Flat Roofs & EPDM in Bridgwater
Rear extensions, dormers, garages and porches, re-covered in single-sheet EPDM rubber with no seams across the field to fail.
The local flat roof stock
Rear extensions on terraces
Victorian terraces east of the river often have a single-storey back addition, many with a flat or very shallow roof that has been re-felted more than once.
Post-war garages and porches
Estates such as Sydenham and Hamp have plenty of flat-roofed garages, porches and canopies finished in felt that has long since cracked.
Dormers
Dormer cheeks and tops are small flat roofs in their own right, and the junction with the main roof is where they usually leak.
Commercial and outbuildings
Workshops and outbuildings with larger flat areas, where a single sheet saves a lot of seams.
What an EPDM roof actually gives you
One sheet, no field seams
On most domestic roofs EPDM goes down as a single sheet. No laps across the middle means no laps to open up.
Copes with frost and sun
EPDM stays flexible in cold weather and does not soften in summer the way bitumen felt does. The Met Office records around 28 air-frost days a year at nearby Cannington.
No naked flame on site
EPDM is bonded with adhesive, not torched on.
Proper edges and upstands
Most flat roof leaks start at the edges: the drip, the upstand against the wall, the outlet. We trim, flash and terminate those properly.
Flat roofs on flat ground
Bridgwater sits on the tidal Parrett at the edge of the Somerset Levels, where government figures put 18% of the county below average tide level. On ground like that a flat roof has to get rid of its water quickly and somewhere sensible, so we check the fall, the outlet and the gutter or hopper it drains into before we lay a new membrane.
Flat roof FAQs
Can you go over my old felt?
Sometimes, if the deck is sound and dry. Often the boards underneath have gone soft, and then the honest answer is to strip back and re-deck.
How long does a flat roof take?
A typical rear extension or garage is usually one to three days.
Is EPDM covered by your guarantee?
Yes. Our 20 year full written guarantee covers workmanship and materials, EPDM included.
Can you add insulation?
Yes, as a warm roof build-up. It raises the roof level slightly, so we check the upstands first.
Sources: Met Office averages for Cannington, gov.uk: Somerset Levels and Moors flood risk.
Flat roof leaking?
Tell us where and roughly how big it is. A photo of the roof and the ceiling below helps.