News & Insights

Why we write these guides

Flat roofing is one of the least understood parts of a building, and it is where most homeowners, landlords and property managers get caught out. A roof that looks sound from the ground can be holding water, splitting at the laps or quietly soaking the insulation beneath the covering. By the time a stain appears on a ceiling, the damage has usually been developing for months.

We have spent years working on flat roofs across London and the Home Counties, from small domestic extensions and balconies to hospital blocks, commercial units and managed residential estates. These articles pull that experience together in plain language, so you can make a confident decision before you spend money - whether that decision is a repair, a full replacement or simply putting a maintenance plan in place.

What you will find here

Our guides fall into three broad areas. System comparisons explain how EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass, torch-on felt, mastic asphalt, single ply and liquid-applied waterproofing actually differ in cost, lifespan, appearance and suitability. Every system has a job it does well and a job it does badly, and the right answer depends on the size of the roof, the detailing around upstands and outlets, whether the roof will be walked on, and how long you intend to own the building.

Maintenance and diagnosis pieces cover the warning signs worth acting on: ponding water that lingers more than forty-eight hours after rain, blistering or splitting across the membrane, repeated leaks in different areas, soft spots underfoot that point to a failing deck, and blocked outlets that push water back under the covering. Catching these early is almost always cheaper than replacing a roof and the ceilings below it.

Project and cost guidance sets out what to expect during the works - survey, itemised quote, preparation, installation, sign-off and guarantee documentation - along with the factors that move the price, such as access, roof area, insulation upgrades, deck repairs and the number of penetrations and details on the roof.

Written by roofers, not copywriters

Everything published here is based on roofs we have surveyed, stripped, repaired and installed. We do not recommend a system we would not fit on our own building, and we are open about the limitations of the materials we install, including our preferred liquid-applied Ultraflex system. Installation quality matters more than the brand on the tin: poor detailing around upstands, outlets, rooflights and junctions is the single most common cause of early failure on a flat roof, regardless of how good the membrane is.

If a guide leaves a question unanswered, or you would like our view on a specific roof, the fastest route is a survey. We will inspect the deck and covering, photograph the problem areas and give you a clear, itemised recommendation with no obligation to proceed.

Areas we cover

We work across London and the surrounding Home Counties, including North London, South London, East and West London, Hertfordshire, Essex, Surrey, Kent, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. Our clients range from private homeowners and architects to managing agents, housing associations and main contractors, and the advice in these articles is written to be useful to all of them.