Downham Market Roofers installs and repairs flat roofs on garages, extensions, and outbuildings for homeowners in Wimblington and the surrounding villages.
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A flat roof is never truly flat. It sits at a slight pitch, usually between one and five degrees, to let rainwater drain away from the surface. Get that fall wrong and water sits on the roof, works into laps and seams, and causes rot or structural damage below. On a garage or single-storey extension, the consequences reach into the room beneath before you notice anything from outside.
The three main systems used on domestic flat roofs today are torch-on felt, EPDM rubber membrane, and built-up felt. Each suits different situations. Torch-on felt is durable, widely available, and straightforward for a competent roofer to install. EPDM rubber is a single sheet with very few seams, which means fewer points where water can get in. Built-up felt is an older system and generally has a shorter lifespan than the modern alternatives.
When we talk about flat roofing near Wimblington, we include garages, rear extensions, bay window tops, outbuildings, and some commercial premises. The work is essentially the same: strip the old roof, check the deck below for rot or damage, replace any boards that have gone soft, and lay the new system properly with the correct falls built in.
A common problem is pooling water, often called ponding. This happens when the falls were not built correctly in the first place, or when the deck has sagged over time. Another common issue is cracked or split felt where the top surface has dried out and lost its flexibility. UV light degrades mineral felt over years, and once it cracks, water gets underneath the layers.
Felt laps are another weak point. Where two sheets overlap, if they were not bonded correctly or the bond has broken down, water tracks along the lap rather than off the edge. This is often the first place a leak appears. On EPDM roofs, problems more commonly appear at the edges and where the membrane meets a wall or upstand, not across the main field of the membrane itself.
Blocked or undersized outlets and gutters cause problems too. A flat roof drains through a small number of outlets, and if leaves or debris block them, water backs up. In winter, ice can form at the edge and push back under the membrane edge trim.
This is the part most homeowners find difficult. There is no shortage of people willing to put a flat roof on your garage, but the quality of the finished job varies enormously. Here is what to look for and what to ask before you agree to anything.
A contractor who simply says "felt" without specifying the type, the number of layers, and the weight of felt is not giving you enough information. Torch-on felt comes in different grades. A proper specification should tell you the thickness and finish of each layer. If a contractor cannot explain why they are recommending one system over another for your specific roof, that is worth noting.
EPDM is generally a better long-term choice for most domestic roofs because the membrane itself can last several decades when installed correctly. However, it costs more to install than basic felt. A contractor should explain the trade-off honestly rather than just selling you the cheapest option or the most expensive one.
Before any membrane goes on, the deck underneath needs to be in good condition. Ask the contractor what they will do if they find rotten boards once the old roof is stripped. Will they replace them, and at what cost? A contractor who quotes only for the membrane and leaves deck repairs as a vague extra is leaving you exposed to an open-ended bill.
Ask specifically how the falls will be achieved. On a re-roof, this sometimes means laying tapered insulation boards to create the slope rather than altering the roof structure. That adds cost, but it solves the ponding problem permanently.
Before you agree to anything, ask for a written description of the job: what is being stripped, what is being replaced, which system is going on, how the edges and upstands will be finished, and how long the work is expected to take. This is not about distrust. It is about making sure you and the contractor agree on what the job includes. If something goes wrong, you need something to refer back to.
How will the finished roof drain? Where do the outlets go? Will the fascia and gutters need adjusting? A new flat roof is an opportunity to sort out poor drainage that may have contributed to the failure of the previous one. Any contractor worth using will raise this conversation with you.
The edges of a flat roof are where most failures begin. Edge trim, drip edge, and the way the membrane finishes at a parapet wall or abutment are critical details. Ask how each junction will be handled. Generic answers like "it will all be sealed" are not good enough. A competent roofer will explain the specific detail for each junction on your roof.
Flat roofing is an area where the cheapest quote reliably delivers the worst outcome. The materials themselves cost money, and a significantly lower quote almost always means thinner felt, fewer layers, cut corners on the deck, or inadequate edge details. Get at least two or three written quotes, compare the scope of work on each, and ask questions if one quote is much lower than the others.
As a rough guide, EPDM flat roofing in this part of the country typically costs somewhere in the region of £80 to £120 per square metre installed, depending on deck condition and access. Torch-on felt tends to be slightly less. These figures are a starting point for comparison, not a fixed price for your job.
A straightforward garage re-roof takes one to two days for most standard-sized garages. Larger or more complex jobs take longer. The old roof is stripped first, the deck inspected, any rotten boards replaced, and then the new system goes on. A good roofer will not leave the deck exposed overnight without protecting it with a temporary covering if rain is forecast.
Torch-on felt requires a gas torch and is hot work. EPDM installation is cold-applied using adhesives. Both methods are well established. Whichever system goes on, the finished roof should be clean, with neat edge trim, proper falls, and all junctions fully sealed.
As well as Wimblington itself, we work across the surrounding villages and further afield. If you are not sure whether we cover your location, call us and ask.
If you have a flat roof that is leaking, lifting, or coming to the end of its life, call us to arrange a roof survey. We will look at the deck condition, the existing system, the falls, and the drainage before we recommend anything. You will get a clear, written scope of work so you know exactly what the job involves before you decide.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
