A building that was a warehouse for one kind of work and is becoming offices or a studio for another is carrying a roof that was never designed for either, and the first test of that mismatch usually comes with the first heavy snow. Salt Lake City describes the Granary as a mix of commercial and service businesses, housing and redevelopment, in a district that grew from an industrial and railroad corridor. Adaptive reuse is bringing older warehouse buildings into new business use, and the city's redevelopment program supports rehabilitating those buildings. We treat the roof as the first thing to learn about before a change of use, because it sets what the building below can safely do.
The walk that answers that is slow on purpose: penetrations first, then layers, then drains, then edges.
What failed first: the roof that outlasted its job
An older industrial roof can outlive the equipment and the processes it was built for. It may carry abandoned vents, capped stacks, old curbs and patched openings from earlier uses, each a place where water can get in long after the original use ended. It may also carry several layers of roofing laid at different times, with moisture trapped between them.
We begin by mapping what is on the roof, not what the drawings say. Each penetration is classed as active, abandoned or unknown. Each patch is rated. We probe for layers and look for soft spots that suggest a deck problem, and we note any that need a test opening before a decision about reuse is made.
Age shows in the details more than in the field. Flashing that was set with materials no longer used, edge metal that has rusted at the fasteners and sealant that has been renewed over old sealant all point to places where the next leak will start. We photograph each and note whether it can be reused or should be rebuilt.
Roof-walk notes: what a rehabilitation survey records
A survey for a building entering a new use answers four questions: what is on the roof, what condition it is in, what the new use will add and what the roof can carry. The record is written for an owner, a lender and a design team who may never climb the roof.
- Active, abandoned and unknown penetrations
- Layers, found by probe or small opening, and deck condition where visible
- Skylights, clerestory curbs and roof hatches
- Drains, scuppers and the falls toward each
- Edge metal, parapets and wall bases
A due-diligence roof survey packages these findings for a buyer or lender, and a moisture survey maps trapped water before the design is fixed.
Skylights deserve their own pass in a building that is being reused for work that needs daylight. A curb that has leaked for years may have wet insulation around it, and a glazing edge that moves with the heat can open a seam that was tight in spring. We check the curb, the flashing and the glazing joint together.
Drainage and melt: a long roof and a heavy snow
Salt Lake City airport weather normals cover winter snow, snow depth, freezing nights and warm summers for the valley. Snow accumulation and melt are the seasonal stress to examine.
On an older industrial roof, long runs to few drains concentrate meltwater, and drifting snow can pile against walls, penthouses and parapets. We look at where snow collects, whether drains are open and sized for the area and whether a low area has been holding water. If the deck shows sag or the framing looks stressed, that finding goes to the owner's engineer, who decides what the structure can carry.
Repair boundary: stabilize, restore or rebuild
For a building awaiting conversion, a stabilizing repair that stops active leaks protects the structure and the investment while design continues. A building already in use may suit a restoration instead: a coating over a dry, attached membrane, once seams and flashing have been fixed. For a building being fully rehabilitated, a replacement with corrected drainage and new insulation is usually part of the project.
We price the routes separately. Wet insulation, a soft deck or stacked layers can move the boundary, so a test opening in the doubtful area comes first, and the proposal names any concealed condition that could change the scope.
Cost and timing follow the layers on the deck, the extent of wet insulation, the number of penetrations to seal or rebuild, how the roof is reached and the construction schedule. The proposal lists each driver beside its evidence, so the owner and the lender can see how the numbers were reached.
Seasonal timing: project schedules and the code in force
Rehabilitation projects run on tight sequences, and the roof usually has to be closed before interior work can begin. We place roof work in warm, dry stretches, because cold limits adhesives and welds, and keep temporary protection ready for winter. Small stabilizing repairs can proceed when the surface can be cleared and dried.
Two code dates matter: July 1, 2026, when Utah's 2024 International Building Code and Energy Conservation Code took effect with amendments, and January 1, 2027, when the earlier statutory edition is set to be superseded. A substantial reroof or change of use can bring those requirements into the conversation, including insulation, so permit staff confirm which edition and which requirements apply to the application.
Because a rehabilitation has a lender and a design team, we also supply the roof findings in a form they can attach: dated photographs, the sketch, the layer count and a short statement of what was and was not seen.
Next check: what the project team can bring
Send any drawings, past surveys, the intended use and the project schedule, and tell us how roof access works. We will walk the roof, class the penetrations, probe for layers and write down the questions the design team should answer before the roof is committed.
Owners with other buildings in the Midvale Town Center Core District or the Depot District can use the same survey format, and a preventive maintenance visit keeps drains clear while the project is under way.
The project team receives a written record afterward, with photographs, sorted by timing: before design, during build and after.
Commercial Roofing Questions
Should a roof survey come before design?
Yes, ideally. It shows what the roof can carry and what it will need, before the design commits to a layout. A later change to the layout is cheaper than a later change to the roof.
What do you do with abandoned penetrations?
Class them, then seal or remove them properly. A capped stack with failed flashing is a leak waiting for a thaw. The record shows which ones were removed and which were kept. We note the location of every cap and every seal so a later trade does not cut through one.
Can an older roof be recovered for the new use?
Sometimes. It depends on the layers already there, the deck and the weight. A test opening tells us. Added weight is a structural question for the engineer. Photographs of each layer go into the survey.
Does a change of use affect the roof scope?
It can, through insulation, drainage and equipment loads. Permit staff confirm what applies. We do not assume the answer from the building's age.
Who decides what the structure can carry?
The owner's engineer. We report what we see at the roof and flag anything that needs their review. Their finding then guides the roof design.
Learn the roof before the change of use
Tell us the intended use, where water has shown up and how roof access works. We will map what is on the roof, probe for layers and set the next test or repair boundary from the evidence.