Flat roofs and flat roof repairs
Flat roofs have a bad reputation, and most of it was earned by cheap felt laid badly in the 1970s and 80s. A flat roof built properly with modern materials is not the liability people assume.
We work on extensions, dormers, garages, porches and bay roofs across East Lancashire and Craven.
- Covering
- East Lancashire & Craven
- Quotes
- Free, no pressure
- Ring or text
- 07840 031508
What we do
- Repairs to splits, blisters, and failed seams and upstands
- Full replacement in felt, EPDM rubber or GRP fibreglass
- New firrings to correct the fall where water is ponding
- New timber decking where the old has gone soft
- Lead and flashing detailing where the flat roof meets a wall
- Conversion to a pitched roof where that makes more sense
The three coverings, honestly compared
- Torch-on felt
- Modern high-performance felt is a long way from the old stuff. Cheapest of the three, fastest to lay, and a properly laid three-layer system will give you a good couple of decades. Joins are the weak point.
- EPDM rubber
- A single sheet, often with no joins at all on a domestic roof. Very good in cold and very good at movement, which matters on a timber deck that expands and contracts. Middle on price.
- GRP fibreglass
- Laid wet and cured into one seamless piece. The longest lasting and the most expensive, and it needs dry weather and a good deck to go down properly.
Why flat roofs fail
- No fall
- A "flat" roof should never be flat. Without a fall of at least 1 in 80 the water sits, and standing water finds any weakness eventually. Ponding after rain is the sign.
- Movement
- Timber decking moves. A covering that cannot move with it splits, usually at the joins.
- Upstands and edges
- Almost every flat roof leak we find is at an edge, an upstand against a wall, or around a pipe, and not in the middle.
- Blocked outlets
- A blocked gutter or outlet turns a flat roof into a paddling pool. The weight alone is a problem.
- Age
- Old felt goes brittle, cracks and lets go.
Repair or replace?
A split or a failed seam on an otherwise sound roof is a repair, and a reasonable one. Once you are patching the same roof every year, or the decking underneath has gone soft underfoot, you are paying repeatedly for something that needs doing once.
We will check the deck by walking it and by lifting a section if needed. A soft deck means the covering has been leaking longer than you realised.
What a flat roof costs
- Size, and how much of it needs stripping back
- Which covering, felt being cheapest and GRP the dearest
- Whether the decking needs replacing
- Whether new firrings are needed to correct the fall
- Access, and whether a scaffold or edge protection is required
The things people ask us
As a rule, good felt gives two decades, EPDM more, and GRP more again, all assuming the fall is right and the outlets stay clear.
Some shallow ponding that clears within a day or two is common. Water still sitting there in dry weather means the fall is wrong, and no covering fixes that on its own.
Sometimes, and it is cheaper. But it hides whatever the old one was doing and adds weight. We would rather strip it and see the deck, and will tell you if overlaying is genuinely a sensible option on your roof.
What people said about the work
Read the reviews, then ring us and see if we match up.
Absolutely brilliant service from start to finish. The work was completed to a really high standard they were reliable, professional and tidy throughout. It’s clear they take pride in their work, and the finished roof looks fantastic. Would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a trustworthy, hardworking roofer. Thank you to Alex, Jeff, Ryan & Junior Kath & Eric at Number 6
Great job done by Alex, Jason and Alfie on our chimney stack and roof. They provide a very professional friendly, service and are a pleasure to work with. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend their services. Thank you so much.
Excellent work done by a superb team. Alex, Geoff and Luke have done an incredible job on my roof and front of house. The roof no longer leaks (when living in Preston that's an important thing!) and the front of the house appearance has been transformed from an old tired look to a clean and more modern feel. They provide great advice, give you a quote detailing what they are going to do and then crack on and do a brilliant job…
Alex replaced our guttering, reset all the ridge tiles on the roof and capped the chimney properly. Alex and Luke were a breathe of fresh air to deal with. Alex was very friendly, he kept us informed of progress and what they were doing. He attended at the specified time and always kept everything clean and tidy. Quotes were accurate and were stuck to. Quality work throughout so if you want half a job doing don't call him. Personally I…
Alex and Geoff took great care inspecting the roof and deciding on a plan of action. Geoff and Luke worked seamlessly together to repair the numerous faults they discovered. They were cheerful and courteous at all times and were always ready to explain how the work was progressing and the issues they were dealing with as they arose. Jason and Alfie did a good job with the rendering. Photographs were provided, documenting their…
Alex and Luke have pointed our chimney and replaced pots. All the ridge tiles have been removed and replaced. Nothing has been too much trouble for these guys. We are more than happy with the end result. Totally reliable and trustworthy. Very friendly lads. I would 100% recommend their services.
Alex has just repaired chimney (putting right someone else’s bad work mainly) and ridge. Used Alex before after storm in 2022 brought guttering down on my 300 yr old cottage. Measured, made and fitted within about a week thankfully after months of others roofers either not showing or making out how difficult the job was
Very pleased indeed. Alex was responsive, helpful and, as chance would have it, was able to do the repair to the guttering at our daughter's bungalow, promptly. The charge was minimal for two tradesmen. Would certainly use again and have no hesitation in recommending him to others.
Alex and his team did a first class repair job on my roof. Excellent value for my money. Kept me informed at all stages of the job, clean and tidy on completion.
Alex replaced our leaking guttering. The guttering was measured, ordered and all replaced within a week! The job was done very professionally and at a great price! Great guys, who left the area spotless, when finished. Fantastic job! Great, honest, genuine tradesman. We would highly recommend to all!!!!!
We met Alex by chance one rainy afternoon on the local canal towpath. We were both sheltering from the rain under the same bridge. My husband and I had, earlier, been discussing our garage roof which was new a few years ago, but which had been leaking for some time. We think our chance meeting with Alex was meant to happen as, for some reason, I mentioned our leaky roof to him. We have always had difficultly finding reliable…
Excellent job, lovely people, very good roofers and sensible prices
Other things we do
Roof slating
Welsh blue slate and Yorkshire stone slate. Individual slates, patch areas, and full re-slates on the stone terraces round here.
Read moreRoof tiling
Concrete and clay tiles. Re-bedding ridges, replacing cracked tiles, and full re-tiles on the post-war housing.
Read moreGRP fibreglass roofing
A seamless fibreglass flat roof with no joints to fail. More expensive than felt, and considerably longer lasting.
Read more