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    Built-up tar-and-gravel commercial roof on an Arizona building
    Commercial · Arizona

    Built-Up Roofing Systems

    Multi-layer commercial roofing, the classic 'tar-and-gravel' system found on older Arizona commercial properties.

    Get My Free Built-Up Roofing Quote (602) 975-3359
    Built-Up Roofing in Arizona

    Built-Up Roofing systems engineered for the Arizona climate

    Built-up roofing (BUR) is the original commercial flat-roof system. Multiple layers of asphalt-saturated felt embedded in hot asphalt, topped with gravel or a reflective coating, create a redundant waterproof assembly. Tens of thousands of Arizona commercial buildings still use BUR.

    Power Peak Roofing services, repairs, and replaces aging BUR systems across the Phoenix metro. In most cases we recommend replacing failing BUR with a modern modified bitumen, TPO, or SPF foam system that offers lower lifetime cost and better energy performance.

    Built-Up Roofing systems we install

    BUR Repairs

    Blister repairs, flashing replacement, and patching for BUR systems that still have serviceable life remaining. We extend the existing roof while planning the replacement on your timeline.

    BUR Replacement

    Full tear-off and re-roof. Most BUR replacements in Arizona go back as modified bitumen, TPO, or SPF foam, all of which dramatically outperform legacy BUR in energy efficiency and lifecycle cost.

    BUR-to-Foam Conversion

    A popular Arizona upgrade path, spray polyurethane foam applied directly over a sound BUR substrate. Seamless waterproofing, dramatic energy savings, and no tear-off disposal fees.

    Commercial Roof Inspections

    We document the actual condition of your BUR roof with photos and infrared moisture scans, so you can make an informed repair-vs-replace decision instead of guessing.

    Best for

    • Aging commercial properties
    • Buildings transitioning to modern systems
    • Repair-and-extend strategies
    Typical Lifespan
    15-25 years (legacy systems)
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    Free Built-Up Roofing Quote

    Honest, line-itemed pricing from a licensed Arizona roofer. No pressure, no upsells.

    Schedule My Free Inspection (602) 975-3359
    Licensed, Bonded, Insured · ROC# 361724

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    Recent Project

    Mesa shingle + flat roof replacement, Mesa, AZ

    A Mesa home with both a 3-tab asphalt shingle field and a coated modified-bitumen low-slope section, both fully at end-of-life. Real inspection photos, honest findings, no upsell.

    Location
    Mesa, AZ
    Inspected
    June 2026
    Property
    Single-family home
    System
    3-tab asphalt shingle field + coated modified-bitumen low-slope section

    Findings

    • 3-tab shingle field is fully at end-of-life, severe granule loss across every plane exposing the fiberglass mat, the point where UV starts eating the asphalt directly.
    • Dozens of missing and lifted tabs across the main slopes, with prior handyman shingle patches slapped over the failures instead of proper repairs.
    • Failed HVAC curb flashing on the low-slope tie-in, old sealant cracked out, penetrations exposed, active leak path straight into the ceiling below.
    • Coated modified-bitumen flat section has multiple generations of patch coatings peeling apart, cracking, and delaminating from the substrate.
    • Vent boots and pipe jacks on the shingle field are dry-rotted and no longer sealing around the penetrations.
    • Every failure mode we found is age-driven, not storm-driven, this roof is past its service life and needs a full replacement, not another round of patches.
    Our recommendation

    Full tear-off of the shingle field down to the deck, replace any rotted sheathing, new synthetic underlayment, ice-and-water at eaves and valleys, new architectural shingles, all new pipe jacks and vent boots. On the low-slope section: strip the failed coating layers, prime the substrate, install a fresh 2-coat elastomeric system, and re-flash the HVAC curb properly with new termination bar and sealant.

    Get My Free Roof Inspection
    Aerial view of a Mesa AZ home before roof replacement showing weathered gray shinglesAerial
    Front elevation aerial, shingles look uniform from the street, but every plane is toast up close.
    Weathered 3-tab asphalt shingle field with heavy granule loss on Mesa AZ homeOverview
    Wide field shot, chalky, blotchy, granules gone across the whole slope.
    Extreme granule loss on asphalt shingles exposing fiberglass mat fibersDamage
    Close-up, fiberglass mat exposed, no granules left protecting the asphalt.
    Missing and lifted shingle tabs with prior handyman patches on Mesa AZ roofDamage
    Missing tabs and mismatched patches, every dark square is a prior handyman fix.
    Heavily patched asphalt shingle field next to failed flat roof coatingDamage
    Patch on top of patch, the transition down to the flat section is barely holding.
    Degraded asphalt shingles at eave line of Mesa AZ homeDamage
    Eave line, worst wear zone, granules gone, mat blistering.
    HVAC unit at transition between shingle roof and coated flat roof sectionOverview
    HVAC unit sits at the shingle-to-flat transition, critical detail area, no good flashing left.
    Failed HVAC curb flashing with cracked sealant and exposed penetrations on Mesa AZ roofDamage
    Curb flashing failed, sealant cracked, penetrations exposed, active leak path.
    Failed elastomeric coating layers peeling and cracking on flat roof sectionDamage
    Flat section, three generations of patch coating peeling apart from each other.
    Close-up of cracked and delaminating flat roof coating showing substrateDetail
    Coating detail, alligator cracking down to the substrate, no waterproofing left.
    Mesa roof replacement in progress with synthetic underlayment installed across shingle slopesDuring
    During install, fresh synthetic underlayment down before the new field gets loaded.
    Street view of Mesa roof replacement with crew and Power Peak bannerDuring
    Street-side progress shot, crew on the roof, banner up, new system going on.
    Completed brown architectural shingle roof on Mesa home main slopeAfter
    Finished main slope, clean lines, even courses, fresh brown architectural shingles.
    Completed Mesa shingle and low-slope roof replacement with crew doing final cleanupAfter
    After install overview, new shingle field tied cleanly into the low-slope section.
    Completed low-slope roof section on Mesa home with fresh tan coatingAfter
    Finished low-slope section, fresh coating and clean perimeter edges.
    Completed transition between new architectural shingles and low-slope coated sectionAfter
    Shingle-to-flat transition finished correctly with a clean tie-in around the HVAC area.
    Built-Up Roofing FAQ

    Built-Up Roofing questions, honestly answered

    Common questions Arizona property owners ask us about built-up roofing. Don't see yours? Call (602) 975-3359.

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