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Educational Facility Roofing for Schools, Colleges, and Universities

The first day of classes can’t wait for a roof repair. Schools need dependable roofing systems that protect students, staff, and facilities while keeping classrooms open and daily operations on schedule. From preventing leaks to planning roof replacements around summer break, GSM Roofing helps K-12 schools, colleges, and universities maintain safe, reliable learning environments.

Founded in 1946, GSM Roofing has provided commercial roofing services for educational facilities. We are a registered COSTARS supplier in Pennsylvania, and our employees are background checked and must pass child abuse clearances before being assigned on school projects.

Navigating School Roofing Challenges

There are some common hurdles we typically face when working on educational facility roofing throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. Here’s how we handle them:

Working around the Academic Calendar

The first day of classes doesn’t move, so GSM plans roofing projects around your academic calendar and works toward firm completion deadlines. Whenever possible, we schedule disruptive work during school breaks and coordinate with facility staff when campuses remain occupied by summer school, camps, athletics, or community activities.

Managing Multiple Roof Systems

A campus may have several buildings with different roofing systems installed at different times. GSM can work with all types of commercial roofing systems, allowing educational facilities to work with one roofing partner rather than coordinating multiple contractors.

F&M Aerial View 2

Planning for Long-Term Roofing Needs

Roof replacements can require planning and funding across multiple budget cycles, making proactive maintenance essential. Through the Exceptional Roof Protection Plan, GSM provides regular inspections, documented roof histories, and repair recommendations to help facility teams prioritize maintenance, anticipate future replacement needs, and plan capital expenditures.

Drone and infrared inspections can also identify wet insulation, subsurface moisture, and other issues that may not be visible during a standard inspection.

Addressing Problems Before They Become Disruptions

Roofing problems don’t always require an immediate full replacement. GSM can provide temporary or targeted solutions when appropriate, allowing schools to address urgent concerns while planning larger projects around their schedules and budgets.

For example, after hail damaged a high school auditorium’s copper dome, we installed a new gutter system to address the immediate water problem before returning during summer break for the full dome replacement.

Keeping Students, Staff, and Facilities Safe

Educational facilities may remain occupied even during roofing projects. Our team coordinates safe work zones and alternate routes to help protect students, staff, contractors, and visitors. 

GSM Roofing’s 2025 Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) was 0.99, well below the industry average of 2.4. This safety performance reflects GSM’s commitment to protecting crews, facility occupants, and campus operations during roofing projects.

Streamlining Public Roofing Projects

For qualifying Pennsylvania public institutions, COSTARS can help streamline the procurement process and potentially reduce the time needed to move a roofing project forward.

Comprehensive Roofing Services for Educational Facilities

GSM Roofing works with many roofing systems and construction styles to meet a broad range of specialty commercial roofing needs.

The other unique offerings we provide for educational facilities include: roof safety systems (such as perimeter rail and ladder fall protection), HVAC curb installation, waterproofing, snow removal, and green roof maintenance. 

Common Roofing Systems for Schools and Colleges

Depending on the architectural style, age, and needs of your building(s), you can consider a number of roof styles and waterproofing systems. Some facilities may use a mix of one or more of the following: 

To identify the best roofing system for your educational facility, contact GSM Roofing.

Improving Energy Efficiency

As you identify the best roofing system for your school building, consider facility energy use and long-term costs. During a tear-off, adding insulation can improve an under-insulated roof, while reflective roof coatings can help lower rooftop temperatures. Vegetative roofs offer another option for supporting energy-efficiency goals.

If sustainability and energy efficiency are a high priority goal, we can also assist with LEED paperwork, perform on-site recycling, and more.

Why Choose GSM Roofing?

With more than 80 years of commercial roofing experience, GSM Roofing has worked with K-12 schools, colleges, universities, athletic facilities, historic buildings, and research institutions. Our education-sector projects demonstrate our ability to manage everything from large-scale roof replacements and emergency repairs to complex historic and specialty roofing systems.

A copper flashing and roof project

Bryn Mawr College

Historic Roofing and Waterproofing

GSM has provided ongoing roofing services across Bryn Mawr College’s historic campus, including work on the M. Carey Thomas Library and Thomas Great Hall. The work has included multiple roofing systems, waterproofing, copper flashing, and intricate slate repairs, all while preserving the historic character of the buildings.

Franklin & Marshall College Emergency Roof Blow-Off & Repair

Franklin & Marshall College

Emergency Repair and Campus Roofing

When high winds threatened the roof of F&M’s 56,000-square-foot Alumni Sports & Fitness Center, GSM responded with emergency repairs to protect the building’s field house, suspended track, aquatic center, and fitness center. We have continued to provide roofing services across the college’s diverse campus.

Wilson School District

Large-Scale School and Pool Roof Replacement

Our contractors completed a 107,198-square-foot roof replacement at Wilson School District’s Lower House and pool building, coordinating work around summer activities and occupied areas of campus. The project included new EPDM roofing, insulation, skylights, and safety screens.

The Hill School

Complex School Roofing and Restoration

GSM’s work at The Hill School in Pottstown includes restoring roof sections and deteriorated wood decking and rafters, along with reroofing multiple existing EPDM, metal, and modified roofing systems.

Finished Multipurpose building at F&M

F&M College Multi-Purpose Stadium

New Construction and Specialty Roofing

We completed roofing and waterproofing work for F&M’s Multi-Purpose Stadium, including Virginia slate roofing, copper gutters and custom metalwork, EPDM roofing, below-grade waterproofing, and plaza waterproofing. The project required careful coordination around a complex construction schedule and challenging site conditions.

Cabrini College Mansion Aerial View - Commercial roof work

The Mansion at Cabrini College

Historic Clay Tile Roof Restoration

As part of a historic restoration, we replaced the roof of Cabrini College’s 1899 Mansion with more than 110,000 clay tiles. The three-month project was completed while the building remained occupied, requiring careful scheduling and coordination to minimize disruption.

Green roof installation by GSM Roofing at Millmont Elementary School

Millmont Elementary School

Elementary School Roofing

GSM Roofing installed a 12,000-square-foot vegetative roof at Millmont Elementary School in Reading, PA, as part of a major campus expansion. The project featured an American Hydrotech Garden Roof® Assembly with a watertight rubberized asphalt membrane, drainage and insulation layers, and thousands of sedum plants to support stormwater retention and sustainability.

Copper gutter and slate roofing

Nittany Lion Inn

Historic Roof Restoration

Our company restored the historic Nittany Lion Inn in State College, PA, replacing its existing slate with 20,548 square feet of EcoStar Majestic Midnight Gray synthetic slate. The project also included copper gutters, custom copper flashing, and 636 aluminum snow guards to preserve the inn’s historic character and provide lasting protection.

Safety, Experience, and Long-Term Support

Service Areas

GSM Roofing covers the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey.

If your school or educational facility is within our service area, we invite you to get in touch today. We’ll talk through every detail to ensure your roofing system meets your needs.

Educational Facility and School Roofing FAQs

How do I Know When a School Roof Needs to be Replaced?

School roofing may need to be replaced when recurring leaks, widespread deterioration, or the age and condition of the roofing system indicate that repairs are no longer a cost-effective long-term solution. Signs (such as damaged or deteriorating materials, persistent moisture issues, poor drainage, and increasing repair needs) can indicate that a roof is approaching the end of its service life.

A professional roof inspection can help determine whether repair, restoration, or replacement is the most appropriate option. For school districts and educational facilities, factors (such as the roof’s remaining service life, maintenance history, budget, and planned building use) should all be considered when making a replacement decision.

Planning ahead can also help facilities avoid unexpected disruptions and address roofing needs before they result in more extensive damage.

Can a Pennsylvania School District Hire GSM Roofing without Going out to Bid?

Yes, GSM Roofing is a registered COSTARS supplier, number 008-E23-1112, which allows Pennsylvania school districts, public universities, municipalities, county governments, and state agencies to contract with GSM directly without a separate competitive bid.

For a district trying to fit a replacement into a ten-week summer window, removing the bid cycle from the front of the schedule is often the difference between doing the work this year and deferring it to next.

How does GSM Roofing Help a District Decide which Roof to Replace First?

We establish the actual condition of every roof in the portfolio and then give the district documented options to prioritize with. Twice-a-year inspections under the Exceptional Roof Protection Plan produce a completed checklist, a custom inspection report, and cost proposals for repairs.

Drone inspection by certified FAA remote pilots and infrared thermographic inspection locate wet insulation and subsurface moisture that a visual walk cannot find, which is what turns a remaining life estimate into a number a business manager can defend to a board. Where a roof is sound but aging, coating or targeted repair can extend it until the budget year that can absorb a full replacement.

Does Replacing a School Roof Improve Energy Efficiency?

Replacing a school roof can improve energy efficiency, particularly when the new roofing system includes upgraded insulation and other features designed to improve the building envelope. A properly designed roofing system can help reduce heat transfer through the roof, making it easier to maintain consistent indoor temperatures and potentially reducing heating and cooling demands.

The potential energy savings depend on factors, like the existing roof’s condition, insulation levels, roofing materials, building design, and local climate. During a roof replacement, schools may also have an opportunity to address insulation deficiencies and other issues that can affect the building’s overall energy performance.

Our team can evaluate the existing system and help determine which improvements make sense for the facility.

How Long does a School Roof Replacement Take?

School roof replacement timelines vary based on the project’s size, complexity, and scheduling requirements. For example, GSM Roofing completed a 107,198-square-foot roof replacement at Wilson during summer break, while a roofing project at Cabrini University took three months to complete while the campus remained occupied. We can assess your facility’s needs and develop a project timeline that accounts for academic schedules, campus activity, and weather conditions.

How can Schools Minimize Disruption during a Roofing Project?

Careful planning and coordination can help schools minimize disruptions during a roofing project. Scheduling work during summer breaks, holidays, or other periods of lower building activity can reduce the impact on students, faculty, and staff. For projects that must take place while a school is occupied, our roofing contractors can coordinate work areas, access points, deliveries, and daily schedules with school administrators.

Clear communication is also important. Establishing expectations for noise, equipment, site access, and safety procedures can help school staff prepare for the project and keep building occupants informed. Phasing work across different areas of the facility may also help maintain access to important spaces throughout construction.

Thanks Delores. Also, it was a pleasure dealing with Jeff on this. He was great on the phone in explaining the issues and was very proactive.

Nate Sorenson Director of Commercial Property Management