean for your flat roof?
If your flat roof is aging, expect the real condition to show up during tear-off. Rotted decking and fascia are common under old flat roofs in the Valley, and they need repair before a new roof goes on. A good replacement plan accounts for that from the start.
Here is what to take from this job if you own a home with a flat section:
- Look at the edges. Peeling paint, soft spots or dark staining on fascia can point to water getting in.
- Ask about the deck. Make sure your proposal explains how damaged decking will be handled.
- Match the finish to the home. Modified bitumen comes in colors that can blend with surrounding tile roofs.
Icon Roofing handles flat and foam roof replacement for homes across the East Valley, along with flat roof repair when a full replacement is not needed yet. See more about roofers serving Gilbert neighborhoods, browse other Icon Roofing projects, or check payment plans for a new flat roof. Call (480) 427-7600, Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm.
