Replacing a roof on an existing institutional facility becomes significantly more complicated when buildings were constructed over several decades, existing conditions do not consistently match the original drawings, structural connections need to be evaluated, and the facility must remain operational throughout construction.
Those were central challenges at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Stringfellow Unit in Rosharon, Texas, where Allana Buick & Bers, Inc. (ABB) provided design and construction-phase services for roof replacement and building enclosure rehabilitation.
The project involved aging roof systems across eight building areas, including dormitories, clinic areas, hallways, and support buildings. ABB’s involvement extended from design and cost estimating through submittal review, site observation, construction coordination, and project closeout.
Project Overview
Project: TDCJ Stringfellow Unit
Location: Rosharon, Texas
Client: Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Building Type: Correctional / Institutional
Construction: Primarily single-story pre-engineered metal buildings (PEMB)
Construction Period: 1970s–1995
Roof Replacement: Eight building areas
Reported Construction Cost: Approximately $1.63 million
Completion: 2022
ABB Services: Design support, cost estimating, submittal review, site observation, construction coordination, and closeout coordination
The Stringfellow Unit consists primarily of single-story pre-engineered metal building structures constructed over approximately two decades.
Because the buildings were built at different times, structural configurations, attachment details, and existing roofing assemblies varied throughout the facility. The replacement program therefore could not be approached as one repetitive roof condition.
Rethinking the Original Roof Replacement Scope
The original reroofing scope was relatively straightforward: remove the existing membrane and insulation and install a new roofing system.
As the project developed, TDCJ revised that approach.
Instead of replacing only the membrane and insulation, the updated scope called for removing the existing roof assemblies down to the purlins and installing new metal roof systems.
This allowed the underlying structural connections to be inspected while the roofs were open.
That change transformed the project from a more conventional roof replacement into a deeper rehabilitation of aging roof assemblies.
Why Was Removing the Roof Down to the Purlins Important?
Existing roofing systems can conceal conditions that are difficult or impossible to evaluate from the finished surface.
At Stringfellow, the buildings had been constructed at different times, resulting in variations in structural configurations, roof attachments, insulation conditions, roofing assemblies, and interfaces with adjacent construction.
Removing the existing roof assemblies down to the purlins created an opportunity to inspect structural connections that would otherwise remain concealed.
The approach illustrates an important consideration for reroofing older facilities: the replacement roof ultimately depends on the condition and configuration of the structure to which it will be attached.
Accounting for Different Conditions Across Eight Roof Areas
The updated design covered eight areas of the Stringfellow Unit, including:
- Dormitories
- Clinic areas
- Hallways
- Support buildings
The replacement program incorporated different metal roofing systems and insulation assemblies appropriate to the individual areas.
Because the buildings had been constructed from the 1970s through 1995, ABB needed to account for variations rather than assuming that buildings appearing similar from the exterior had identical underlying conditions.
Replacing Roofs While the Facility Remained Operational
One of the defining challenges was that Stringfellow remained an active correctional facility throughout construction.
Roof replacement activities therefore needed to be coordinated around:
- Security requirements
- Controlled and limited access
- Construction phasing
- Ongoing facility operations
- Daily activities within the correctional environment
These constraints directly affected how construction could be planned and executed.
Unlike a conventional commercial reroofing project, contractors could not necessarily have unrestricted access to roofs, staging areas, personnel routes, or material-delivery locations.
The construction strategy therefore needed to accommodate both the technical requirements of the roof replacement and the operational and security requirements of the facility.
Why Construction Phasing Was Critical
Roof replacement temporarily exposes portions of a building that normally provide continuous weather protection.
At Stringfellow, this was especially important because the revised scope required removing the existing assemblies down to the purlins across multiple occupied building areas.
Strict construction phasing helped coordinate the work with ongoing facility operations while limiting disruption.
The project demonstrates why roof design for an occupied institutional facility cannot be separated from the logistics of how the work will actually be constructed.
Responding When Field Conditions Did Not Match the Drawings
Another major challenge was the variability of existing conditions.
During construction, actual field conditions differed from the original drawings in several locations.
Historic drawings can provide valuable information about an existing facility, but decades of repairs, modifications, equipment changes, and construction variations can result in conditions that differ from the original documents.
At Stringfellow, these discrepancies required ongoing coordination between:
ABB’s Design Team → Contractor → TDCJ
This allowed unforeseen conditions to be evaluated and addressed as they were encountered.
Maintaining Design-Team Involvement Through Construction
ABB’s role did not end when the roof design was completed.
Construction-phase services included:
- Cost estimating
- Design support
- Submittal reviews
- Site observations
- Construction coordination
- Closeout coordination
Maintaining this continuity became particularly valuable when existing conditions differed from the information available during design.
Because ABB remained involved, the design team could participate in addressing conditions discovered after existing roofing assemblies were removed.
The project followed a continuous process:
Existing-Condition Evaluation → Design → Roof Removal → Field Verification → Design-Team Coordination → Installation → Site Observation → Closeout
Using Submittal Reviews to Support Roof Replacement Quality
Roofing projects involve numerous products, assemblies, accessories, attachment requirements, and details that need to align with the construction documents.
ABB provided submittal review services during construction at Stringfellow.
These reviews provided an opportunity to compare proposed materials and systems with the project requirements before installation.
This was particularly relevant because the project involved multiple building areas, varying existing conditions, and several metal roofing and insulation configurations.
Observing Conditions as the Existing Roofs Were Opened
ABB also performed site observations during construction.
Because aging roof assemblies were being removed, underlying conditions became visible that had not necessarily been accessible during design.
Site observations provided an opportunity to compare exposed and installed conditions with the design requirements and coordinate responses when unforeseen conditions were encountered.
This is an important aspect of existing-building work: some design decisions may need to respond to concealed conditions discovered during construction.
Integrating Cost Estimating With the Revised Scope
ABB’s services also included cost estimating.
This became particularly relevant when TDCJ revised the project from replacing membrane and insulation to removing the roof assemblies down to the purlins and installing new metal roof systems.
A significant scope change affects more than technical detailing. It can also affect quantities, labor, sequencing, construction duration, and overall project cost.
Integrating cost estimating with the design process helped connect the revised technical approach with the owner’s construction planning.
What Was the Result?
The project successfully replaced aging roofing across eight building areas and was completed in 2022 with a reported construction cost of approximately $1.63 million.
According to the project documentation, the replacement roof assemblies were designed to improve:
- Long-term durability
- Weather resistance
- Facility performance
The significance of the project, however, extends beyond installing new roofs.
The work required a coordinated strategy that addressed aging buildings, variable existing conditions, structural investigation, security requirements, restricted access, construction phasing, and continued operation of an active correctional facility.
What Can Facility Owners Learn From the Stringfellow Unit?
Do Not Assume Similar Buildings Have Identical Roof Conditions
Buildings on the same campus may have been constructed at different times and can contain different structural configurations, attachments, insulation, and roofing assemblies.
At Stringfellow, buildings constructed from the 1970s through 1995 required individual evaluation and coordination.
Consider What Is Beneath the Existing Roof
The revised project scope removed existing assemblies down to the purlins so structural connections could be inspected.
For aging facilities, determining what needs to be exposed during construction can be an important part of developing the roof replacement strategy.
Expect Field Conditions to Differ From Historic Drawings
Several areas at Stringfellow differed from the original drawings.
Owners of older buildings should anticipate that some conditions may only become clear after existing construction is opened.
Plan Construction Around Facility Operations
Stringfellow remained active throughout construction, requiring security protocols, controlled access, strict phasing, and coordination to minimize disruption.
The same principle can apply to hospitals, schools, public-safety facilities, and other institutional properties that need to remain operational during roof replacement.
Keep the Design Team Involved During Construction
ABB continued its involvement through submittal review, site observation, coordination, and closeout.
That continuity supported the project’s response when actual conditions differed from the original documents.
Treat Reroofing as Part of the Building System
The change from a membrane-and-insulation replacement to removal down to the structural purlins demonstrates why roof replacement can extend beyond the visible roof surface.
The structure, attachments, insulation, roofing system, building interfaces, facility operations, and construction constraints can all influence the final solution.
From Aging Roof Assemblies to a Coordinated Roof Replacement
The Stringfellow Unit demonstrates why large-scale reroofing at an existing institutional campus involves more than selecting a replacement roofing product.
ABB’s involvement progressed through:
Scope Evaluation → Project Rescoping → Roof-System Design → Structural Exposure Strategy → Cost Estimating → Construction Documents → Submittal Review → Site Observation → Field Coordination → Closeout
The revised approach allowed existing roof assemblies to be removed to the purlins, structural connections to be inspected, and aging roofing to be replaced across eight areas while the correctional facility remained operational.
For facility owners planning reroofing across aging buildings, the central question may not simply be:
“What new roofing system should we install?”
More useful questions are:
“What is actually beneath the existing roof? Do field conditions match the drawings? Are the existing attachments and structural conditions understood? And how can the work be phased around ongoing facility operations?”
The Stringfellow Unit demonstrates why answering these questions during design and construction can be an important part of planning a roof replacement.
Planning a Roof Replacement at an Existing Facility?
ABB provides roofing and building enclosure consulting for existing institutional, commercial, and public facilities.
Our services extend from existing-condition assessment and roof-system design through construction documents, cost estimating, submittal review, construction-phase observation, and closeout.