Thetford Roofers handles flat roof surveys, repairs, and full replacements for homeowners in East Harling, covering extensions, garages, and bay window roofs.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
Flat roofs on domestic extensions and garages are straightforward when they are installed correctly and maintained properly. When they start to fail, the signs are usually easy to spot - damp patches on ceilings, blistering felt, standing water, or a flashing that has pulled away from the wall. The question is what to do once you have noticed a problem, and just as importantly, what not to do while you are waiting for a roofer to get there.
We cover East Harling and the surrounding area. Call us to arrange a survey and we will assess the roof properly before recommending any work.
A flat roof has three areas that a roofer checks on every inspection: the drainage outlets and falls, the perimeter edges, and the wall junctions. Problems in any one of these three places can let water in, and the cause of a leak is not always directly above where the damp appears inside the property.
Drainage outlets and falls. The roof surface needs a slight fall - typically at least 1:80 gradient - to move water towards an outlet. Where the fall is insufficient or the outlet is blocked, water sits on the surface. Standing water is one of the leading causes of early failure in flat roof membranes. It accelerates the breakdown of the surface and puts sustained load on the deck beneath.
Perimeter edges. At the edges of the roof, the membrane terminates against a fascia or parapet wall. If the edge detail lifts, cracks, or pulls away from the structure, rainwater tracks back underneath the waterproofing. This kind of failure is common on older felt roofs where the timber supporting the edge has softened or where the metal drip trim has corroded.
Wall junctions and upstands. Where a flat roof abuts a vertical wall, the membrane is dressed up the face of the wall and held in place by a cover flashing. When the mortar holding the flashing cracks or the lead pulls away, water gets in at the junction. By the time a damp patch appears on an interior ceiling, this area may have been wet for some time.
For most domestic flat roofs, the choice comes down to built-up bitumen felt or EPDM rubber membrane. Both systems work well when installed correctly. The right choice depends on the size and shape of the roof, the amount of detailing involved, and the condition of the existing deck.
A three-layer felt system with a mineral-finish cap sheet is the standard for domestic work. It is well understood, widely available, and competitively priced. Typical installed costs run from around £40-£60 per square metre, though the condition of the deck, access to the roof, and the complexity of the edge detailing all affect the final figure.
EPDM is a single-ply rubber membrane bonded to the deck. It handles structural movement better than felt, which makes it a good choice for extensions where the building may settle slightly. It is also more forgiving around rooflights, vents, and complicated junctions. EPDM typically costs £60-£90 per square metre installed. These are general UK market ranges - a proper quote for your roof will depend on the actual job.
Whatever system goes on, the deck needs to be sound and dry first. A new membrane laid over a wet or rotten deck will not last, and the repair costs more the second time around.
Once you have spotted a leak or noticed something that looks wrong with your flat roof, there is usually a gap of days before a roofer can get to you. What you do - and do not do - during that time can affect how much damage occurs and how straightforward the repair turns out to be.
If water is coming through the ceiling, the first priority is to limit damage to the room below. Place buckets or towels under any drips. If the ceiling is beginning to sag or bow, it may have taken on a significant amount of water - in that case, keep everyone out of the room and do not poke, prod or pierce it, as it can come down without warning.
Move furniture, electrics, and anything valuable out of the affected area. If there is any water near light fittings or electrical outlets, switch off the circuit at the consumer unit before doing anything else.
If you can see the roof safely from a ladder without going onto the surface, have a look at the obvious things: whether there is standing water, whether any felt or membrane has visibly split or lifted, and whether the perimeter edge or any flashings have come away from the wall. Note what you can see and tell the roofer when you call - it helps them bring the right materials and assess the job faster.
Do not walk on the roof unless there is no alternative. Flat roof membranes are not designed as walking surfaces and foot traffic - especially on a felt roof in cold weather when the material is brittle - can crack the surface and make the damage worse. Even a rooflight kerb or a chimney that needs investigating is not worth damaging the roof to check.
A temporary fix can reduce damage while you wait for a proper repair. Bitumen repair tape and cold-applied bitumen sealant, available at most builders' merchants, can be pressed over a split or crack in felt to slow the ingress of water. These are short-term measures, not permanent repairs. They buy time, not a solution.
What does not work is simply painting over a large area of old felt with a brush-on product and expecting the leak to stop. These products exist and are sold for this purpose, but they rarely achieve a lasting seal on a roof where the membrane is delaminating or where the deck below is wet. The underlying problem remains, and the same leak will return, often through a different route.
A heavy-duty tarpaulin weighted down at the edges will keep a failed section of roof dry while you wait for replacement. Make sure it extends well past the affected area and is secured so wind cannot lift it.
Some repairs look simple from the ground but are not safe or effective without the right materials and experience. Avoid the following:
A survey is more useful if you ask the right questions. When a roofer comes to look at the roof in East Harling, ask them specifically:
A roofer who cannot answer these questions clearly is not giving you enough to make a good decision. The survey should leave you with a written description of the problem and a clear explanation of what the proposed work involves.
If your flat roof is leaking or showing signs of wear, call Thetford Roofers to arrange a survey. We will check the outlets, edges, and junctions properly and give you a straight assessment of what needs doing. Do not leave a known problem through another winter - water damage to the deck and the room below gets worse the longer a leak runs.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
