Haverhill Roofers carry out flat roofing work on garages, extensions and dormers for homeowners in Great Dunmow and the surrounding villages.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
A flat roof is not truly flat - it sits on a very shallow pitch, usually between 1 and 5 degrees, designed to shed water to a gutter or outlet. When that drainage fails, or when the surface membrane splits, blisters or pulls away from the upstand at a wall, water gets in fast. The most common locations are garage roofs, single-storey rear extensions and dormer cheeks on loft conversions.
The two main materials used for replacement flat roofing today are EPDM rubber and torch-on felt. EPDM is a single-ply rubber sheet that is bonded or mechanically fixed to the deck. Torch-on felt is a reinforced bitumen product applied in layers with a gas torch. Both are reliable when installed correctly on a properly prepared deck - the deck condition matters as much as the surface material.
This is the part most homeowners find hardest, because the flat roofing market has a higher proportion of poor-quality operators than pitched roofing does. A bad felt job can look fine on the day and fail within two winters. The advice below is practical, not a checklist for its own sake.
Start by getting at least three written quotes for the same scope of work. If one quote is significantly lower than the others, ask the contractor to itemise it - cheaper quotes often involve thinner felt grades, no deck inspection or no lead detailing at the upstands. These are the areas that fail first.
These are the questions that separate a careful contractor from one cutting corners:
A contractor who asks for a large upfront cash payment before starting, who cannot tell you the specification of the materials they plan to use, or who gives a verbal-only quote is worth avoiding. Legitimate flat roofing work is straightforward to specify in writing.
Be cautious of contractors who propose to overlay new felt directly on top of old felt without stripping back. Adding a new layer over a wet or blistered old surface traps moisture in the deck and accelerates rot. The correct approach is to strip the old covering, inspect the deck and replace any damaged boards before laying the new surface.
On a typical garage or extension roof the work follows a clear sequence. The old felt or covering is stripped and removed. The timber deck is inspected, and any soft, wet or delaminated boards are replaced. The new covering is then installed in the agreed specification - whether that is a torch-on felt system or an EPDM membrane. Lead or aluminium trim is fitted at the perimeter, and lead flashing is dressed into the wall at any upstand. The outlet or gutter is checked and cleared. On a straightforward single-garage roof this is normally a one-day job; a larger extension roof may take two days.
For EPDM installations, the membrane is typically bonded with a contact adhesive to a clean, dry deck surface. The sheet is cut to size, folded back and the adhesive applied to both surfaces before the sheet is rolled out and pressed down. Seams - if any are needed on a wider roof - are factory-taped or bonded with a seam tape and roller. EPDM has a long track record and the material itself can last several decades when properly installed.
Flat roof replacement costs in this part of Essex and the surrounding area typically run from around £70 to £120 per square metre for a torch-on felt system, and from around £80 to £130 per square metre for EPDM rubber, including stripping the old covering and replacing up to 20% of the deck boarding. A standard single garage roof of around 15-18 square metres might cost £1,200 to £2,200 fully replaced, depending on deck condition, material choice and access. These are typical current ranges - any contractor should be able to give you a written figure once they have inspected the roof.
Repairs rather than full replacement cost considerably less - a localised split or a failed flashing might be £150 to £400 - but a repair is only worthwhile if the rest of the roof surface is in sound condition. If the felt is cracking across most of its area, or if there is widespread ponding damage, a repair will buy time rather than solve the problem.
We carry out flat roofing work across the villages and towns around Haverhill. Alongside Great Dunmow, we work in Thaxted, Saffron Walden, Great Sampford, Steeple Bumpstead, Wethersfield, Great Yeldham and other communities nearby. If you are unsure whether we cover your area, call us and we will tell you straightforwardly.
If you are getting quotes for flat roofing work in Great Dunmow, call us to arrange a survey. We will inspect the deck and the existing covering, tell you honestly whether a repair or a full replacement makes more sense, and give you a written quote for the work. That is the starting point for making a properly informed decision.
No obligation · We'll call you to arrange a free visit
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
