Ely Roofers installs and repairs flat roofs in Burwell, helping homeowners catch problems early before a minor leak becomes serious structural damage.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
Flat roofs on extensions, garages and outbuildings are practical and cost-effective, but they do need more regular attention than a pitched roof. Because water has nowhere to run quickly, even a small fault in the surface or drainage can let moisture sit and work its way through. The earlier you catch a problem, the simpler and cheaper it usually is to fix.
We work on extensions, single-storey rear additions, flat-roofed garages and outbuildings of all kinds.
Most flat roof failures do not happen overnight. They develop slowly, and the early signs are usually visible if you know what to look for. Here are the ones that should prompt you to call a roofer:
Understanding why flat roofs fail helps you know what to ask a roofer and how to maintain the one you have. The causes fall into a few clear categories.
Age and material breakdown. Traditional mineral-faced felt has a typical lifespan of around 10 to 15 years when laid correctly and maintained. Torch-on felt can last somewhat longer. EPDM rubber membranes, when properly installed and detailed, generally outperform standard felt by a significant margin. Every membrane eventually becomes brittle, loses flexibility and begins to crack under repeated cycles of heating and cooling.
Poor original installation. A flat roof that was not laid with adequate fall causes problems from day one. Current building practice recommends a minimum fall of 1:80 (around 0.7 degrees), though in practice a steeper fall gives much better drainage. A roof installed flat, or one that has sagged as the deck aged, will pond chronically regardless of the membrane.
Insufficient upstand height. Where the roof surface meets a wall, the membrane must be dressed up the wall to a height of at least 150mm. If it is dressed up less than that, wind-driven rain and capillary action can push water behind the covering. This is one of the most common points of failure on extension roofs.
Blocked or poorly positioned outlets. A flat roof outlet clogged with leaves or debris backs water up across the whole roof surface. In autumn and winter this is a particular issue for roofs near trees. Outlets need checking at least once a year.
Thermal movement. The deck and the membrane expand and contract with temperature changes. If they move at different rates and the covering has no flexibility left, splits open along laps and seams. This is why older, brittle felt tends to crack at joints rather than across the middle of a sheet.
When we come to look at a flat roof, we check the whole thing, not just the obvious wet patch. That means the surface covering, all edge details and upstands, the outlet or outlets, the condition of the deck beneath where we can access it, and any adjacent brickwork or flashing that ties into the roof.
A surface leak does not always mean a full replacement is needed. Where the deck is sound and the membrane is otherwise in reasonable condition, a repair or localised patch can be the right answer. Where the deck has softened or the membrane is cracked across multiple areas, a full strip and re-cover is the more honest recommendation. We will tell you which applies and why.
We handle the full range of flat roofing work on domestic properties. That includes:
Flat roof replacement costs in the Ely area typically run from around £70 to £120 per square metre for a felt system, and £90 to £150 per square metre for an EPDM rubber system, depending on the complexity of the job, access and whether the deck needs replacing. A straightforward garage roof of around 20 square metres might cost between £1,500 and £3,000 in total. Larger extension roofs or those requiring significant deck work will cost more. We can give you a clear price once we have seen the roof.
We work across Burwell and the surrounding area. If you are unsure whether we cover your location, call us and we will confirm.
If you have spotted any of the warning signs above, do not leave it until the leak gets worse. Call Ely Roofers to arrange a flat roof survey in Burwell. We will take a proper look, give you an honest assessment and tell you exactly what needs doing.
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.
