Ely Roofers installs and repairs flat roofs in Haddenham, and we want you to understand exactly what material is going on your roof and why - before any work begins.
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When a flat roof needs replacing, the material you choose makes a real difference to how long it lasts, what it costs now, and what it costs over time. There are two mainstream domestic options used across the Ely area: felt systems and EPDM rubber. Each has genuine advantages and genuine drawbacks, and neither is right for every situation.
We carry out flat roofing on extensions, garages, outbuildings and single-storey rear additions.
Felt, when properly installed, does the job it is designed to do. A torch-on system bonds the layers together firmly, reducing the risk of delamination and giving a more consistent finish.
Honest pros: Lower upfront cost than EPDM. Widely understood and straightforward to repair when something does go wrong. Materials are readily available. Most experienced roofers can work with it confidently.
Honest cons: Shorter serviceable lifespan than EPDM - typically 10 to 20 years depending on the grade of product and quality of installation. Felt becomes brittle over time and is more prone to cracking at seams and upstands as it ages and loses flexibility. It is also more susceptible to damage from persistent standing water. On roofs with limited or compromised drainage, felt tends to deteriorate faster.
If budget is the immediate priority and the deck is in good condition, a quality torch-on felt system is a respectable choice. Just go in with realistic expectations about lifespan.
EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) is a single-ply rubber membrane that has been widely used on commercial buildings for many years and is now the preferred material for quality domestic flat roofing. It comes in large sheets, which means far fewer seams than a layered felt system.
Honest pros: Significantly longer lifespan than felt when correctly installed - manufacturers typically quote 50 years for the material itself, though real-world performance on domestic roofs more commonly sits in the 30 to 40 year range before any maintenance is needed. Highly flexible, so it copes well with the thermal movement that causes felt to crack. Resistant to UV degradation. Repairs, when needed, are clean and straightforward using compatible adhesive and patch material. Fewer seams means fewer points where water can find a way in.
Honest cons: Higher upfront cost than felt. EPDM must be detailed correctly at the edges, upstands and outlets - if those details are done poorly, the membrane's performance advantage largely disappears. Not every roofer has extensive experience with it, so it matters that whoever lays it knows the system properly. If the rubber is punctured by a sharp object, it needs prompt attention, though the repair is usually straightforward.
EPDM rubber flat roofing on a typical domestic extension or garage in the Ely area currently costs roughly £90 to £150 per square metre installed, including a healthy deck. Standard torch-on felt runs from around £70 to £120 per square metre. The gap in upfront cost is real, but spread over the lifespan of the roof, EPDM often works out better value.
The membrane is only part of the story. The deck it sits on matters just as much. Most flat roofs use either timber joists with tongued-and-grooved boarding, or a plywood deck. When a roof is stripped back for replacement, the deck is inspected for any rot, softness or water damage.
A common problem is that moisture has been sitting in the deck for some time before the surface was repaired or replaced. If soft or rotten sections are not replaced before the new membrane goes down, those areas will continue to deteriorate and will eventually cause the new covering to fail prematurely. Any honest roofer will flag deck issues before covering them up.
Insulation is also worth considering at replacement stage. Adding insulation board above the deck (a warm roof build-up) reduces heat loss through the roof and removes the cold bridge that can lead to condensation on the underside of older decks. It adds cost but is far easier to incorporate during a full replacement than to add later.
The honest answer depends on several things: the size of the roof, the condition of the deck, the budget available now, and how long you plan to stay in the property. A small garage roof that is otherwise in reasonable condition might be a perfectly sensible candidate for torch-on felt. A large extension roof that is being fully stripped and re-decked is usually better suited to EPDM, given the longer replacement cycle.
Roof falls also matter. EPDM handles intermittent ponding better than felt because it does not become brittle in the same way. On a roof where drainage is marginal and ponding is likely to occur, EPDM is the more forgiving material.
Whichever contractor you use, these are worth asking before you commit:
Getting clear answers to these questions before work starts protects you from surprises and helps you compare quotes fairly.
Not every flat roof problem requires a full replacement. Split seams, failed edge details and blocked outlets can often be repaired effectively if the rest of the membrane is in reasonable condition. We always assess the overall condition of the roof before recommending whether a repair or replacement is the better route. If a repair is the right answer, we will say so.
We cover Haddenham and surrounding villages as part of our wider Ely area operation.
If you are weighing up materials, getting quotes or trying to decide whether to repair or replace, call Ely Roofers for a straight conversation about your options. We will come and look at the roof, explain what we see and give you a clear price for the work.
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.
