If you own a home in Brooklyn, look around your block. Most of the roofs you see are flat. Brownstones, rowhouses, and apartment buildings across Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan were built with flat roofs, and when one wears out, patching it year after year is just throwing money away. A full roof replacement in Brooklyn is one of the smartest investments you can make in your property. Here is what to know before you start.

When replacement beats another repair

Every roof has a lifespan. Flat roofs in the city usually last 15 to 25 years depending on the material. Shingle roofs last longer, around 25 to 30. If your roof is near the end of that range, if you are calling someone out after every big storm, or if you see widespread cracking, blistering, or ponding water that never drains, replacement is the honest answer. One more patch on a roof that is done only buys you months. A new roof buys you decades.

Flat roof replacement: EPDM, TPO, and modified bitumen

Most Brooklyn roofs are flat, so the material choice matters more here than in the suburbs. Three systems do the heavy lifting.

EPDM rubber is the workhorse. A single black rubber membrane that goes down in large sheets with very few seams. It handles New York winters and summer heat well and is one of the most affordable flat roof options. A properly installed EPDM roof can last 25 years or more.

TPO is the energy saver. A white reflective membrane that bounces sunlight back instead of soaking it up, which keeps top-floor apartments cooler in July and August. It is heat-welded at the seams, so the joints are as strong as the sheet itself. A great choice if your top floor runs hot.

Modified bitumen is the tough old reliable. Layers of asphalt-based material, often with a granular surface, installed in rolls. It has been protecting city rowhouses for decades and stands up well to foot traffic, which matters if anyone walks on the roof for maintenance or access.

The right pick depends on your building, your budget, and how the roof gets used. That is exactly what a free inspection is for.

Shingle replacement for pitched roofs

Not every roof in the boroughs is flat. Staten Island and parts of Queens have plenty of pitched roofs, and there a shingle replacement is the standard move. Architectural shingles are the sweet spot for most homes: thicker than the old three-tab style, better looking, and rated for 25 to 30 years. We install GAF-certified shingle systems, which means the materials and the installation both meet the manufacturer’s standards. That matters when you want the warranty to actually mean something.

What a full replacement includes

A roof replacement is more than new material on top. The old roofing comes off down to the deck so we can see what is really going on underneath. Damaged decking gets replaced. New underlayment goes down. Flashing around chimneys, skylights, and parapet walls gets redone, because that is where most leaks start. Then the new membrane or shingles go on. Skipping the tear-off to save money just hides problems that will cost you more later.

Commercial roof replacement in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan

We also replace flat roofs on commercial buildings: offices, retail stores, and warehouses across Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. Commercial jobs run on EPDM and TPO systems, sized for bigger footprints and heavier drainage needs. We know a roof replacement cannot shut your business down, so we plan the work in phases, keep entrances and deliveries clear, and keep you posted every step of the way. Minimal disruption is part of the job, not an extra.

How long it takes

Most residential replacements take two to four days once we start. Commercial jobs depend on size, but we give you a real schedule up front and stick to it. Weather is the only wildcard in this business, and we watch the forecast closely so your home or building is never left exposed overnight.

Your roof is the one part of your property you cannot afford to gamble on. If yours is showing its age, a free inspection takes less than an hour and tells you exactly where you stand.

Best Roof Contracting (BR Contracting Group Inc.) is a certified woman-owned company serving Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and homes across New York. We specialize in roof replacement, flat and shingle, residential and commercial, along with siding replacement, waterproofing, and painting. Licensed, insured, and bonded, GAF-certified installations, and EPA Lead-Safe. Call 917-500-9573 or visit bestroofcontracting.com for a free inspection. We are here to help.