How to pick a Rooftop Garden company

Rooftop Update

by Chicago Green Design Inc.

What to know about a company that is about to do work above you.........

The Chicago rooftop garden business has bloomed as of lately. So knowing who is putting thousands of pounds above you and your family should be a concern and a little research should be done, one would think.

Companies that have been effected by the economy have turned to whatever will make them a quick buck and without really knowing the specific products that are dedicated to this application. Your putting you and your family at risk...

Questions to be asked to your installer....

What is the live load of my roof?

What are the weight limits of my roof?

What material is safe on my roof?

How long will the floor covering and material you are using last?

What is the sub structure of the flooring and will it have an effect on my roof membrane?

If a problem occurs with my roof how easy is it to gain access to the problem and will I loose the investment of the new flooring?

This is just a few questions one should ask of there installer. The majority of contractors, roofers and carpenters don't have a clue when it comes to rooftop Garden and decks....Decks on the ground in comparison to decks on your roof are two completely different applications. You should always consult a specialist not only to protect your house investment.... but your family as well. Dealing with weight and inferior material is serious business and the industry is finding out that way too many unqualified companies are installing rooftop gardens. Scary.....

On the flip side we have benefited from this problem. Over the last year we have replaced and consulted with a dozen clients in the Chicagoland area on what their problems are and how can they be fixed with a budget in mind.

Please contact us with any questions that you may have. and why not.... the call is free.

847-574-1824

so many roofs... so many functions

It's not easy being GREEN

Deciding what you want on your rooftop can be a tough call for some people.

What Chicago Green Design Deals with everyday is people weighing there options on which way to proceed with there rooftop.

OPTION #1....Should I go more green and have a true green rooftop that not only helps with my heating bills (by contributing to the "R" rating) by insulating my roof from the direct sun exposure and also helping the environment but absorbing heat in a big city thus doing my part in lowering temps and also help lower carbon emissions,

OPTION #2..... Should I use that space for a garden that I can use for my own personal consumption. i.e. vegetables. Herbs,

OPTION #3.... Or use the space for personal use. expanding your overall square footage of your home and have all the goodies you ever wanted but just didn't have the space in the city to accomplish all your goals.

I say... DO IT ALL!!!!

You can accomplish all of the above with of course sacrificing a little of each option or adding a little of each option, just depends if your a glass is half full or half empty kind of person.

By adding a surface over your roof ( concrete tiles or IPE wood tiles, artificial turf ) this will shade the roof membrane hence help lower the cost of your heating bill and help prolong the replacement of your roof. You can add planters that will be able to house vegetables, herbs and you can also add your favorite goodies like a built-in grill, outdoor TV, automated Fire Pit, Sport court, Putting/Chipping Green, refrigerator, ice machine, basketball court. wine bar, martini bar, dance area. etc.

Remember when you plan your next rooftop project, you always have to take into account weight. and we always consider the flexibility of what surface we put down. This must be in a modular application for ease of access to the roof. you want to be careful if you put down a permanent structure.

If you have any questions or are curious on how we can help you in any way. please ask and we will help anyway we can. Chicago Green Design Inc. is a design, consultant, install, and maintenance company of rooftop gardens throughout Chicago.

For ideas and inspiration visit www.chicagogreendesign.net