Flat Roof leak!...advice please!

[lastminute]

Finally the weather has forced a leak on my felted flat roof coming through onto my kitchen units!!!...any advice please when sifting through quotes for repair or replacement!
What sort of price per metre in West Yorkshire area?

Thanks

Gerry

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I can't speak for your area, but I would say to make sure when comparing prices to ensure you compare like with like - someone might quote repairing wood work, someone else might just take a chance, and there are dozens of different felts and finishes. It's easy to discount someone when actually for a few quid more you might have had an infinitely better job.

 

[RogerS]

As Phil intimated....it also will depend on how long the leak has been there and how much rot has occurred in the actual roof timbers.

 

[RobinBHM]

I believe flat roof repair now falls under the building regulations as one of the thermal elements that may need additional insulation when more than 25% is repaired or replaced. If so then it would be worth checking what the quotations you receive include.

 

[RogerS]

I believe flat roof repair now falls under the building regulations as one of the thermal elements that may need additional insulation when more than 25% is repaired or replaced. If so then it would be worth checking what the quotations you receive include.

Jeez...they really encourage a bodged job, don't they?

BCO to home owner ....'You need to upgrade the roof insulation to the latest standard."

BCO to home owner ..."What do you mean, you don't have enough height ? Well, rebuild your house"

OK...I exaggerate but you get my drift.

My understanding is as yours, Robin. I take it to read that were one to, say, replaster the two interior surfaces of the two exterior walls in a corner room that they would insist on bringing the walls up to the latest insulation requirements which, if it is a solid wall is impossible without adding slabs of Kingspan to your walls, then adding some sort of vapour barrier then adding some sort of mesh to plaster onto or plasterboard/whatever. Then redo the window rebates to allow for the reduction in your room size. Then refix the skirting boards. Then refit the central heating radiator(s). Load of cobblers.

 

[davem62]

Hi Gerry
where a bouts in west yorks are you ,if not too far from wakefield,pontefract area i can recommend somebody who's very good and doesn't overcharge,pm me if you want his no,as a stop gap you could paint on some brushable sealer ,while you look into a permanent fix,
hth david

 

[RobinBHM]

A builder, who is a customer mine got caught out by this regulation of thermal elements:

As part of a job he was working, he fitted a set of bifold doors. The floor inside the room was miles out of level, as it was a suspended floor and had dropped across one side, he decided to take a section up and pack up the joists. The building inspector arrived just at the point when he had stripped the floor back. The inspector was happy with all of renovation and extension works but his parting remark was: 'You've taken up more than 25% of that floor in the existing part of the house, so all the floorboards will have to come up and celetex fitted' :shock:

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I remember working somewhere where the H & S people used to make us move a door because it was deemed unsafe to have it where it was... then the Fire Inspection would be done and they would insist on it's being put back again. #-o

 

[Mark A]

Why should it matter if the roof/floor/walls are not sufficiently insulated? Logically it should be the homeowner's decision as to whether they want (or can afford) to carry out extensive work on their house.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Because we have to cut our energy use to counter China's increases.

 

[heimlaga]

Things that the officials don't know and which cannot do any harm aren't illegal....... A widespread philosophy around here.

I work with renovations and if every building regulation in Finland was to be obeyed and followed the way officials tell us to do every renovation would be totally technically impossible. You have to follow the important parts and the parts that make some sence and just not tell the officials too much about the rest.

 

[Altheo]

Forget all that palaver about Building Regs. & insulation etc, etc. All you want, I presume, is a flat roof that will last and not leak. Felt and its derivatives are notorious for lasting only a few years and then failing due to UV exposure etc. If you want a reliable flat roof covering that will last for ever, IMHO and experience, you need to research fibreglass. It will be cheaper in the long run.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Or EPDM.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I have several flat roofs which needed replacing a few years ago. I decided to go with glass fibre and have been very pleased with it. Didn't cost much more than felt and lasts so much longer.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Hemsby]

I have several flat roofs which needed replacing a few years ago. I decided to go with glass fibre and have been very pleased with it. Didn't cost much more than felt and lasts so much longer.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

+1 for fibre glass

 

[Ghengis]

*2 for fibre glass

 

[Harbo]

EPDM

Rod

 

[Fat ferret]

Forget all that palaver about Building Regs. & insulation etc, etc. All you want, I presume, is a flat roof that will last and not leak. Felt and its derivatives are notorious for lasting only a few years and then failing due to UV exposure etc. If you want a reliable flat roof covering that will last for ever, IMHO and experience, you need to research fibreglass. It will be cheaper in the long run.

+ 1

 

[graduate_owner]

Hi lastminute.
I had a firm in to replace a felt roof with glass fibre about 18 years ago. It was fine for about 3 years then a crack appeared about 18 inches long. The roofing contractor had gone out of business so I fixed it myself with a compound called Flexacyl. Apparently Flexacryl (or equivalent) can be used over felt as well as glass fibre, and can be used when the surface is wet. Might be a temporary fix for you.

K