Rooftop Deck Repair · CSLB #1060736
Commercial Rooftop Deck Repair in California
We repair rooftop decks on apartment communities, condominiums and HOA properties across the Bay Area, Central Valley, and Sacramento. A rooftop deck sits on top of a roof: deck boards, sleepers or pedestals, then the roof membrane, then the roof decking, the structural layer that carries the roof, which on wood-framed buildings is plywood sheathing. A leak or soft spot on the deck is often a problem in the layers below it, so the repair usually starts by lifting the deck to reach the roof underneath.
- CSLB #1060736 Licensed California contractor
- 9+ yrs Repairing decks on occupied buildings
- Deck, membrane, roof All three layers repaired in one job
- Commercial & HOA Apartments, condominiums & HOA communities
01 Why it matters
On a rooftop deck, the repair is usually under the deck
When a rooftop deck leaks, the stain shows up on the ceiling of the unit below, not on the deck. The water passes through the deck boards, can run along the membrane until it finds a split, a seam or a hole, and then goes through the roof decking before it reaches the ceiling. The deck surface itself can look fine the whole time. Finding the source means lifting the deck over the area and looking at the membrane and the roof sheathing under it.
How the deck was attached to the roof often decides what we find. In the Journal of Light Construction, deck builder Doug Horgan explains that he leaves sleepers floating on the membrane, because a screw under a sleeper can puncture the roofing, and that he puts posts through the membrane only with proper flashing. Sleepers screwed through the membrane leave a line of holes, each one a path into the roof decking. Pedestal systems, by contrast, stand on the membrane, and pedestal manufacturers describe them as allowing access to the waterproofing underneath.
So repairing roof decking under a rooftop deck is one connected job: lift the deck, repair the membrane, cut out and replace rotted roof decking, and put the deck back in a way that does not damage the roof again and can be lifted again. Horgan also builds removable sections at the high and low ends of the deck to reach the membrane and clear drains, so the next problem can be reached without taking the whole deck apart.
A rooftop deck leak shows on the ceiling below. The cause is almost always under the boards, and the repair starts by lifting them.
02 The D&B difference
How we find and fix what is under the deck
The source is found before anything is quoted as fixed
We lift deck sections over the leak area, the drains and the parapets, and look at the membrane and roof decking directly instead of guessing from the ceiling below.
Roof decking is replaced, not covered
Rotted or soft roof sheathing is cut out back to sound wood, new plywood is fitted on blocking between the roof joists, and the membrane is repaired over it before the deck goes back.
The deck goes back without new holes
Where sleepers were screwed through the membrane, we rebuild the deck to sit on the roof without fastening through it, on floating sleepers or adjustable pedestals over a protection layer, with access over drains.
03 · Service Areas
Where We Work in California
Every city links to a dedicated local page — crews, recent projects and compliance details for that area.
Sacramento Metro
20 cities
East Bay
28 cities
North Bay
14 cities
Central Valley
13 cities
South Bay & Peninsula
27 cities
Don’t see your city? We likely still cover it — call (916) 848-2728.
04 How a project runs
How the repair runs, from lifting the deck to the water test
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01
Assessment
A free property assessment, scheduled within a week. We look at ceilings below, the deck surface, drains, scuppers and parapets, and lift sections where needed.
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02
Quote
An itemized quote within five business days, separating deck work, membrane repair and roof decking replacement.
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03
Deck removal
Boards and sleepers or pedestals lifted over the affected area and stored on the roof.
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04
Roof repair
Membrane cut back, rotted roof decking replaced, membrane repaired and flashed at parapets and drains.
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05
Deck reinstallation
Deck rebuilt on floating sleepers or pedestals, with removable sections over drains.
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06
Water test and review
Drains and low points checked with water before the deck is handed back.
05 Scope
What our roof deck repair covers
Roof Deck Structure
- Roof deck leak repair at membrane splits, seams and fastener holes
- Replacement of rotted or damaged roof decking, with blocking at new joints
- Membrane turned up and flashed at parapets, curbs and doors
- Roof drains and scuppers cleared and detailed
- Deck boards, sleepers and pedestals lifted and reinstalled
- Screwed-down sleepers replaced with a floating or pedestal system
- Removable access sections over drains and low points
- Damaged boards replaced to match
- Roof joists checked where the roof decking is opened
- Railings and parapet attachments checked and resecured
Built to current code: CBC Chapter 15 roof assemblies · CBC 1015 guards on rooftop decks · CBC Chapter 16 roof live loads · manufacturer instructions for the membrane and pedestal system
06 Investment
What sets the price of roof decking repair
We price after a free assessment, and you receive an itemized quote within five business days.
What sets the number
- How much of the deck has to come up to reach the problem
- Area of membrane to repair or replace
- Area of rotted roof decking to replace
- Whether the deck is rebuilt on pedestals or floating sleepers
- Drains, scuppers and parapet flashing
- Getting materials to and from the roof
- Interior ceiling repairs, if included
Why access is the biggest variable: the repair to the roof itself is often small. Lifting the deck, storing it on the roof and putting it back is where much of the time goes, and a deck that was screwed to the roof takes longer to remove than one that rests on it.
Final pricing follows an on-site assessment. Request a free estimate — no obligation.
In the field
Repairing roof decking under rooftop decks
Screw holes through the membrane, a pedestal rebuild, drain access, the ceiling below and parapet flashing.
07 Project example
A recent rooftop deck leak repair
Two top-floor units had ceiling stains under the rooftop deck. We lifted the deck over the stained areas and found the sleepers had been screwed through the membrane in rows, with wet, soft roof decking under the screw lines. We cut out the rotted roof sheathing, fitted new plywood on blocking, repaired the membrane and rebuilt the deck on adjustable pedestals that stand on the membrane, with hinged hatches over the roof drains.
Every leak lined up with a row of screws in the old sleepers. The new deck stands on the roof without a single hole in it. Property Manager · California apartment community
08 Case studies
Recent Projects, Documented
Real commercial properties — what the building needed, what we did, and what it delivered.
WaterproofingRooftop Terrace Membrane & Deck Replacement Over Occupied Units — Walnut CreekA rooftop terrace leaking into the units below, taken up to the roof surface — new membrane turned…View case study 
Deck RepairPodium Terrace Paver Replacement & Drainage Correction — 120-Unit Apartment Community, Concord6,500 square feet of pavers lifted, the membrane underneath tested, pedestals reset and drains cleared — so rain…View case study 
WaterproofingElevated Walkway Rebuild & Waterproofing — 96-Unit Apartment Community, Citrus HeightsThe walkways weren't leaking from the top. The low-slope roof above them had lost its edge metal and…View case study 09 Client feedback
What property managers say
Every leak lined up with a row of screws in the old sleepers. The new deck stands on the roof without a single hole in it.
Before, nobody could get to the roof drains without tearing up the deck. Now there is a hatch over each one.
The quote split the deck work, the membrane and the roof decking. We could see that most of the cost was getting the deck off and back on.
10 FAQ
Questions about leaks and rot under rooftop decks
What is roof decking, and why does it matter for a rooftop deck?
The National Roofing Contractors Association defines the roof deck as the structural component of the roof that supports the roofing system and its loads. On wood-framed buildings it is usually plywood sheathing on the roof joists, under the membrane; on other buildings it can be concrete or metal. On a rooftop deck it sits under the walking deck as well. When water gets through the membrane, the roof decking is what gets wet and rots, and it has to be replaced before the roof is sound again.
How do you repair rotted roof decking under a rooftop deck?
The deck is lifted over the area, the membrane is cut back, and the rotted sheathing is cut out back to sound wood. New plywood is fitted with its edges on joists or blocking, the membrane is repaired over it, and the deck is reinstalled.
How do you find a roof deck leak?
By lifting the deck over and around the stained area and looking at the membrane, seams, fastener holes, drains and parapet flashing directly. Water can run along the membrane before it finds a way in, so the source is not always directly above the stain.
Can a rooftop deck be repaired without removing it?
Boards and railings can often be repaired from the top. Anything involving the membrane or the roof decking needs the deck lifted over that area. Decks on pedestals or floating sleepers come up in sections; decks screwed through the roof take longer and leave holes to repair.
Is it a problem if deck sleepers are screwed through the roof membrane?
Every screw through the membrane is a potential leak. Deck builder Doug Horgan, writing in the Journal of Light Construction, leaves sleepers floating on the membrane over a protection layer, uses pedestals where they suit the roof, and takes posts through the roofing only with proper post flashing.
What about flat roof deck repair on concrete?
Rooftop decks over concrete slabs also leak at membrane splits, drains and parapets, but there is no wood roof decking to rot. The repair is to lift the deck, repair or replace the membrane, and reinstall the deck. See our concrete deck waterproofing page for slab repairs.
What does the repair cost?
It depends mostly on how much of the deck has to come up, how much membrane and roof decking needs replacing, and access to the roof. We price after a free assessment and send an itemized quote within five business days.
Do you work on rooftop terraces on condominium buildings?
Yes. Rooftop terraces and amenity decks on apartment and condominium buildings are the work we do, including the membrane, roof decking, drains, parapet flashing and railings under the deck.
Do you offer roof deck repair near me?
We work across the Bay Area, Central Valley and Sacramento, with free property assessments scheduled within a week. Deck, membrane and roof decking repairs come from one CSLB-licensed contractor (#1060736). Call (916) 848-2728 and tell us the city and where the ceiling stains are.
11 Start here
Book a rooftop deck repair assessment in California
Send us photos of the ceiling stains below, the deck surface above them and any roof drains you can see. We schedule the assessment within a week and send an itemized quote within five business days.
CSLB #1060736 · 9+ years · Insured & Bonded · Commercial, multifamily & HOA properties across the Bay Area, Central Valley & Sacramento