Spending out on a new flat roof is generally not much fun! Think of it like the exhaust on your car. There are far more appealing ways of parting with hard-earned income.
New Flat Roof Installations
Flat roofing, unfortunately, has to be included in the category of essential expenditure. It protects your home from the many damaging effects of water ingress, and thus, should be carefully chosen.
Assuming that the roof status demands renewal as opposed to repair, tread carefully when selecting the type of roof, who will do it for you, what solid guarantees they offer and their track record. As a general guideline, you should always keep these three things in mind:
- Always try and work with referrals. Customers never refer a poor installer.
- Assess the quality of their presentation at survey stage and the detailing in the written quotation.
- Have a question list ready prepared to help you address any concerns and note the comments.
Flat Roofing Systems
There are a range of flat roofing systems on the market. These include EPDM, polyurethane, felt and bitumen – some of the limitations of these can be seen from our flat roof survey findings. At Strandek, we specialise in fibreglass flat roofing systems. These are suitable for a range of roof sizes and designs. They offer versatile, durable and aesthetically pleasing finishes with long lifetimes.
Fibreglass itself is a composite – a blend of resin and reinforcement and coated with a flexible topcoat. This combination gives it an excellent level of waterproofing, regardless of the weather.
Flat Roof Guarantees & Warranties
The expected lifetime for a fibreglass flat roof is 30+ years and in some cases up to 50 years. That said, it is important to ensure that the roof itself has a comprehensive guarantee.
At Strandek, our fibreglass flat roofs come with both a 10-year FCA-regulated insurance-backed guarantee and a 20-year Standek guarantee.
Which is the Best Flat Roof?
On the matter of cost, be wary of the ‘cheapest option’. It’s likely that you will end up paying twice at some stage – or have to deal with a flat roof repair. Take the time to have a good look at their website, and examples and comments on their work. We find time and time again when called out to provide a survey and quotation for a client that their defective roof was completed as little as 1-2 years previously, with the installer having vanished or just refusing to revisit and with no valid guarantee in place.
Flat Roof Upgrades & Accessories
Quite often, a new roof installation will provide the opportunity to upgrade the insulation. You might also give consideration to a ‘green sedum’ roof, or to convert a balcony area into a flat roof or improve internal lighting with skylight or lantern installations. Of course if the roof size is large enough and located favourably to sunlight, you may wish to consider a solar panel installation.
In all of the above adaptations, glass fibre is recognised as leading waterproofing membrane. Its resilience to water ingress and foot traffic and longevity is unsurpassable. But, as cautioned, do your homework and pick the best that you can find. It’s not an exercise you will want to revisit.