Been 'warned' about flat roof extension..??

JustAnotherSaver

One of the houses we're looking at has had the kitchen extended. The extension is a flat roof.
Discussing this at work & the general thought on it was a negative one.

Aside from possibly collecting water, is there a big problem with flat roofs? I don't see much of an issue with them & this is based on living at home & we've been in this house for the past 28 years. It's a house that was built at the turn of 1700 although our bathroom isn't really that old - it's an extension which was put up not many years before we moved in. It's a flat roofed extension.

It's single skin, so was very cold in winter before the central heating was installed & suffers terribly from condensation, but as far as the roof goes - we've never ever had any issue with leakage or water collecting on top.

So personally i don't see the problem. That doesn't stop doubt forming in the back of my mind though as someone elses flat roof may not 'perform' the same as ours.

Feedback on them?

Nilrem

Flat roofs come in two basic forms.

Those that work and never cause an issue.

and

Those that are a continuing nightmare.

The problem is it can be very hard to tell which it is before you buy and live there for a while (I've got a friend who has had his flat roof extension replaced about 3 times in 20 years - it finally got fixed properly when a new sloped roof was built over the flat roof).

keystone

A "flat roof" shouldn't be flat. It should have a fall of approximately 1:80. Then it will work if properly finished and fall into Nilrem's first category.

Cheers

SailorSam

My first house was an old terrace that had a flat roof on the bay of one of the bedrooms ....... that leaked. Then i moved to a modern semi with a flat roof on the porch, we had to make that into a pitched roof, and the garage had a flat roof, i was there about 25yrs and had it done twice. If you can afford it put a pitched roof on.

cyclonebri1

Many insurance companies now ask the question, "Does any part of your house have a flat roof?"

I'm guessing they aren't going to reduce your premium if it has;);)

Trouble in waiting is my best description, difficult to insulate and ventilate also.