Commercial roofing for universities, colleges, and higher education campuses.
Drake University sits in the heart of Des Moines — a mid-sized private research university with a campus that blends late-Victorian academic architecture with mid-century modern buildings and contemporary student life facilities. Drake's campus on Forest Avenue, just west of downtown Des Moines, presents a roofing environment shaped by Iowa's demanding four-season climate, the university's mix of historic and modern building stock, and the institutional procurement and scheduling requirements that distinguish campus roofing from conventional commercial work.
Semester break scheduling at Drake University concentrates major roofing work in the summer months, when student populations drop significantly and building access is most available. Drake's law school, pharmacy school, and graduate programs maintain some year-round activity, so even summer work requires building-by-building access confirmation. We develop summer project schedules in coordination with Drake's facilities management team, mapping each building's summer occupancy pattern and staging work to avoid conflict with commencement, alumni events, and incoming student orientation programs.
Historic buildings at Drake include Old Main and several other campus structures from the university's founding era in the late 19th century that carry architectural significance and require preservation-appropriate maintenance. Original slate roofs, ornamental copper flashings, and historic masonry parapets on these buildings require assessment by a preservation-aware roofing contractor. We work with Drake's facilities architect to specify repairs that maintain the historic character of these buildings while achieving the waterproofing performance the university requires.
Iowa's freeze-thaw cycle is particularly demanding on Drake's older campus buildings. Brick parapet walls on 19th-century academic buildings are vulnerable to spalling and deterioration when roof-to-parapet flashing fails and water infiltrates the masonry during winter freeze events. Parapet flashing restoration is typically the highest-priority repair item on Drake's historic building roofs, and we coordinate that work with masonry repair contractors as part of an integrated envelope restoration approach.
Multi-building campus programs at Drake benefit from a coordinated approach that groups buildings by system type and remaining service life, providing a rational basis for budget allocation across Drake's annual capital expenditure cycle. We provide condition survey reports and replacement cost estimates in a format compatible with Drake's facilities capital planning process.
LEED requirements are relevant to Drake's sustainability commitments, which include carbon reduction goals and sustainable campus operations policies. New construction and major renovation projects at Drake incorporate cool roof specifications and sustainable material requirements. We provide Energy Star documentation and LEED credit worksheets as standard deliverables for applicable Drake projects.
Complex procurement at Drake University follows the university's independent procurement policies, which include competitive bidding requirements for projects above applicable thresholds and contractor qualification standards. We maintain the insurance, bonding, and qualification documentation that Drake's procurement office requires and are experienced in the university's project bidding and contracting process.
Drake's urban Des Moines campus also presents neighborhood sensitivity considerations — Drake is surrounded by established residential neighborhoods where construction noise, truck traffic, and material staging must be managed thoughtfully. We implement noise management schedules, confine equipment and material staging to campus interior locations, and coordinate with Drake's community relations staff before any particularly disruptive activity.
Drake University's distinctive campus and institutional character deserve a commercial roofing partner who brings both preservation expertise and Iowa climate knowledge to every project. Our team combines historic building experience with the procurement compliance and campus coordination skills that Des Moines university facilities management requires.
What to send before the roof walk
Send the roof address, leak photos, roof age if known, access instructions, tenant limits, prior reports, and the deadline driving the decision. That lets the first visit focus on the roof condition instead of chasing basic context.
Questions Owners Ask
Can this work happen while the building is occupied?
Often yes. The scope should cover access, safety, dry-in, staging, noise, interior protection, and the times when tenants or operations cannot be interrupted.
What changes the cost most?
Wet insulation, deck condition, edge metal, layer count, access, roof size, code triggers, weather timing, and the amount of repeated damage usually move the cost.
How is the condition documented?
The roof file should include photos, locations, material notes, observed defects, temporary repairs, remaining deficiencies, and recommended next steps.