Flat Roof

mandymack

Hopefully there is someone on the board that can give me a bit of advice about flat roofs.Large part of my house is an extension which has a flat roof which is old and leaking and requires replacement.
Can somebody keep me right as to what is best method of replacing it, is glassfibre the best solution or a rubber membrane, and which of the two is the most cost effective.
I have been given a ball park figure of 10K & vat for a glassfibre roof and intend to get an estimate for the rubber membrane option first week, but don't know which method would be best
Anyone out there got any opinions, or have experience of either
Any advise welcome
Mandy

smudger1964

I have had experience of EPDM or rubber membrane roofing had a 33m sq felt roof replaced last year with EPDM for just over £3000 including guttering and facias on an extension.Check out https://www.permaroof.co.uk for the details mine comes with a 20 year guarantee but according to firestone who make the product average life expectancy is over 50 years.There also was minimum mess with the intstalation completed in a day and a half very happy with it

mandymack

smudger1964 wrote:

I have had experience of EPDM or rubber membrane roofing had a 33m sq felt roof replaced last year with EPDM for just over £3000 including guttering and facias on an extension.Check out https://www.permaroof.co.uk for the details mine comes with a 20 year guarantee but according to firestone who make the product average life expectancy is over 50 years.There also was minimum mess with the intstalation completed in a day and a half very happy with it

Thanks for that Smudger out of interest had you got a quote for glassfibre and if so how did it compare pricewise to the EPDM

smudger1964

mandymack wrote:

Thanks for that Smudger out of interest had you got a quote for glassfibre and if so how did it compare pricewise to the EPDM

No sorry didnt have glass fibre quote but i had a new felt roof quote which included all the mess of removing the old roof which didnt happen with the EPDM as that was laid over the existing felt, the new felt was going to be £2700 so for only £300 more I chose the longer lasting option.Hope this helps with your decision

thehairybuilder

mandymack ,

I really , really , dislike flat roofs . Have you considered having a pitch roof constructed and an over roof of steel such as this
or or maybe something like this slate effect


see here for details
http://www.keithbuilders.co.uk/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=15

Not expensive and far better than having a flat roof hold all the rainwater

silvercar

If you change a flat roof for a pitched roof, do you need planning permission?

Dry_Flood

If your current roof is leaking be carefull about having the rubber membrane.

Under the felt is a wooden base, but it is only chipboard. When chipboard gets wet it kind of turns to weetabix. If they lay the membrane over the top it would stop the leaking but would put alot of weight on the already rotten roof. I would only have the membrane if the roof was re-boarded underneath the felt.

mandymack

Thehairybuilder,
thanks for your suggestion only problem is I don't think it would be very easy to change my flat roof to a pitched roof, the extension is bigger than the original house so therefor the flat roof is bigger than the existing pitched roof, also it is not a regular shape and has a roof window and a chimney stack in the middle of it. Don't know if that makes sense but it really hard to describe
Mandy

mandymack

Dry_Flood wrote:

If your current roof is leaking be carefull about having the rubber membrane.

Under the felt is a wooden base, but it is only chipboard. When chipboard gets wet it kind of turns to weetabix. If they lay the membrane over the top it would stop the leaking but would put alot of weight on the already rotten roof. I would only have the membrane if the roof was re-boarded underneath the felt.

Thanks for pointing that out hadn't thought about that, at the moment it is leaking in 2 places around a domed roof window and at a point where the flat roof meets the pitched roof

smudger1964

Dry_Flood wrote:

If your current roof is leaking be carefull about having the rubber membrane.

Under the felt is a wooden base, but it is only chipboard. When chipboard gets wet it kind of turns to weetabix. If they lay the membrane over the top it would stop the leaking but would put alot of weight on the already rotten roof. I would only have the membrane if the roof was re-boarded underneath the felt.

Its a good point but when they the EPDM (rubber membrane) firm went up on my roof for the survey and quote they checked for any leaks or any weakened or rottened chipboard,its all included in the price .Also they swept off any roofing gravel, repair any sections and them they laid marine plyboard on top of the whole 33 square metres then they put the EPDM on top of that so in effect your flat roof is stronger than before.

mandymack

smudger1964 wrote:

Its a good point but when they the EPDM (rubber membrane) firm went up on my roof for the survey and quote they checked for any leaks or any weakened or rottened chipboard,its all included in the price .Also they swept off any roofing gravel, repair any sections and them they laid marine plyboard on top of the whole 33 square metres then they put the EPDM on top of that so in effect your flat roof is stronger than before.

Smudger can I ask was it a local company that you used, they seem to have done a very good and thorough job

Mandy