Commercial Roofing in Texas: Pay Rates, Company Fees, Key Terms, and 2025 Roof Law Updates

Commercial roofing in Texas sits at the intersection of heavy weather, code requirements, and tight operating budgets. If you manage a facility in Rockwall, Rowlett, Heath, Fate, Royse City, or along Lake Ray Hubbard, you need clear numbers and plain-language definitions to make good decisions. You also need a contractor who understands local wind loads, insurance language, and the latest Texas roofing laws. This article lays out how the money works, what each crew member does, what “per square” really means, how hourly rates translate to total project cost, and how new laws affect your next claim. It also gives you a realistic view of what to expect from a commercial roofing company in Rockwall, TX, so you can plan with confidence and avoid surprises.

What “Commercial Roofing” Means in Practice

Commercial roofing covers low-slope and flat systems on offices, retail centers, warehouses, churches, schools, medical buildings, and light industrial sites. You’ll see membranes like TPO and PVC, built-up roofing (BUR), modified bitumen, and coated metal. The structure might be steel with bar joists, a concrete deck, or wood framing on smaller retail spaces. Roofs in Rockwall often need higher wind-uplift ratings than you’d think, thanks to storm cells that move across the lake. Texas sun punishes membranes, and hail can bruise insulation boards or fracture single-ply sheets even when they look fine from the street. Good inspections pull cores, check fastener pull-out values, and verify moisture in the insulation instead of guessing from the surface.

Roles on a Texas Commercial Roofing Crew

Titles vary by company, but the core structure is consistent on most crews.

• Project manager: Oversees scope, budget, schedule, submittals, and safety. Coordinates inspections with the city of Rockwall and handles warranty paperwork. A strong PM saves you days of downtime and keeps change orders honest.
• Foreman: Runs the day on the roof. Lays out seam paths, orders the material hoist plan, and keeps production moving when weather shifts. The best foremen make precise calls on when to pause for wind or heat to protect weld quality.
• Installers/roof mechanics: Put down the membrane, run plates and screws, weld seams, flash penetrations, and set curbs. Experience shows at corners and terminations, where leaks tend to start.
• Service techs: Handle leak calls, small repairs, and warranty punch lists. A good tech can read a leak backward through the assembly and find a puncture hidden behind a curb or counterflashing.
• Safety lead/competent person: Manages fall protection, tie-offs, and controlled access zones. On active facilities, this role protects pedestrians and customer entrances while work proceeds.

Understanding who does what helps you interpret estimates and know who to call when a concern pops up.

Straight Talk on Salaries and Hourly Wages in Texas

Compensation varies by market, union status, and workload. In the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including Rockwall County, these ranges are typical in 2025:

• Installers/roof mechanics: $20 to $28 per hour base pay. Veterans with heat-welding expertise or metal experience reach $30 to $34 on strong crews.
• Foremen: $28 to $40 per hour. High-output foremen with clean safety records who can run night work command the upper bracket.
• Service technicians: $25 to $38 per hour, often with on-call premiums for emergency nights and weekends.
• Project managers: $70,000 to $105,000 per year, with bonuses tied to margin and schedule.
• Safety managers: $60,000 to $90,000 per year, with certifications like OSHA 30 and first aid adding value.
• Estimators: $65,000 to $100,000 per year; those versed in assemblies, code upgrades, and insurance scope comparisons tend to earn more.

These numbers reflect a market with steady demand, summer overtime, and rising material costs. Companies also factor in payroll burden: employer taxes, workers’ comp, general liability, and healthcare. On roofing, insurance and workers’ comp ratings are high because of risk. That’s why the hourly rate you see on a proposal is higher than the crew’s paycheck rate.

What Companies Charge per Hour and Why

Texas commercial roofing companies in the Rockwall area commonly quote in two ways: per-square or lump-sum bids for installation work, and hourly rates for service or time-and-materials tasks. Hourly charges typically fall into these ranges:

• Standard service call labor: $95 to $145 per hour for a two-person crew. Some firms charge a single blended rate; others bill per person.
• Emergency or after-hours: $145 to $195 per hour, with a minimum dispatch fee. Night or Sunday calls reduce risk to your business operations but cost more.
• Project labor equivalent: If broken out, project work effectively prices out at $55 to $85 per man-hour on large roofs, once you spread the total job cost over actual production hours. This accounts for overhead, supervision, equipment, and risk.

For transparency, most service tickets also include trip charges, roof access time, parking or crane coordination where needed, and materials at market price plus a handling margin. Handling covers procurement, storage, shrinkage, and warranty tracking by lot number. Experienced owners look at total resolution cost, not just the hourly line item, because three hours of careful diagnostics and a proper flashing repair beats five hours of guesswork.

Per-Square Pricing and Production Rates

“Square” means 100 square feet. Commercial roof pricing hinges on system, thickness, and detail complexity. In Rockwall and the east Dallas suburbs, expect the following broad ranges for fully adhered or mechanically attached systems on a clean deck:

• TPO 60 mil: $6.50 to $10.50 per square foot. White membranes run cooler, which helps HVAC loads. Fleece-back TPO with adhesive lands at the higher end.
• PVC 60 mil: $8.00 to $12.50 per square foot. PVC often shines on restaurants due to grease resistance.
• Modified bitumen (two-ply): $7.00 to $12.00 per square foot. Self-adhered options reduce fumes and are friendlier for occupied spaces.
• Coatings over a sound roof: $2.50 to $5.50 per square foot, depending on prep, primer, and warranty years. Coatings are not a cure-all; saturated insulation or widespread blistering disqualifies a roof from coating and requires replacement.
• Metal retrofit with flute fill and single-ply: $8.50 to $13.50 per square foot. This helps where existing metal leaks at fasteners and seams but the structure is good.

Production rates vary with penetrations, parapets, and staging. An open 50,000-square-foot warehouse might see 7 to 12 squares per man-day. A carved-up retail center along Ridge Road with multiple tenants, RTUs, and curb work may run closer to 3 to 6 squares per man-day. The tighter the site and the more customer traffic, the more labor time goes to protection and housekeeping.

Common Definitions That Save Money

Clear language helps you compare bids and avoid scope gaps.

• Tear-off: Removing existing membrane and wet insulation down to a clean deck. Full tear-off adds disposal, temporary dry-in, and deck repairs. On multi-layer roofs, a tear-off decision makes or breaks the timeline.
• Recover: Installing a new system over an existing dry, stable roof with code-compliant weight and fire ratings. Recover is faster and cheaper but requires a moisture survey and core cuts to confirm the substrate.
• Fastener pattern: The spacing and quantity of screws and plates used to secure the membrane or insulation. Higher wind zones near Lake Ray Hubbard can require tighter patterns. Under-fastening shows up during inspections and can void a warranty.
• Flashing: The membrane detail that seals penetrations, walls, and edges. Weak flashing, not open field membrane, causes most leaks. Look closely at scuppers, inside/outside corners, and transitions at metal copings.
• Uplift rating: The tested resistance of a roof assembly to wind forces. Insurance carriers pay attention to FM ratings and adherence to manufacturer specs in higher-wind corridors.

When we prepare an estimate for a commercial roofing company in Rockwall, TX, we spell these out line by line so you can see where the dollars go. Owners should ask for sample details and a fastener layout for their wind zone.

The Latest Texas Roof Law You Should Know

Two Texas rules matter to most commercial owners today:

• Deductible payment law (Texas Insurance Code 542A.005): Policyholders must pay their deductible on insured claims. A contractor cannot legally waive, rebate, or absorb that deductible. Carriers often require proof of payment before releasing depreciation. If a bid promises to “cover your deductible,” step away. It risks claim denial and potential fraud exposure.
• Public adjuster statute (Texas Insurance Code 4102): Contractors cannot act as public adjusters. We can discuss observed damage, provide estimates, meet an adjuster, and answer technical questions about assemblies. We cannot negotiate claim value or advise on policy interpretation. If you need negotiation beyond scope accuracy, hire a licensed public adjuster or attorney.

There are also local enforcement points. The city of Rockwall requires permits on most re-roofs, and inspectors check for code compliance, including energy code R-values for insulation. If your building is in a plat near the lake or in a retail corridor along I-30, access restrictions and work-hour limits may apply. Plan for them up front to avoid schedule slips.

What Weather in Rockwall Means for Your Roof

Heat, wind, hail, and ponding define our maintenance schedules. UV exposure makes plasticizers migrate in single-ply membranes over time. Hail severity ranges year to year; after a storm, you need more than a walk-through. We pull samples or bring a gauge to check fractures below the surface. The wind coming off Lake Ray Hubbard lifts edges on poorly fastened systems, so edge metal and terminations deserve attention. After 1 to 2 inches of rain, ponding makes its case; you’ll see algae rings and accelerated granule loss on modified bitumen, and risk for microbial growth beneath loose-laid assemblies.

Preventive maintenance works in our climate because small punctures grow under heat cycling. Semiannual visits in spring and fall catch drain clogs, open seals at rooftop units, and loose fasteners on pipe supports. That rhythm also aligns with your budget planning.

How Hourly Charges Turn Into Total Project Cost

Most owners want to know how a $115-per-hour service rate and a $9-per-square replacement number translate to their line items.

Consider a 25,000-square-foot retail center on Horizon Road with a 20-year-old TPO. Moisture survey shows 15 percent wet insulation in scattered areas. Recover is no longer viable. A full tear-off and 60-mil TPO installation with tapered insulation at the back half to resolve ponding comes in at $8.75 per square foot all-in. That includes tear-off, safety, equipment, disposal, new insulation averaging R-25, new metal edge, curb flashings, and a 20-year manufacturer warranty with periodic inspections. Material and labor escalate with summer demand, so locking the price before peak season can save 3 to 7 percent.

For service, a typical leak call near Ralph Hall Parkway might read: two technicians for 2.5 hours on site plus travel, billed at a blended $129 per hour, plus $85 trip charge, plus materials at $78. The crew traced water staining to an HVAC curb where the pitch pan cracked. They removed the pan, cleaned, primed, and installed a TPO boot with reinforced corner patches and poured sealant. Total ticket might fall between $520 and $650. If a competitor quotes $95 per hour but shows up twice and applies mastic that fails in heat, your yearly spend increases. Honest diagnostics end up cheaper.

Warranty Years and What They Actually Cover

A 10-year system warranty usually covers membrane defects and leaks at system components when installed to spec. A 20-year warranty requires thicker membrane, higher fastening density, and approved flashing details. The document limits wind speed coverage unless you buy an enhanced rider. Manufacturer inspectors visit on completion; their punch list matters. Contractor workmanship warranties are separate and usually run 2 to 5 years. Read both documents: penetrations added by others after installation, grease damage, and ponding outside design might be excluded.

In Rockwall, we see HVAC contractors cut into roofs without calling us back for flashing. That voids coverage. We set up a maintenance agreement so tenants call us when equipment changes. Coordination protects warranties and your budget.

Real Numbers From the Field

• A church near Yellowjacket Lane had recurring leaks around a steeple base. Previous bids focused on coatings across the whole roof at $3.25 per square foot. Our diagnostic found wet iso at the steeple curb and weak step flashing at the adjacent wall. We replaced 80 squares locally and corrected the curb and wall flashing for $54,000, then applied a targeted coating to blend. The result cost less than half the blanket coating plan and solved the leak.
• A warehouse east of FM 549 needed a retrofit over an aging R-panel metal roof. Full replacement with new metal was beyond budget. We installed flute fill, cover board, and a mechanically attached 60-mil TPO with new edge for $9.60 per square foot. Production averaged 8 squares per man-day due to clear staging and forklift access. The owner cut energy spend and stopped water at fasteners without emptying the building.

These projects highlight a simple rule: the cheapest bid that misses the real failure point is the most expensive option.

How We Schedule Around Your Operations

A retail strip near Downtown Rockwall cannot afford to close entrances. We phase work to keep access clear, tie off protective canopies, and start earlier to avoid heavy traffic. On busy warehouses, we coordinate crane picks outside shipping peaks and use night shifts when needed. Noise and odor matter at medical facilities; self-adhered and low-odor adhesive systems keep staff and patients comfortable. Clear phasing, tenant notices, and safe walk paths save you angry calls and lost sales. A commercial roofing company in Rockwall, TX, should present a site-specific plan, not a generic schedule.

How Insurance Claims Actually Flow

After a hail event, the process goes smoother with clean roles:

• You call your carrier. We document and measure. We provide a detailed scope with photos, test results, and code citations if upgrades apply.
• The adjuster sets a site visit. We attend to discuss assembly, fastener patterns, moisture results, and what repairs can restore function versus where replacement is warranted.
• You pay your deductible to comply with Texas law. The carrier releases actual cash value and depreciation per policy terms. We bill in phases aligned with your funds.
• If scope disputes arise, we stick to facts: uplift ratings, hail fractures visible in lab cuts, and moisture mapping. If you need someone to negotiate valuation, a licensed public adjuster steps in. We support with data rather than stepping into a role Texas law reserves for adjusters.

This approach keeps you on the right side of the law and moves the project forward without delay.

Why Local Matters in Rockwall

Rockwall’s mix of open exposures, lake winds, and rapid retail growth demands a contractor who works here regularly. We know the inspectors, the common variance requests, and the staging limits around local centers. We stock parts sized for common curbs and drains used by area mechanical contractors. We’ve repaired roofs after those sudden north wind shifts that blow rain under a loose coping. That local memory shortens diagnosis time and keeps your schedule intact.

How to Read a Proposal Without a Headache

Look for these markers of a reliable proposal:

• The assembly is fully described: deck type, vapor barrier if used, insulation R-value, cover board, membrane thickness, attachment method, and edge metal type.
• The scope separates tear-off, deck repairs by allowance per square foot, and new system installation.
• It references the applicable code version and wind zone. Wind uplift calculations or a listed assembly number show real design.
• Warranty terms are spelled out with years and what inspections or maintenance are required for validity.
• Access and staging plans address tenant safety, hours, and cleanup. Crane or lift charges should not be vague.

If a bid lacks these details, ask for them. It is your best tool to compare apples to apples and avoid costly change orders.

Risks, Trade-Offs, and Edge Cases

White TPO lowers rooftop temperatures but can glare into offices, which affects tenants facing certain angles. PVC handles restaurant exhaust better than TPO but costs more. Coatings stretch capital, yet they only work on dry, stable substrates; forcing a coating over wet insulation buys you one season of relief and then a larger bill. Recover saves time, though it locks in the deck condition; if you later discover rotten areas, deck replacement is messier and more expensive. Mechanically attached systems perform well on large open roofs but transmit more sound during wind; adhered systems are quieter and smoother but raise adhesive cost and weather sensitivity during install. The right choice depends on your building use, exposure, and budget horizon.

What You Can Do This Week

• Schedule a spring or fall roof walk and request photo documentation at penetrations, drains, and edges. Small problems hide there first.
• Pull past repair invoices and leaks by tenant. Patterns point to root causes, such as a specific curb or clogged scupper.
• Review your insurance deductible in writing. Plan funding now to move quickly after a storm.
• Keep a simple rooftop map that labels units and penetrations. Service goes faster and cheaper when everyone speaks the same building language.

Why Owners Call SCR, Inc. in Rockwall

We give straight numbers, explain options, and show the math. We work roofs in Rockwall daily, so we know how city inspections go and how weather affects scheduling here, not two counties away. Our proposals read clean, our crews protect your entrances, and our service techs fix leaks the first time. If you searched for a commercial roofing company in Rockwall, TX, and need honest guidance, we’re close by and ready to help.

Call SCR, Inc. General Contractors to schedule an inspection, request a repair, or plan your next roof project. We’ll walk the roof with you, show what we see, and give you clear pricing you can use.