Dereham Roofers provides commercial roofing for businesses, landlords and industrial premises in Hethersett and the surrounding area, covering flat roofs, pitched roofs, cladding and guttering on every type of commercial building.
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Whether you manage a retail unit, a warehouse, an agricultural barn or a block of commercial premises in Hethersett, the roof is one of the most exposed and most critical parts of the building. A failure does not stay a roofing problem for long - it becomes a stock problem, a structural problem or a liability problem. Getting the right contractor on site, doing the job properly from the outset, matters.
We work on commercial buildings of all sizes, from small lock-up units to large industrial and agricultural roofs. The materials, scale and access requirements differ considerably from domestic work, and we approach every commercial project with that in mind.
Commercial roofing takes in a wide range of systems, structures and materials. Below is a summary of the work we carry out for business owners and landlords in Hethersett and the surrounding area.
This section walks through what a commercial roofing job actually involves at each stage. Knowing the process helps you ask the right questions of any contractor, judge whether the work is being done properly, and understand where costs come from.
Every commercial roofing job starts with a proper look at the roof. On a flat-roofed commercial building, that means getting up there, not just looking from the ground. Visible pooling, surface cracking and blistering are easy to spot, but the most damaging problems are often at junctions - where the roof meets a parapet wall, a rooflightkerb, a plant base or a drainage outlet. These are the points where water finds its way through.
On a pitched commercial roof or a cladding system, the inspection looks at fixings, lap seals, ridge details and any penetrations such as vent stacks or extraction units. Fixings on profiled metal cladding corrode over time, allowing panels to lift at the laps and let in wind-driven rain. On felt or built-up roofing, the inspection checks for delamination, split laps and failed upstands.
A good inspection also looks at the drainage. Blocked or undersized outlets cause water to pond, which accelerates deterioration of almost every flat roof system. Box gutters on older commercial buildings can hold standing water for days after rainfall if outlets are partially blocked.
At this stage, the aim is to understand what is failing and why - not just to note that there is a leak. A temporary patch on a roof that is at end of life is money wasted. Equally, replacing a roof that has fifteen years of serviceable life left because one flashing has failed is unnecessary. The inspection has to be honest about both.
Once the inspection is complete, the scope of work is agreed in writing before anything starts. For commercial clients this matters more than it does on domestic jobs. A business owner or property manager needs to know what work is being done, which materials are being used, how long it will take and what the access arrangements will look like.
Where the roof is currently occupied or where business operations are running beneath the work, the programme needs to account for noise, access restrictions and the movement of materials and waste. Flat roof replacement on an active warehouse is a different logistical challenge from the same job on an empty unit.
Material specification matters too. On a flat roof, the difference between a standard mineral felt overlay and a fully-adhered EPDM membrane is not just cost - it is lifespan, flexibility and the likely performance in cold conditions. EPDM rubber is a single-ply membrane that is bonded or ballasted to the deck; it is highly resistant to UV degradation and can cope with temperature movement better than traditional felt systems. Felt systems using two or three layers with heat-welded laps remain a reliable and cost-effective choice where budgets are tighter. Both have their place, and the choice should depend on the building, the budget and the expected lifespan.
On cladding jobs, the specification covers panel profile, material (steel or aluminium), colour and whether the fixing system will be through-fixed or concealed. Through-fixing is more common on agricultural and industrial buildings. The quotation should state the thickness and coating type of any new panels, because these affect corrosion resistance significantly.
Commercial roofing jobs almost always require scaffolding, access towers or a mobile elevated work platform (MEWP). On a straightforward single-storey flat roof, a MEWP or tower scaffold is often sufficient. On a multi-level or large commercial building, tube-and-fitting or system scaffolding is erected around the perimeter and, where needed, over roof areas to provide safe working platforms and edge protection.
The access setup is a significant cost element on larger commercial jobs, and it is worth understanding this when comparing quotes. A quote that is substantially cheaper than others may be using lighter or less safe access equipment, or may have underestimated the extent of scaffold needed. Ask any contractor to confirm what access method they are planning and how edge protection will be provided at roof level.
Where the building is occupied, protection of entrances, vehicles and stored goods below the working area also needs to be considered. Scaffold boards, netting and debris chutes are used to manage falling material safely on larger stripping jobs.
On a flat roof replacement, the existing covering is stripped back to the deck. What the deck is made of matters: concrete, screed, timber boarding or metal decking all behave differently and require different preparation. A timber deck with soft or rotten areas needs those areas cut out and replaced with new boarding before any new membrane goes down. Putting a new roof over a compromised deck is one of the most common causes of early failure in commercial flat roofing.
The falls also need to be checked at this stage. Flat roofs are never truly flat - they rely on a slight fall to drain water away to outlets. If the falls are inadequate or if the deck has deflected over time, water ponds persistently in the same areas. Tapered insulation boards can be used to introduce or restore falls without raising the overall roof height significantly, and this is worth doing properly if the drainage is a known problem.
On a pitched roof, strip-out means removing existing tiles or slates, checking and replacing any damaged battens or sarking felt underneath, and inspecting the rafters for signs of rot or insect damage. Any structural repairs are done at this stage before the new covering goes on.
On cladding jobs, the extent of the strip-out depends on the condition of the purlins and rails underneath. Where the structure is sound, replacement panels can often be fixed directly to the existing rails, which saves time and cost.
With preparation complete, the new system goes on. On an EPDM flat roof, a single large sheet is bonded to the prepared deck using a contact adhesive or a water-based adhesive, depending on the substrate. The sheet is taken up over the parapet or upstand and sealed. Detailing at junctions - penetrations, corners, rooflightkerbs - is done using pre-formed EPDM pieces or liquid-applied flashing tape, depending on the geometry. These details are where most flat roof failures begin, so they need time and attention.
On a felt system, multiple layers are heat-welded together and to the upstands. The top layer carries a mineral finish that reflects UV and provides some mechanical protection. Again, the junction details are the critical areas.
On a pitched roof, new battens are fixed to the rafters, underlay is laid and lapped correctly, and tiles or slates are fixed in courses from the eaves up. Ridge tiles are bedded in mortar or dry-fixed using a ventilated ridge system. Lead soakers and stepped flashings are cut and dressed at abutments with walls.
On a cladding job, new panels are fixed to the rails with appropriate fixings for the panel material. Rooflights, ridge flashings and barge flashings are fitted before the job is finished. The sealing of lap joints and any through-fixings is important - a poorly sealed fixing washer is a common entry point for water on metal cladding roofs.
Before access equipment comes down, the completed roof is inspected. On a flat roof, this means checking every junction, upstand and outlet by eye, and sometimes with a water test on areas where there is any doubt. Any areas that are not fully bonded or sealed are attended to before the scaffold is struck - because once it is gone, getting back to a small area costs money.
On a pitched roof, the check covers ridge alignment, flashing dressing and the security of tiles at the eaves and verge. On cladding, the check covers fixing torque, lap alignment and the condition of all sealants.
A commercial site needs to be left clean and accessible. All stripped material is loaded and removed - old felt, tiles, cladding panels and packaging. On an active commercial premises, the expectation is that the area around the building is cleared and usable again by the end of each working day, not just at the end of the project.
At handover, you should receive confirmation of the materials used and the systems installed. If manufacturer technical datasheets apply to the products used - for example, for an EPDM membrane - copies of those should be available to you. This is relevant if you need to carry out maintenance or if you are required to provide documentation for a building sale or lease.
A common question for any commercial property owner is whether a failing flat roof needs full replacement or whether repair work will do the job. There is no single answer, but there are some clear indicators that replacement is the better decision.
If the existing roof has been repaired repeatedly in the same areas, if the membrane is cracked or delaminated across a wide area rather than at a single point, or if the deck beneath is damp or degraded, replacement is almost always more cost-effective in the medium term than continued patching. Repeated patch repairs on a roof that is fundamentally at end of life add cost without solving the problem.
A single small split at a junction or around a pipe penetration, on an otherwise sound roof surface, is a legitimate candidate for a localised repair. The repair needs to use a compatible material and bond properly to the existing surface - a repair that simply lays over a failing area without adhesion will not last.
Commercial flat roof replacement typically costs in the range of £70 - £120 per square metre depending on the system, the deck condition, the complexity of the detailing and the access required. These are indicative figures and individual jobs vary. Get at least two or three written quotes that specify the same material system before comparing prices.
Profiled metal cladding on industrial and agricultural buildings is designed to last many decades, but there are predictable failure points. The fixings corrode first, particularly on steel sheeting, where the seal around the washer breaks down and allows water to track down the fixing thread. This shows up as rust staining on the inside of the building long before it is visible from outside.
The overlap laps between sheets are another common entry point. Over time, the sealant between laps hardens and cracks, and wind-driven rain penetrates. Re-sealing laps on an otherwise sound roof is a cost-effective repair on agricultural buildings. Where panels are corroded through, individual panels can be replaced without stripping the whole roof, provided the fixing rails are in sound condition.
Translucent rooflights in cladding systems become brittle over time and are a frequent source of leaks and, on older buildings, a structural risk. Replacing individual rooflight panels is straightforward and worth doing before a panel fails completely.
On commercial buildings, guttering is often oversized compared to domestic systems - industrial box gutters, cast-iron parapet gutters and large-diameter PVC or aluminium fascia gutters carry significant volumes of water. When they block or fail, the consequences are more serious than a domestic overflow. Water backing up behind a parapet can saturate the roof build-up, penetrate cavity walls and cause damage that far exceeds the cost of keeping the guttering clear and well maintained.
Box gutters that are lined with felt or lead need periodic inspection. The lining joints and outlet flanges are the vulnerable points. A failed outlet flange on a box gutter can allow water to pond at roof level for extended periods before it shows up as an internal leak - by which time there may already be significant damage to insulation and deck materials.
Commercial guttering repairs and replacement in Hethersett and the wider Dereham area should include a check of all outlet positions, falls within the gutter channel, and the condition of any jointing or lining material. A gutter that drains correctly causes no problems; one that holds standing water will always cause problems eventually.
Commercial roofing is a significant investment, and the contractor you appoint matters. Before signing anything, it is reasonable to ask:
A contractor who cannot answer these questions clearly is worth being cautious about, regardless of price.
If you have a commercial building in Hethersett or the surrounding area with a roof that needs attention, call Dereham Roofers to arrange a proper roof survey. We will tell you honestly what is failing, what your options are and what the work involves before you commit to anything.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
