Adding a roof to your new commercial building is a significant construction activity. You'll want to build a roof that can withstand daily exposure to harsh weather elements while enhancing the building's street appeal. However, roof construction costs money, which is why you may want to know the expected cost of your new roof before installing it.

Several factors influence the cost of commercial roof installation. Read along to acquaint yourself with the primary variables that affect the final price. 

Roofing Materials 

What type of roofing material do you want for your commercial building? Different roofing materials are available for commercial applications. Each has unique features, benefits, and drawbacks that may or may not render it suitable for your specific roofing needs.

Although most commercial roofs are flat, sloped ones are not uncommon.

To determine the best roofing material for your commercial building, you'll need to weigh up your roofing options and choose the one that best suits your needs. If you're building a flat roof, for example, you should choose your roofing material from options designed for flat roofs.

Some common flat roofing material options include the following:

• Modified bitumen roofing 
• TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin)
• EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer)
• PVC (polyvinyl chloride) membrane roofing
• Standing seam metal roofing 

Roofing material costs can vary greatly depending on their performance, durability, aesthetics, and need for maintenance. Generally, you'll get what you pay for, meaning that price tends to be a reflection of quality.

Roofing Labor

Commercial roof installation costs also include labor expenses. Some factors that influence roofing labor costs include the following:

• The square footage of your roof
• The type of roofing material you have chosen for your building
• The slope of your roof
• The time of the year it is/availability of roofing crews 

The bigger the size of your roofing job and the more complex it is, the higher your roofing costs will be. You'll also be charged more for labor if you install your roof during the peak season when most roofing crews are busiest.

Building a commercial roof requires expert handling to do safely and correctly. If you're not a fully trained and highly experienced roofer, you should leave the job to the pros. That said, the cost to build a new commercial roof can vary greatly from project to project.

Get in touch with a commercial roofing service near you, such as Roof Drs, to find out more.