Flat Roofing in Feltwell

Expert Flat Roofing
in Feltwell

Choosing the Right Flat Roofing Contractor in Feltwell

When your flat roof starts to leak or show its age, the choice of contractor matters at least as much as the material you choose. A poor installation - regardless of how good the membrane is - will fail at the edges and junctions within a few years. Knowing what to ask before you agree to any work protects you from that outcome.

This page covers the essentials of flat roofing and then goes into detail on what to look for in a contractor and the specific questions worth asking before you sign anything or hand over a deposit.

What Flat Roofing Covers

Flat roofs appear on single-storey extensions, garages, outbuildings, bay window tops, and occasionally on sections of larger roofs that step down in level. They are not truly flat - a correctly installed flat roof has a minimum fall of around 1:80 to carry water towards the outlet. When that fall is lost through deck movement or settlement, water ponds, and ponding water is the starting point for most flat roof failures.

The two systems most commonly used on domestic properties are high-performance torch-on felt (modified bitumen, typically two or three layers) and EPDM rubber membrane. Both work well when installed correctly. Both fail at the same places - the perimeter edge, the wall upstands, and the outlet - when those details are rushed or skipped.

Signs Your Flat Roof Needs Looking At

You do not always need a visible drip to know a flat roof is struggling. The earlier you act, the less the repair or replacement costs.

• Standing water: Pooling that remains 48 hours after rain has stopped points to a blocked outlet or a lost fall. Water sitting on the membrane speeds up its breakdown.
• Blistering or bubbling: Trapped moisture between felt layers, or beneath a membrane, creates blisters that will eventually crack.
• Cracked or lifting edges: The drip edge and the upstands where the roof meets walls are the highest-risk zones. Cracks here let water in quickly.
• Damp patches inside: A stain on a ceiling or wall adjacent to a flat-roofed area is often the first thing a homeowner notices. The entry point on the roof is rarely directly above it.
• Soft spots underfoot: If you can safely access the roof and feel it flex or give under your weight, the deck boarding below the membrane is wet and may be rotting.

What a Roofer Should Check on a Survey

Before any quote is given, a roofer should physically access the roof and inspect it properly. A glance from the ground, or a quote based only on measurements, is not a survey. On a flat roof the four things that matter most are:

• Outlets and falls: Is the outlet clear? Is there a visible fall to it, or is water sitting level across the whole surface?
• Perimeter edges and drip edges: Is the membrane turned down and overlapping the fascia correctly? Is water running free rather than tracking back under the timber?
• Wall junctions and upstands: Is the membrane dressed up at least 150mm above the roof surface wherever it meets a wall? Is there a separate cover flashing above the upstand to stop rain getting behind it?
• Deck condition: Are there soft, spongy, or bowed areas that suggest the plywood or boarding underneath is wet or rotted?

If a roofer cannot describe what they found at each of these points, they have not done a proper survey.

How to Choose a Flat Roofing Contractor: Questions to Ask

Choosing who does the work is the most important decision in the whole process. Below are the specific questions worth asking any contractor before you agree to anything.

1. Will You Strip Back to the Deck?

On a replacement job, laying a new membrane over old, tired felt is a shortcut that stores up problems. The old layers trap moisture, and any rot or soft spots in the deck remain hidden. Ask whether the old material will be fully stripped, and what happens if they find deck damage once it is off.

2. How Do You Handle the Upstands and Edges?

This is where most flat roofs fail. The membrane needs to turn up at least 150mm at every wall abutment and be held in a chase or covered by a separate flashing above. The drip edge needs to be properly formed so water falls away from the fascia. Ask the contractor to describe exactly how they detail these junctions - a competent roofer will explain it without hesitation.

3. What Fall Does the Roof Currently Have, and What Will You Do About It?

If the existing roof ponds water, the issue may be in the deck structure itself - joists that have sagged or firring pieces that were never fitted. A new membrane over a flat deck will still pond. Ask what the current fall is and how they plan to achieve the correct fall on the finished job.

4. What System Are You Recommending and Why?

There is no single right answer between torch-on felt and EPDM rubber for domestic work - both are appropriate in different situations. What you want to hear is a clear reason based on your roof's geometry, size, and deck condition, not just a preference for whichever they happen to carry in their van.

5. Is the Price Based on the Deck Being in Good Condition?

Almost every realistic quote for a flat roof replacement includes a caveat about deck condition, because no one knows what they will find until the old felt is off. What matters is that the contractor tells you this upfront, explains roughly what extra boarding costs per sheet, and does not use it as a reason to add a large unexpected charge on the day. Ask this question directly before you agree.

6. How Do You Deal With Rubbish and Waste?

Old roofing felt, timber offcuts, and used membrane have to go somewhere. Ask whether skip hire or waste disposal is included in the price, or whether it is extra. This is a small point but it avoids a surprise on the invoice.

7. Can You Show Me a Written Breakdown?

A written quote that lists stripping, disposal, deck work if needed, membrane, edge details, and upstand work separately lets you compare two quotes on a like-for-like basis. A single-line price for