EPDM Rubber Roof Installation Pricing

Last month a Park Slope homeowner called me with water stains spreading across his third-floor bedroom ceiling. He’d gotten three EPDM rubber roof quotes: $9,200, $14,800, and $19,400-all for the “same” 800-square-foot flat roof on his brownstone. That confusion is exactly what most Brooklyn property owners face when they start price-shopping rubber flat roof installation. Here’s what EPDM actually costs in Brooklyn and how to decode the huge price differences between contractors so you know what you’re really paying for.

What Brooklyn Owners Pay for EPDM Rubber Roofs

EPDM rubber flat roof installation in Brooklyn typically runs $8.50 to $16.00 per square foot, depending on tear-off work, insulation upgrades, and warranty level. That translates to $8,500-$16,000 for a standard 1,000-square-foot rowhouse roof, or $17,000-$32,000 for a 2,000-square-foot low-rise multifamily building. Most Brooklyn jobs land around $11-$13 per square foot when you include full tear-off, new insulation, and a 15-year warranty. Basic overlay installs (no tear-off) start around $6.50-$8.00 per foot but skip critical inspection and deck repair.

Quick Price Snapshot

Here’s what you’re looking at for complete EPDM installation with tear-off in 2024:

Those ranges assume standard 60-mil EPDM membrane, two inches of polyiso insulation, mechanically fastened or fully adhered installation, and basic trim work. A basic overlay without tear-off cuts costs by roughly 25-35% but leaves you blind to deck rot, and most experienced Brooklyn contractors won’t warranty that approach on roofs older than eight years.

Sample Brooklyn Job Scenarios

A typical Kensington two-family brownstone with 950 square feet of flat roof, moderate parapet walls, and one existing layer of worn rubber: expect $11,800-$14,200 for full tear-off, new half-inch cover board, 60-mil EPDM, updated scupper flashings, and a 15-year warranty. If the decking shows rot around the perimeter-common on roofs over 20 years old-add $1,200-$2,400 for plywood replacement.

Over in Bed-Stuy, a small three-story rental building with 1,600 square feet, shared party walls on both sides, and two layers of old built-up roofing came in at $21,600. That included hand-stripping two old roofs (no crane access), replacing 180 square feet of rotten deck, installing a tapered insulation system to fix chronic ponding, and fully adhered 80-mil EPDM with a 20-year manufacturer warranty. The party-wall flashings alone took a full day because we had to coordinate with both neighbors and seal penetrations that hadn’t been touched since 1987.

A simpler Sunset Park rowhouse-680 square feet, rear yard access, one thin layer of EPDM to remove, solid deck-came in at $8,900. We went mechanically fastened with 60-mil membrane, standard two-inch polyiso, and basic termination bars at the parapets. Quick job, minimal surprises, done in two days including cleanup.

What’s Usually Included in That Price

A complete EPDM installation quote should cover tear-off and disposal of old roofing (one or two layers), deck inspection and spot repairs up to 10% of roof area, insulation board installation, EPDM membrane with seams factory-welded or field-seamed with tape, all flashing work at parapets, walls, and penetrations, new or refurbished drains and scuppers, debris removal, and warranty registration. It does not usually include full deck replacement, structural work, DOB permit fees (typically $450-$900 in Brooklyn), sidewalk shed rental if required, or upgrades like skylights, walkway pavers, or railings.

If your quote is vague about what’s included or lumps everything into one line item, ask the contractor to break it out. You want to see material costs separated from labor, tear-off listed as its own line, and insulation type and thickness spelled out. That’s how you compare apples to apples when you’re holding three different EPDM quotes.

Main Things That Make EPDM Roof Prices Go Up or Down

The $9,200 versus $19,400 spread on that Park Slope roof came down to five specific differences. Understanding these cost drivers lets you control what you pay instead of just accepting whatever number lands in your inbox.

Size, Access, and Building Type

Square footage drives material cost in a straight line-double the roof, double the rubber and insulation-but labor doesn’t scale the same way. A 600-square-foot roof might run $13 per foot while a 1,200-square-foot roof on the same block comes in at $11 per foot because setup time, permits, and equipment costs get spread over more work. Walk-up buildings add 10-15% to labor versus elevator buildings since every sheet of plywood and insulation roll goes up by hand. Tight side yards in Kensington or Ditmas Park mean no crane access, so material hoisting takes longer and costs more.

Brownstones and rowhouses with shared party walls need extra flashing coordination. You’re not just sealing your own parapet-you’re tying into masonry that might be crumbling on the neighbor’s side or dealing with old counter-flashings embedded three inches into brick that hasn’t been repointed in decades. That detail work adds half a day to a full day on most Brooklyn jobs and shows up as higher labor on your quote.

Tear-Off, Deck Condition, and Slope

Removing one layer of old EPDM or modified bitumen costs $1.50-$2.50 per square foot in labor and dump fees. Two layers of built-up tar and gravel? That jumps to $3.00-$4.50 per foot because it’s heavier, slower to strip, and fills dumpsters faster. Every Brooklyn flat roof I inspect over 25 years old has some deck rot-usually around drains, at parapet edges, or where someone patched a skylight poorly. Replacing rotten plywood runs $8-$12 per square foot including material and labor, and you won’t know how much you need until the old roof comes off.

Slope matters more than most homeowners realize. A truly flat roof (less than 1/4-inch per foot of pitch) will pond water after every rainstorm, and standing water cuts EPDM lifespan in half. If your roof has chronic ponding, you need a tapered insulation system-foam panels cut at varying thicknesses to create slope toward drains. That upgrade adds $2.50-$4.00 per square foot but pays for itself by eliminating the leak calls that happen every time you get two inches of rain in an afternoon.

Material Choices and Warranty Level

EPDM comes in two standard thicknesses: 45-mil and 60-mil. The thinner stuff saves about $0.40 per square foot but punctures easier and typically maxes out at a 10-year warranty. Most Brooklyn contractors spec 60-mil as the baseline. If you want 80-mil-thicker, more puncture-resistant, often required for 20-year warranties-add another $0.60-$0.90 per foot in material cost. I typically recommend 60-mil for residential and 80-mil for commercial or high-traffic roofs.

Insulation upgrades change your energy bills and your install price. Standard two-inch polyiso (R-13) keeps most Brooklyn buildings comfortable and code-compliant. Jumping to three-inch (R-19.5) adds $1.20-$1.80 per square foot but cuts heating costs by 15-20% on top floors, which matters when you’re paying ConEd rates. Fully adhered EPDM costs $1.50-$2.50 more per foot than mechanically fastened but handles high wind better and eliminates the slight dimpling you sometimes see with fastener patterns-worth it on wider roofs or buildings near the waterfront.

Warranty length correlates directly with material quality and installation standards. A 10-year workmanship warranty from a local contractor costs nothing extra-it’s standard. A 15-year manufacturer’s material warranty requires certified installation and typically adds $400-$800 to the total job. A 20-year NDL (no-dollar-limit) warranty bumps material specs higher and adds another $800-$1,400, but it transfers to the next owner if you sell, which helps resale value on multifamily properties.

What a Typical EPDM Install Looks Like in Brooklyn

Most Brooklyn EPDM jobs take two to four days depending on size and complexity. Here’s what happens and where your money goes at each step.

Prep Work and Old Roof Removal

Day one starts with setup: sidewalk protection, material delivery, dumpster drop-off. We do a final walk-through to confirm access routes, mark fragile skylights or HVAC equipment, and double-check deck condition from below if there’s attic access. Then we strip the old roof down to the deck, working in sections to keep the building weather-tight if rain threatens. On most Brooklyn rowhouses, tear-off takes four to six hours for one crew. Everything goes into the dumpster-old membrane, insulation, nails, flashing metal.

Once the deck is exposed, we inspect every sheet of plywood or board sheathing. Soft spots, staining, or sagging means rot, and we cut out and replace bad sections immediately. This is where surprises happen-a roof that looked fine from below might have 80 square feet of punky plywood hidden under old tar. We also check fastener patterns, sister any loose joists if needed, and make sure the deck is smooth and solid before any new materials go down. DOB permits were filed a week earlier and should be posted on-site by now.

Installing Insulation, EPDM, and Flashings

Day two starts with insulation. We roll out polyiso boards, stagger the seams, and fasten them to the deck with plates and screws in a grid pattern-one fastener per square foot for mechanically attached systems, more in high-wind zones near the water. If we’re doing fully adhered, we trowel adhesive in ribbons and press the insulation down, then wait for flash-off before the membrane goes on. Cover board (half-inch dense glass mat or OSB) goes over the insulation to protect it and give the EPDM a smooth surface.

Then comes the rubber itself. EPDM arrives in rolls-10 feet wide, 50 to 100 feet long depending on roof layout. We unroll it, let it relax for 30 minutes in warm weather, then position it carefully to minimize seams. Seams get cleaned with primer, bonded with factory tape or liquid adhesive, and rolled with a heavy roller to ensure full contact. Mechanically fastened systems use barbed plates every 12 inches along seams and perimeter, then cover strips seal the fasteners. Fully adhered systems get adhesive spread across the entire deck or insulation surface-slower, more expensive, but rock-solid in windstorms.

Flashing takes the rest of day two and part of day three. Every parapet wall gets termination bar at the top, with EPDM tucked behind it and sealed with caulk. Metal counter-flashing goes over that to shed water. Penetrations-vent pipes, skylights, HVAC curbs-get custom-cut boots or flashings that we bond to the membrane and seal at every edge. Drains and scuppers get clamping rings or bonded drain boots. This detail work is where leaks start if it’s done wrong, so we take our time and test every seal.

Cleanup, Final Walkthrough, and Paperwork

Day three or four is cleanup and inspection. We remove all debris, sweep the roof, check every seam and flashing joint, and do a final water test on the drains. You walk the roof with us-we show you the new membrane, explain how the warranty works, point out where we replaced deck or upgraded flashings, and answer any questions. You get photos of the finished install, copies of material invoices for warranty registration, and the DOB sign-off paperwork once the city inspector clears the job (usually within a week).

Manufacturer warranty registration happens within 30 days. We submit photos, proof of material purchase, and installer certification to the EPDM manufacturer. You receive a warranty certificate by mail or email, and that’s your proof of coverage if you ever need a claim or when you sell the building. Keep those documents with your property records-they add value and make future roof maintenance easier.

Brooklyn-Specific Factors That Affect Your Quote

Brooklyn flat roofs come with challenges you don’t see in the suburbs. These local conditions directly impact your EPDM installation cost.

Rowhouse and Brownstone Roof Quirks

Shared party walls mean flashing on both sides of your roof ties into masonry you don’t own. If your neighbor’s brickwork is crumbling or their old counter-flashing is embedded in mortar that’s barely holding, we have to work around it or coordinate repairs, which adds time. I’ve had jobs delayed a week because a neighbor’s roofer was supposed to re-flash their side first and didn’t show up. On tighter projects, we seal our side, leave a clean edge, and let the neighbor deal with their parapet whenever they’re ready-but that’s not ideal for long-term waterproofing.

Rear yard extensions, skylights over kitchens, and oddball roof angles are everywhere in Brooklyn brownstones. Every penetration needs custom flashing. Every level change needs a transition strip. A simple rectangle roof takes two days; a roof with three skylights, two HVAC curbs, and a rear extension takes four. That complexity shows up as higher labor hours on your estimate.

Access, Street Logistics, and DOB Rules

Parking a dumpster and material truck on a Brooklyn street requires coordination most homeowners don’t think about. You need alternate-side parking suspension (apply through DOB, costs around $100), sometimes a police permit for oversized loads, and always a plan for when your neighbor double-parks in your delivery zone at 7 a.m. Tight streets in Carroll Gardens or Cobble Hill mean smaller trucks, more trips, and higher delivery fees-all that rolls into your total.

DOB permits are mandatory for any roofing work in Brooklyn, and they’re not instant. We file as the contractor, but it takes one to three weeks for approval depending on borough office backlog. Expedited filings cost an extra $200-$400. If the building is landmarked, add Landmarks Preservation Commission approval, which takes longer and sometimes requires specific material colors or installation methods. Inspections happen mid-job and at completion-if the inspector shows up and something’s off, we fix it before moving forward, which can add a day to the schedule.

Sidewalk sheds are required if there’s any risk of debris falling onto a public walkway-common on buildings over three stories or if the work zone is directly above the front entrance. Shed rental runs $1,800-$3,500 per month depending on size, and that’s pure overhead that shows up on your invoice. Most rowhouse jobs don’t need sheds if we’re careful with debris netting and chutes, but multifamily buildings almost always do.

Weather, Drainage, and Ponding on Flat Roofs

Brooklyn gets 45 inches of precipitation a year, and flat roofs take it all head-on. If your roof doesn’t slope toward drains-and most older Brooklyn roofs don’t-you’ll have standing water after every storm. EPDM handles ponding better than modified bitumen or built-up roofing, but no roof should hold water for more than 48 hours. Chronic ponding breaks down seams, grows algae, and voids most manufacturer warranties.

Tapered insulation systems fix this by creating artificial slope-usually 1/4 inch per foot minimum toward drains or scuppers. The foam panels are cut in graduated thicknesses, and we install them in a layout designed by the insulation manufacturer based on your roof’s drain locations. Cost is $2,800-$5,200 more than flat insulation on a typical Brooklyn rowhouse, but it’s the only permanent fix for flat or backward-sloped roofs. I did a Prospect Heights job last year where the owner had been patching ponding-related leaks every spring for five years-spent $3,400 on temporary fixes before finally installing a taper system for $4,100. He’s been dry ever since.

Drain upgrades are another Brooklyn-specific cost driver. Old cast-iron drains rust through, plastic drains crack, and undersized drains (less than four inches) can’t handle heavy rain. Code now requires four-inch minimum drains on most residential flat roofs, and overflow scuppers or secondary drains if the primary drain clogs. Replacing a drain and adding an overflow scupper runs $850-$1,400 per location, but it prevents the interior flooding that happens when a single drain backs up during a nor’easter.

Getting a Straightforward EPDM Quote in Brooklyn

You’re ready to move from research to estimates. Here’s how to get accurate numbers and avoid the change-order chaos that sinks so many Brooklyn roofing projects.

What to Have Ready Before You Call

Know your roof’s square footage if possible-measure length times width from the inside and add five percent for overhang. Take photos of the current roof surface, parapet walls, any visible damage, and how materials currently access the roof (hatch, rear yard, side alley). Note how many layers are up there if you know-peel back a corner or check old invoices. List all penetrations: skylights, vents, chimneys, HVAC units. Mention chronic issues like leaks, ponding, or ice dams so the contractor can factor in fixes.

Have your building type and age ready. A 1920s brownstone with original plank decking needs a different approach than a 1960s rowhouse with plywood. If you’re in a landmark district, say so upfront-it affects material choices and permitting. Know your budget range, even if it’s approximate. A contractor can tailor options if they know you’re thinking $12,000 versus $22,000.

How to Read and Compare Rubber Roof Estimates

A good EPDM estimate breaks out tear-off, deck repairs (with a not-to-exceed cap or allowance), insulation type and thickness, membrane brand and mil thickness, flashing scope, warranty level, permit fees, and payment terms. If it’s one lump sum with no detail, ask for a breakdown. You can’t compare quotes when one says “$14,200 complete” and another lists 17 line items-they might be quoting the exact same scope, or one might be skipping critical work.

Check membrane brand and thickness. “60-mil EPDM” should specify Firestone, Carlisle, GenFlex, or another major manufacturer-not just generic rubber. Insulation should list R-value, not just thickness. Warranty should state who warranties what-contractor’s workmanship warranty versus manufacturer’s material warranty-and for how many years. A “lifetime warranty” that’s actually a prorated 20-year material warranty isn’t the same as a 20-year NDL manufacturer’s warranty backed by a Fortune 500 company.

Compare payment schedules. Standard is one-third deposit to order materials, one-third at tear-off completion, final third when the job is done and you’ve walked it. If a contractor wants 50% upfront or full payment before completion, that’s a red flag. You hold leverage until the work is finished to your satisfaction and the warranty is registered.

When a Site Visit Can Save You Money

No contractor can give you a truly accurate EPDM quote without seeing the roof. We can ballpark over the phone, but deck condition, drainage issues, and structural surprises only show up in person. A site visit lets us measure precisely, check existing flashing details, look for hidden rot from below, and spot problems that’ll become expensive change orders if we don’t address them upfront. On a recent Bay Ridge job, a phone quote was $11,400 based on the owner’s description; after the site visit and seeing two layers of old roofing plus a sagging deck section, the real number was $14,100-and the homeowner appreciated knowing that before we started, not after we’d torn off the old roof.

Site visits also let you meet the contractor, see how they communicate, and get a feel for whether they’re detail-focused or rushing through. I spend 30-45 minutes on a typical Brooklyn flat roof inspection: checking the membrane, pulling back edges to see layering and deck condition, testing drains, looking at flashing, taking measurements, and asking about leak history. If a contractor shows up, glances at the roof for five minutes, and tosses out a number, you’re getting a guess, not an estimate.

At FlatTop Brooklyn, we do free site visits and written estimates for any Brooklyn property owner who’s serious about EPDM installation. We’ll walk your roof, explain what we see, break down your options on materials and warranties, and give you a line-item quote within three business days. No pressure, no bait-and-switch pricing, and no surprises once we start work. Call us when you’re ready for straight answers and a flat roof that lasts.