Dereham Roofers carries out commercial roofing in Attleborough on warehouses, industrial units, retail premises and office buildings, working around your business hours to keep disruption to a minimum.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
A failing commercial roof costs money in ways that go beyond the repair bill itself. Stock gets damaged, staff work around buckets, and customers notice damp patches on ceilings. Getting the right roofer on site quickly, and making sure the work is done properly from start to finish, is what protects your business.
We carry out flat roof replacements, profile metal sheeting, commercial cladding, guttering and full roof repairs on commercial properties in and around Attleborough. The sections below explain exactly what happens at each stage of a typical commercial roofing job, so you know what to expect and what to ask for before you commit to anyone.
Commercial roofing covers a wide range of building types and systems. The most common work we carry out includes:
Not every building needs the same solution. A flat-roofed retail unit has different requirements to a steel-framed warehouse with a profiled steel deck. Getting the specification right at the start saves significant cost later.
Every commercial roofing job starts with a proper look at what is there. That means getting eyes on the entire roof surface, not just the area that is obviously leaking. On a large flat roof, water can travel a long distance from where it enters to where it appears inside the building. A damp patch on a ceiling directly below a parapet wall may actually trace back to a failed upstand or flashing ten metres away.
During an inspection we are looking at the condition of the membrane or sheeting, the state of all flashings, upstands, rooflights and penetrations, and whether the drainage is functioning correctly. On metal-sheet roofs we check fixings, laps and any signs of corrosion or delamination in the coating. On felt roofs we look for splits, blisters, ponding water and failure at the edges.
It is worth asking any roofer you invite to inspect your building to walk the full roof area rather than relying on a ladder-top view from the eaves. On a large commercial property, problems in the centre of the roof are easily missed from ground level or a single vantage point. A full inspection should take time. If someone quotes in five minutes, that is a warning sign.
Once the inspection is complete, the next step is working out what the roof actually needs. There is a significant difference between a roof that needs targeted repairs and one that has deteriorated to the point where a full replacement is the only sensible option. Patching a felt roof that is ten years beyond its useful life is not good value - the patches hold for a season and then new failures open up elsewhere.
For flat roofs, the main decisions are around the system to use. Felt is the traditional choice and still performs well when correctly installed in multiple layers. EPDM rubber membrane is increasingly popular for commercial applications because it is highly resistant to UV degradation, tolerates temperature swings well, and a well-installed EPDM roof can last several decades. The right choice depends on the roof size, what is already there, access constraints and budget.
For metal-sheeted industrial roofs, the question is often whether the existing steel deck is sound enough to overlay, or whether it needs to come off entirely. Overlaying a standing-seam or trapezoidal sheet system over an existing roof adds insulation and a new weathertight surface without the cost and disruption of full removal. Not every building is suitable for this approach - the supporting structure needs to take the additional load - but where it works, it is cost-effective.
A proper specification should be in writing, with materials and system types clearly stated. You should be able to compare like-for-like quotes from different contractors. If one quote is significantly cheaper, ask what materials it specifies - a lower price often means a lower-grade membrane or thinner sheeting.
Commercial roofing on an occupied building requires more planning than a domestic job. If the building is a working warehouse, a retail unit that is open to the public, or an office with staff in it, work needs to be sequenced to avoid closing sections of the building for longer than necessary.
On flat roofs using torch-on felt, fire precautions need to be considered carefully, particularly near roof penetrations, plant rooms and any areas where combustible materials are stored. Cold-applied systems and EPDM installations avoid open-flame work entirely, which can simplify the planning and reduce risk.
We work around business hours where the job allows. Early starts, late finishes and weekend working are all options worth discussing when the specification is agreed. For larger projects, a phased programme that keeps part of the roof weathertight at all times is often the most practical approach. Ask your roofer to set out a programme before work starts so you can plan around it.
Preparation is where the quality of a commercial roofing job is won or lost. On a flat roof replacement, the old membrane needs to come off cleanly before the new system goes down. Laying a new felt or rubber membrane over a poorly adhered or contaminated old surface is a false economy - the new installation will fail prematurely and the underlying problems will not have been addressed.
The deck or substrate beneath the membrane needs to be checked for damage, rot or deflection before the new covering goes on. On timber decks, any soft or damaged boards should be replaced. On concrete or screed decks, cracks and hollow spots need attention. On a steel deck, any corrosion or deformation should be assessed. If the falls are inadequate - meaning water ponds rather than draining away - this is the time to build in an improved fall using tapered insulation, not after the new membrane is down.
On profiled metal roofs, surface preparation involves cleaning, removing failed fixings and treating any rust before new sheets or an overlay system go on. The quality of the lap sealing compound used between sheets matters enormously and is an area where corners get cut on cheaper jobs.
The installation process varies depending on the system. For EPDM flat roofs, the membrane is rolled out, bonded to the prepared substrate, and the edges and penetrations are sealed using adhesive and bonding tape. There are no seams across the body of the sheet on most commercial installations because EPDM can be supplied in very large single pieces, which eliminates a major point of potential failure. Detailing around rooflights, upstands, pipes and drainage outlets is where care matters most.
For torch-on felt systems, the membrane is applied in layers, each bonded to the one below. The number of layers and the grade of felt used determines the longevity of the finished roof. A properly installed two-layer torch-on system on a commercial building should give many years of reliable service.
Profile metal sheeting on industrial buildings is fixed through the sheet into the purlin structure below. Fixing centres, the type of fixing used and the quality of the sealing washer all affect how the roof performs over time. Loose or corroded fixings are a common cause of leaks on older metal roofs, often long before the sheet itself has failed.
Commercial cladding systems - which cover vertical wall areas as well as roofs - follow similar principles. Panel alignment, correct fixing depth and sealed horizontal laps are all details that matter and should be visible on a well-run job.
A new or repaired roof surface will not perform well if the drainage is inadequate. On commercial buildings, gutters carry large volumes of water from wide roof areas, and blocked or undersized guttering causes water to back up and find its way under flashings and around the roof edge.
Commercial gutters are typically cast iron, pressed steel or heavy-duty UPVC. Box gutters built into the roof structure are particularly prone to failure because any blockage causes water to pond directly on the roof surface. They need to be kept clear and the outlets checked regularly.
Any commercial roofing job should include a check of the drainage. If gutters are corroded, leaking at joints or pulling away from the fascia, having them repaired or replaced at the same time as the roof work makes practical sense. Scaffolding or access equipment is already on site, which reduces the cost compared to a separate visit later.
A common problem on larger flat roofs is insufficient drainage falls combined with blocked outlets, which leads to persistent ponding. Standing water accelerates the deterioration of any flat roof membrane and adds dead load to the structure. If ponding is visible after rainfall, it needs to be addressed as part of any remedial scheme.
At the end of the job, the finished roof should be inspected before the access equipment comes down. This is the point to check that all flashings are correctly fixed and sealed, that outlets and drains are clear and functioning, that any rooflights or penetrations are properly detailed, and that nothing has been missed.
Any reputable contractor should walk the finished roof with you or your site manager before signing off. If access equipment is hired, it is in everyone's interest to confirm the job is complete before it is returned, because going back up later costs time and money.
Clean-up on a commercial site matters. Old membrane, sheeting offcuts, packaging and fixings should be removed from the site promptly. Debris left on a commercial car park or yard creates hazards and reflects badly on the contractor. Confirm before the job starts how waste will be managed and removed.
Commercial roofing costs vary considerably depending on the system, the size of the roof and the condition of the existing structure. As a broad guide, EPDM flat roof replacement on a commercial building typically costs in the range of £60-£120 per square metre installed, depending on the substrate work required and the thickness of insulation specified. Torch-on felt replacement is usually at the lower end of that range. Profile metal sheet replacement on an industrial building can range from £30-£80 per square metre depending on profile type and whether an overlay or strip-and-relay approach is used.
These are general ranges based on typical current UK pricing - any specific building will need to be measured and assessed before a proper figure can be given. A roof with significant structural or deck issues will cost more than a straightforward like-for-like replacement on a sound substrate.
Commercial gutter repairs and replacements are usually priced separately, with heavy-duty UPVC or steel guttering replacement typically running from £30-£60 per linear metre installed on commercial buildings.
Choosing the right contractor is as important as choosing the right system. Before you appoint anyone to carry out commercial roofing work on your building, it is worth asking:
A contractor who is willing to give clear, specific answers to these questions is more likely to run a well-organised job than one who is vague or dismissive.
We carry out commercial roofing work in Attleborough and across Norfolk, including Dereham and Norwich. If your commercial property needs a roof survey, a repair, or a full replacement, call us to arrange a site visit and we will give you a clear, written assessment of what the roof needs and what the options are.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
