Re-Skin, Retrofit and Repair for Metal Buildings in New Mexico
Tucumcari hit 111 degrees on June 11, 2022, and averages 14.9 inches of snow in a year. A steel roof on a building there goes through a lot of expansion and contraction, and after enough cycles the fasteners back out, the sealant cracks and the panel laps open. The building itself may be perfectly sound. What fails is the skin.
Re-skinning is replacing that skin, the roof panels, wall panels and trim, over a frame that is still good. Retrofit means changing how the building performs while you are at it: adding insulation, raising a roof to fix ponding, converting an exposed-fastener roof to standing seam, or fitting new openings. Repair is the smaller work: stop the leak, replace the damaged sheets, reseal the penetrations, restore the trim that wind took.
We take on all three for metal buildings of any age and any maker. The first step is always an inspection, because the right fix depends on what is wrong. A building that leaks at the ridge needs different work from one that leaks everywhere.
What an inspection looks for
We walk the roof and the walls, then look at the frame from inside. On the roof we check for backed-out fasteners, failed gaskets, open laps, corroded panels, ponding, damaged flashings, loose ridge caps and gutters full of debris. On the walls we look at the base, where water and dirt sit and where corrosion starts, and at dents, rust at the bottom edge and openings that have been cut in without proper framing.
Inside, we look for water stains on the insulation, rusted purlins and girts, anchor bolts with corrosion at the base plate and deflection in the frames. If the structure is sound, we price re-skin or repair. If it is not, we say so and tell you what the structure needs before any new panels go on. Putting a new roof on a corroded frame is a waste of money.
Overlay, re-screw or tear off
There are three common paths on a roof. A re-screw and coating job fastens loose panels with larger screws, seals laps and puts a coating over the top. It is the cheapest and works on a roof that is mostly sound. An overlay installs a new framing system over the old roof and then a new panel, usually standing seam, on top. It keeps the building weathertight during the work and adds an air gap for insulation. A tear-off removes the old panels and lets you fix the deck or purlins underneath.
Older roofs can hide problems. Some mastics and coatings on older buildings may contain materials that need testing before they are disturbed. We ask about the roof's age and history and we test before we cut or grind. We also check wall panel profiles so new panels match or contrast on purpose, and we look at what the building is used for, since a hangar or a food plant has different needs from a storage shed.
Weather that wears a building out
Raton sits at 6,559 feet in a cold, semiarid climate, and the Raton Filter Plant station averages 18.60 inches of precipitation and 28.8 inches of snowfall a year. Snow load, freeze and thaw and ice dams on a roof with poor insulation wear panels and flashings at the edges first. In Deming, the city's own description notes that minor flooding sometimes occurs over large areas of flat ground, which is hard on wall bases and doors at grade.
The plains see hail and wind. The high desert sun breaks down coatings and sealants. Add the monsoon, which can overwhelm drains on a flat low-slope roof, and a building of any age can need work. We write the repair scope to the problem the weather caused, not a generic list. A building in Tucumcari and one in Deming get different recommendations even if the metal is the same.
Retrofit as part of a bigger plan
Re-skin work often leads to other projects. A building that is being re-roofed may also need an addition, and doing both at once is cheaper than doing them separately. Our building expansions and additions work shares crews with our repair work for that reason. Older pre-engineered metal buildings are also candidates for new insulation and liner to meet energy needs.
Hangars need special care. An aircraft hangar roof and door header are often the first things to leak, and the repair has to work around parked aircraft and a flight schedule.
What it costs to fix versus replace
A repair is the least costly option, and if the building is sound it can add years. But repeated patching is expensive over time, and a roof that leaks in many places is cheaper to replace than to chase. We give you the repair price, the retrofit price and the replacement price side by side, along with what each is likely to deliver.
Public owners often have deferred maintenance on metal buildings such as shops, storage barns and utility sheds. Our work for municipal and public works customers is mostly this kind of repair, done within budget cycles and procurement rules. Remote jobs add travel and lodging, and a small repair in a far town can cost more than the same job nearby. We tell you that before we go, and we try to bundle nearby repairs into one trip.
Is the skin giving out on your building?
Send photos of the roof, the walls and any leaks, with the town and the building size. We will tell you what an inspection would look for and what repair, re-skin or replacement is likely to cost.
Common Questions
My metal roof leaks. Do I need a new roof?
Not necessarily. Many leaks come from a few failed fasteners, laps, flashings or penetrations. We find the source and give you a repair price. If the panels are corroded or the leaks are everywhere, replacement or overlay is the better value.
Can you re-skin a building without removing the frame?
Yes. The frame stays if it is sound. We remove the old panels, check and repair the purlins and girts and install new panels and trim. This is common on buildings with good structures and worn skins.
Is a roof coating a good idea?
It can extend the life of a sound roof if the surface is cleaned, the fasteners and laps are sealed and the coating is right for the metal. It is not a fix for rusted-through panels or ponding. We tell you which side of that line your roof is on.
Can the building stay in use during the work?
Usually. Overlay and re-skin work can be staged so the building remains weathertight. We cover openings the same day and protect contents below the work.
What causes panels to rust at the base?
Water and dirt that sit against the bottom edge, or trim that traps moisture. We fix the drainage, replace the corroded sheets and use a base trim that sheds water instead of holding it.
