Local weather advisory
The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood advisory covering Berkeley. Heavy rain and drainage loading can expose roof leaks, blocked drains, and ponding water. This is a weather exposure advisory; it does not establish damage to a specific roof.
Do not access a roof during hazardous weather. Protect people first, avoid water near electrical equipment, and request roofing help when conditions permit.
National Weather Service · Updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:20 AM UTC
Commercial roofing in Jack London Square: skylight curb leaks traced to the flashing or the glazing, with curb repairs planned around waterfront foot traffic.
Service Areas  | Berkeley, CA
Water stains around a skylight curb are one of the trickiest leaks to call. The water might be getting in through the roof flashing at the base of the curb, or it might be coming through the glass seals or the skylight frame above. Those are different repairs, often by different trades. We inspect and repair commercial roofs in Jack London Square from our base in Berkeley, CA, and we figure out which part is leaking before recommending roof work.
Jack London Square is a Port of Oakland waterfront district on the Oakland Estuary, with passenger rail, ferry service and freight tracks along Embarcadero West. Commercial roofs here can sit beside active transportation and visitor routes, so material lifting and ground protection matter alongside the leak repair. We inspect the curb and glazing separately, then specify the roof-side work. Our skylight curb flashing repairs leave frame or glazing problems to a glazing contractor.
An open corner at the curb base gives us a roof-side finding. We examine the flashing height, termination and connection to the field sheet. Water can pass behind the vertical material if its upper connection fails. The frame above also needs examination for visible openings or displacement. A glazing specialist may be needed where the suspected path involves glazing. We identify that responsibility before defining permanent roofing work.
A controlled test can help separate uncertain interfaces where conditions permit. We protect the room below and isolate the area being examined. Testing several paths together would make the finding harder to interpret. Our investigation and repair of roof leaks follows a specific suspected connection. A test result should agree with the material condition found there. The owner receives both observations and any remaining uncertainty in writing. That supports a correction aimed at the entry path actually identified.
Softened curb backing can leave new flashing without a reliable attachment. We inspect its accessible faces and the material behind the failing connection. An approved opening may establish how much backing needs rebuilding. We photograph that condition before covering it with replacement layers. Firm adjacent material helps define the limit of removal. The correction then provides a usable surface for the chosen waterproofing detail.
The existing roof membrane also determines how the curb base is joined. We identify its material and any previous surface treatment nearby. A preparation trial may show whether the existing membrane will take new flashing. Our repairs for failed flashing connections address both the vertical backing and roof transition. A sound-looking sheet cannot settle the condition underneath the curb. Wet insulation discovered there needs a defined removal and replacement. The price identifies those tasks separately from any glazing or frame repair.
Opening a skylight curb affects the room immediately beneath it. We confirm its use and the contents requiring protection during removal. The manager identifies occupied paths that need continued access. Glazing or frame work may bring a different protection requirement from roofing alone. We coordinate those tasks before choosing the daily opening size. The closure plan should leave the opening secure at the agreed stopping point.
Our reroofing over occupied buildings work covers that protection plan during the site walk. A building on Broadway may have a very different path for materials than one facing Embarcadero West, so we look at each. If you also have roofs in downtown Oakland or the Port of Oakland area, we can line up the visits, but each building gets its own lift location and access plan.
Opening up the curb can reveal wet insulation next to it or rotted wood farther along the curb face. We open enough of the surrounding roof to reach dry, solid material for the repair edge. If the deck under the curb is damaged, that may need to be evaluated before new layers go on. The facility manager gets photos while we work, and the person you designate approves any extra repair before we do it.
The scope distinguishes roof-side repairs from skylight components handled separately. It also states which layers remain beneath the repaired area. A repair of insulation and cover board must restore support and suitable surface transitions. A raised new patch should not hold water beside the curb. Access equipment and limited work periods may affect cost beyond removal area. We explain those drivers before the owner compares alternative prices. A lower price may reflect a narrower task rather than the same complete correction.
A completed skylight repair needs photographs of its roof connection and termination. Wider images identify the opening against nearby fixed rooftop features. The record distinguishes roofing work from any glazing work completed by another specialist. That makes later water entry easier to investigate without confusing responsibilities. A dry room alone does not describe the completed exterior detail. We also examine the new connection before finishing the repair.
Later maintenance should look for changed attachment, cracking or altered drainage nearby. Equipment access across the curb can disturb a previously sound detail. We identify a path that avoids using flashing as a step. Completion photos help the manager compare a changed condition with its earlier state. Other worn skylight details remain separate findings in the written record. The owner can prioritize those locations without treating every opening as equally damaged.
A serviceable frame may allow the roofing correction to remain focused. A defective frame can require coordinating a broader opening treatment. We explain that choice with the findings supporting it. The repair scope then states how the trades meet at the curb. That leaves a clear connection between the observed defect and the completed work.
Let us check the skylight and the roof flashing around it. You get plain photos showing which part is roofing work and which part belongs to the glazing contractor.
Request a Roof Assessment
