Flat roofing · Exeter & East Devon
Flat roof repairs in Exeter
Flat roofs fail at the edges, not in the middle. Seams, upstands and the join where the flat meets the main roof are where nearly every leak starts.
Flat roofing in Exeter is overwhelmingly domestic and overwhelmingly small: the rear extension on a Victorian terrace, the dormer on a converted loft, the garage alongside a 1930s semi, the bay top on an Edwardian villa. They are rarely large areas, and that is exactly why they get neglected until they leak.
Where flat roofs actually fail
Seams and laps
On felt and EPDM alike, the joint is the weak point. Heat cycling works at a lap until it opens, and once water is under the membrane it travels a long way before it appears inside.
Upstands and abutments
The vertical detail where a flat roof meets a wall or the main roof is the hardest part to get right and the first to fail. A poorly formed upstand or a missing cover flashing is a leak waiting on the next heavy rain.
Deck movement and ponding
Timber decks on older rear extensions sag. Once water stands rather than runs, any membrane degrades faster and every seam is under permanent load.
What we do
- Localised repairs to felt, EPDM and GRP where the deck is sound
- Full replacement in GRP fibreglass or EPDM rubber membrane, including deck replacement where needed
- Overlay systems where the existing build-up is stable and stripping is unnecessary cost
- Correcting falls with firring to stop ponding rather than re-laying over the same problem
- New upstands, cover flashings, drip edges and trims
- Rainwater outlets, gutter connections and overflow provision
What you get
- A deck condition check before the quote, so the price accounts for what is under the membrane
- A clear recommendation between repair, overlay and full replacement, with the reasoning
- Written guarantee on workmanship, plus any manufacturer warranty on the membrane passed to you
- Itemised quote — materials, labour, and disposal separated out
Roof repairs · Emergency repairs · Commercial flat roofing · Full roof replacement
Frequently asked
Can my felt flat roof be repaired or does it need replacing?
If the deck underneath is still sound and the failure is localised, a patch or an overlay is usually the economical answer. If the felt has gone brittle across the whole area, or the deck feels soft underfoot, patching is a short-term spend. We check the deck before we quote, because that is what decides it.
GRP or EPDM — which is better?
Neither is universally better. GRP fibreglass gives a seamless, rigid finish and suits smaller roofs with clean geometry, but it needs dry conditions to lay and can crack if the deck moves. EPDM rubber is a single sheet, tolerates movement, and goes down in a wider range of weather, but wants careful detailing at upstands. On a Victorian rear extension with timber movement, EPDM usually wins.
How long should a flat roof last?
Modern GRP and EPDM systems are designed for 25 years or more with minimal maintenance. Traditional three-layer felt typically gives 15–20. The variable is not the material so much as the detailing at the edges and the fall — a flat roof that ponds water will fail early whatever it is made of.
Why does my flat roof pond water?
Almost always insufficient fall, either designed in or developed as the deck has sagged. Standing water accelerates breakdown of any membrane and finds every weakness in a seam. Correcting the fall with firring pieces during a replacement is a cost worth paying rather than avoiding.
Do you cover garage and dormer roofs?
Yes. Garages, dormers, bay tops, porches and rear extensions are the bulk of flat roofing work in Exeter — most of it on Victorian and Edwardian properties where the rear addition was built flat.
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