Repair of the roof of the roof of an apartment building,
In contrast to the owners of private houses, who are accustomed to the fact that they have to monitor the technical condition of their property themselves, tenants of multi-apartment apartment buildings of typical development are often lost when a breakdown or leakage occurs through the roof. The situation is complicated by the fact that, as a rule, only tenants of the upper floors suffer from the drifts, and the rest do not even notice the problem. However, repairing the roof of an apartment building is a complex, financially costly task that will have to be tackled collectively. In this article we will tell who, when and for whose money should repair the roofing, if it gave a leak.
Types of leaks
Even if the residential apartment building was just put into operation, its roof is not protected from leakage, freezing and mechanical damage. Owners of apartments located on the upper floors of high-rise buildings will confirm that the drips may occur in any season, causing damage to the finishing of the room, causing moisture and damp. Technical Regulations classifies leakage through the roof into the following categories:
- Snow Such leaks appear during the rapid thawing of snow, when the lower layer of the snow cap is thawing in contact with the surface of the roofing material.
- Showers. Wetting of this type occurs during heavy rainfall due to the imperfection of the drainage system or the flow of fluid into the seams.
- "Flickering." Flickering is called leaking, which can manifest itself haphazardly, regardless of the season, the presence or absence of precipitation, most often they occur because of a violation of the roof construction technology or because of cracks on the surface of the waterproofing coating.
- "Dry". Leaks are called dry leaks that are not caused by heavy rainfall or melting snow. They manifest themselves as wetting of the ceiling and walls of the upper floors due to the accumulation of condensate inside the roof.
Please note that the easiest way to identify and eliminate snow and storm leaks, as they appear systematically and easily explained by the imperfection of the drainage system or insufficient insulation of the roof. “Dry” and “flickering” drifts are more difficult to diagnose, as they can occur at any time and are usually localized on a small portion of the roof surface.

Common causes of leakage
The roof of an apartment building performs barrier functions, protecting a person’s home from the penetration of precipitation and cold. Because of the large area, it is often a weak point in the structure, through which more heat loss occurs. Identify the course of the roof is quite simple, much more difficult to determine what is the cause of the violation of the integrity of the coating. Judging by the experience of professional roofing masters, most often the roof flows due to the following defects:
- Violation of the technology of construction of the roof. This is the most likely reason for the leakage of the roof, as contractors often violate technical regulations in order to reduce the time needed to repair the roof and reduce the cost of this process.
- End of life of the roofing. Each roofing material has its own life, after which it requires immediate replacement. Most often, waterproofing coatings retain operational properties for 5-15 years.
- Poor quality, cheap, substandard roofing material, which had defects before the start of operation.
- Mechanical damage to the waterproofing layer, which may occur due to human activity.
- Exposure to adverse environmental factors. Showers, snowfalls, temperature drops, strong wind - a threat to the integrity of the roofing.
Important! In order to delay the repair of the roof or roof of an apartment building and not to overlook minor defects that have not yet manifested itself as leaks, it is necessary to inspect the condition of its surface at least twice a season. Spring and autumn inspection of the roof is the work of specialists of the management company, however, we recommend finding out when this event will be held and send a representative from the council of the house to participate in drawing up and signing the act.


Who to contact?
Overhaul and overhaul of the roof of an apartment building is performed by the management company or the contracting organization hired for its order. The roof, like the attics, is the property of the whole house, therefore the financial costs of restoring its regulatory state go not only to the residents of the upper floors, but to all owners who have apartments in this house. If there is a leakage through the roof surface, you need to act as follows:
- First of all, it is necessary to make an application to the management company serving the house, describing the location and nature of the flow. The document is compiled in 2 copies and sent to the organization in person or by registered letter with notification.
- If the leakage caused damage to your property inside the apartment, you need to call a specialist from the management organization who will evaluate the cost together with you. The drawn up act is necessary for damages through the court.
- The management company within a period not exceeding 10 working days from the date of receipt of the application must send a specialist to inspect the roof, draw up a defect list.
- On the basis of the compiled statement, the volume, the timing of the repair is determined, and an estimate is drawn up.
Consider that repairing a roof with funds from home or not is decided at a general meeting of owners. To make a positive decision “for”, at least 51% of residents should vote. The decision of the owners must be officially recorded.
Types of repair
The decision on what repairs the roof needs to repair leaks is made on the basis of the defect list, which is made up of the specialists of the management company or the contracting organization hired by it to perform this work.. Depending on the nature and area of damage, the following types of repair are distinguished:
- Current. Partial or routine repair of roofing is performed when leaks appear on its surface, if any of the individual elements of the roof is damaged, the sound insulation or thermal insulation properties of the roof deteriorate, and the appearance of the structure is disturbed. It costs much less than capital, runs more often, as it is aimed at maintaining the roof in a regulatory state.
- Capital. The goal of the overhaul is a complete reconstruction of the roof, which includes dismantling the old pavement and building a new roofing pie, replacing elements of the drainage system and supporting structures, fire-fighting and antiseptic processing of wooden frame elements.
Consider that the overhaul of the roof of an apartment building costs much more than current repairs. Prices for this type of work start at several thousand rubles per square meter. The total cost depends on the type of roofing material and thermal insulation.



How to pay?
If there is a need to repair the roof of an apartment building, the question arises who should pay for it. Naturally, the cost of maintenance and reconstruction of common property property falls on all owners in proportion to the occupied area. There are two ways to pay for the overhaul of a multi-storey roof:
- Payment management company. All homeowners transfer to the management company a payment for the maintenance of the house, some of which goes to its current repairs and maintenance, and some is accumulated in the form of funds for major repairs. Having made a decision on the reconstruction of the roof and coordinating the estimate with the service organization, the owners must hold a meeting of residents and vote. To spend money from the general house account for repairs, it is necessary to obtain the consent of 51% of tenants.
- State subsidies. In Russia, there is a federal law No. 185 “On the Fund for Assistance to the Housing and Utilities Reform”, which gives citizens the right to receive co-financing for the overhaul of an apartment building. However, in order to receive state aid, the owners need to make a down payment of at least 5% of the cost of bringing the roof in order according to the estimate.
Remember, in order to expect to pay the cost of capital or current repairs by the management company, all owners must pay monthly maintenance of the house, as well as make contributions to the capital repairs fund. A qualitatively and timely renovated house allows its tenants to save on paying bills for heat or electricity, as it protects from unnecessary heat loss.

