Diss Roofers installs and repairs flat roofs on extensions, garages and outbuildings in Stowmarket, using felt and EPDM rubber systems specified and fitted to last.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
Flat roofs are found on many homes, including extensions and garages. When one starts to fail, it usually does so gradually: a small internal damp patch, a ceiling stain that appears after heavy rain, or a blister on the surface that has been there for a while. By the time most homeowners notice something is wrong, water has already been entering for longer than the visible signs suggest.
Getting the right response in place quickly limits the damage. This page covers what flat roofing work involves, the options available, typical costs, and, crucially, what you can do safely while you are waiting for a roofer to attend and what you should leave well alone.
Two systems cover the large majority of domestic flat roofing work. The right choice depends on the size and shape of the roof, the deck condition and the budget.
Both systems can be laid with a warm-roof insulation specification, where insulation sits above the structural deck rather than between the joists. Warm-roof construction eliminates the condensation risk that affects older cold-roof configurations and is the current standard for new work and full replacements.
Every flat roof must have a sufficient fall toward its drainage point. The minimum recommended fall is 1:80, though steeper is better where possible. A roof without adequate fall will pond water, and ponding is the primary cause of early failure across all flat roof types.
The structural deck is inspected and repaired before any new waterproofing layer is applied. Overlaying a new felt system on a deck with rotten or deflecting boarding simply buries the problem and shortens the life of the new system. A sound deck, correct fall and a properly finished upstand flashing at every wall junction are the three things that determine how long a flat roof actually lasts.
The faults that cause most domestic flat roof failures are well understood:
A repair is appropriate when the problem is genuinely isolated, the rest of the system is in good condition and the roof has reasonable life remaining. A single split blister, a lifted lap or a failed flashing can all be repaired without disturbing the whole surface if the underlying system is sound.
Replacement is more economical when defects are spread across the whole area, when the felt has widespread crazing, or when the deck has deteriorated. Patching an aged system repeatedly costs more over five years than a single replacement. A roofer who has stripped back the surface can show you the deck condition before committing to the new system.
Typical flat roof replacement costs in the UK run from around £70 to £120 per square metre for a built-up felt system and from around £80 to £130 per square metre for EPDM. A garage roof of around 20 square metres would therefore cost in the region of £1,400 to £2,600 installed, depending on deck condition, access and whether insulation is being upgraded. These are indicative ranges; each job is quoted individually once the roof has been assessed.
If your flat roof is leaking or showing signs of failure and you are waiting for a roofer to attend, there are genuinely useful things you can do in the meantime, and a number of things that will make the situation worse. This section covers both.
The first priority is protecting the interior from ongoing damage while the roof is open to the weather.
You can gather useful information for the roofer without going onto the roof yourself. From the ground or from a ladder at the edge, look for:
Note where and what you saw so you can describe it clearly when the roofer arrives. A photograph from the ladder edge is useful and takes seconds.
If rain is forecast and you need to limit further water entry before the roofer can attend, a heavy-duty tarpaulin weighted or secured over the roof area can reduce further damage. Lay it flat and secure the edges with sandbags, heavy timber or by tucking it into the gutter. Do not nail or screw a tarpaulin down: you create additional penetrations in the membrane that the roofer will then need to deal with as well.
A tarpaulin is a temporary measure only. It is not a repair and it does not identify the source of the leak. Make clear to your roofer that it is in place so they can work around it safely.
This is the part that matters most. Well-intentioned DIY on a flat roof, particularly in the immediate aftermath of a leak, can cause more damage than the original fault and make a subsequent repair harder or more expensive.
A roofer can work more efficiently if you can tell them:
This information helps narrow the likely cause quickly and reduces the time spent investigating before a diagnosis can be made.
A flat roof inspection does not need to wait until there is a problem. Having a survey carried out every few years allows small faults to be found and dealt with before they become leaks. The inspection covers the membrane condition, the fall and drainage, the flashing at all junctions, the edge detail, and the condition of any rooflights or penetrations.
If you are buying a property in Stowmarket with a flat-roofed extension or garage, a separate roofing inspection before exchange is worth arranging. A surveyor's report will flag a flat roof as a potential risk, but a roofer's inspection will tell you the actual condition and what, if anything, it needs.
If you have a leaking flat roof in Stowmarket, suspect a problem, or want a professional check before wet weather arrives, call Diss Roofers to arrange a flat roof survey. We cover Stowmarket and the surrounding area and can assess the roof, explain what we find and give you a clear picture of what the work involves before any decision is made.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
