If you need a flat roof installed or repaired in Bawdeswell, choosing the right contractor from the start will save you money, stress and a second call-out within a few years.
A flat roof is not truly flat - it has a slight fall, typically a minimum of 1:80, to let rainwater drain to a outlet or a drip edge. Get that fall wrong and water sits on the surface, accelerating wear and eventually finding its way through. Good flat roofing work means getting the substrate level, the fall correct, the membrane fully bonded or mechanically fixed, and all upstands, edges and penetrations properly detailed.
The two materials used most widely on domestic flat roofs today are EPDM rubber and modern torch-on felt. EPDM is a single-ply rubber membrane, flexible and tolerant of temperature swings. Torch-on felt is a multi-layer system built up on site using a gas torch to bond each layer. Both can perform well for many years when installed correctly. The material matters less than the standard of installation.
Flat roofs are common on extensions, garage roofs and occasional outbuildings. Extensions in particular need the roof and the house wall junction to be watertight - the upstand and flashing at that junction is one of the most common points of failure on any flat roof.
Most flat roofing failures are not material failures. They are installation failures - incorrect falls, poorly bonded seams, inadequate upstands, flashings fitted too shallow or not properly pointed into the masonry. A poor job with an expensive membrane will fail faster than a solid job with a standard felt system.
This means that the conversation you have before you agree to anything is more important than the quote itself. A contractor who can explain what they are going to do, why, and what the finished details will look like is more likely to do the work properly than one who gives you a price and little else.
These are practical questions worth putting to anyone who quotes for flat roofing work. The answers will tell you a lot about whether the contractor knows the job.
A written quote for flat roofing should specify the membrane system by name, the area to be covered in square metres, how the deck will be prepared, how upstands and flashings will be handled, what happens to the waste material, and the total price. Vague quotes - "supply and fit flat roof" with a single figure - leave too much room for corners to be cut.
Prices vary depending on the system, the area and the condition of the existing deck. As a rough guide, EPDM rubber flat roofing typically costs between £80 and £120 per square metre installed, including deck preparation on a straightforward job. Torch-on felt tends to be slightly less. These figures are a starting point only - a roof with a rotten deck, difficult access or complex detailing will cost more. Be cautious of any quote significantly below that range without a clear explanation of why.
Get at least two quotes and compare them line by line. If one is substantially cheaper, ask what has been left out rather than assuming you have found a bargain.
Certain things should make you pause before signing anything.
None of these things are automatically disqualifying on their own, but they are worth questioning directly. A straightforward answer is reassuring. Vagueness or irritation at being asked is not.
An extension flat roof sits against the main house wall, which means the junction between the roof and the wall is critical. The membrane needs to turn up that wall to a proper upstand height, and a lead or aluminium flashing then covers that upstand and is dressed into the brickwork or render. If either element is poorly done, water finds its way down the back of the flashing and into the wall or the ceiling below.
Rooflights and skylights in flat roofs need similar attention. The kerb around a rooflight must be properly upstood and flashed, and the rooflight unit itself needs to be designed for flat roof use with an adequate weather rebate. Domestic windows fitted flat are a persistent source of leaks.
Dereham Roofers covers Bawdeswell and the surrounding villages. If you are getting quotes for a flat roof on an extension or garage, ask whether the contractor will come and look at the job before you make any decision. We can tell you what system suits the roof, what the deck is likely to need, and give you a clear written price so you have something concrete to compare.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
