TrustATrader review
Highly recommend Doyle Homes, we have used them a few times now and never had any issues with them, this time they replaced tiles, new roof on shed and garage.
Jessie G. · October 2021Read on TrustATrader →
4.91 TrustATrader (62)4.7 Google (23)
Felt roofing done properly: three-layer torch-on systems
Felt roofing across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and North London, laid as three-layer torch-on systems by professional roofers. Get a free, no obligation quote and a 20 year written guarantee on the work.
- All work is backed with a 20 year written guarantee
- Over 25 years' experience, family business
- Fully insured, risk assessment before every job
- We will beat any written quote
Free felt roofing quote
Step 1 of 3Three quick steps. We ring you back to arrange a free survey.
Free, no obligation20 year written guaranteeWe beat any written quote
Rather talk? Call 01582 807949
4.91 62 reviews, verify →
9.63/1073 reviews4.7 23 Google reviews →
yell4.68 ratings
VerifiedExpert Roofer member →
Proud to be associated with Luton Town FC
What our felt roofing includes
- Three-layer torch-on built-up felt: underlay, reinforced base and mineral cap sheet
- New 18mm OSB3 or ply deck with firring strips for the falls
- Vapour control layer and PIR insulation for a warm roof
- Heat-welded laps, bitumen primer and fully bonded upstands
- Lead flashings, drip edges, edge trims and outlets
- Roof light kerbs and upstands wrapped in felt
- Garage, shed, outbuilding and extension roofs
- Patch repairs to blisters, splits and lifted laps on existing felt
Felt roofing: DIY roll or professional torch-on?
Search for felt roofing and most results sell you a roll for a shed. For a shed, a roll and clout nails will do. For a garage, an extension or any roof that keeps rain off a ceiling, it will not. A single layer nailed to the boards has no welded laps, no bonded upstands and no fall, and it fails within a few winters.
If you want the job done properly, you want a built-up torch-on system laid by roofers who do it every week. Doyle Homes has over 25 years' experience, we are fully insured, and every job carries a 20 year written guarantee. You will not get that from a roll off the shelf.
What a three-layer torch-on felt system is
Because the layers are bonded and the laps are welded, the roof behaves as one surface. A single failure in one layer is covered by the others, which is the reason a built-up system outlasts a single roll many times over. Our photographs show a torch-on base layer over a new OSB deck around a roof light, and finished felt roofing dressed up to house walls.
| Layer | What it does |
|---|---|
| Primed deck | Bitumen primer on a sound 18mm OSB3 or ply deck, so the first layer bonds fully. |
| Layer one: underlay or vapour layer | Bonded or torched to the deck, it seals the build-up and stops moisture rising from the room below. |
| Layer two: reinforced base | A polyester-reinforced bitumen sheet, torched and fully bonded, with laps welded. |
| Layer three: mineral cap sheet | The finished surface, with a mineral finish that shields the bitumen from UV, laid with laps staggered against the layer below. |
| Upstands and edges | Felt taken up the wall and over the edge trim, with lead or a drip detail at the top. |
How we lay torch-on felt safely
Torching is hot work, so the risk assessment we carry out before every job covers it before a flame is lit. We keep the flame away from timber eaves and roof light frames. Details close to timber go on in cold-bonded or self-adhesive layers, so fire is only used where it is needed.
Laps are welded until a bead of bitumen shows along the edge. Upstands are primed and bonded up the wall to a proper height, then finished with lead or a termination. Edges receive a drip or edge trim, outlets are fitted flush and every junction is checked. At the end we walk the roof with you.
When felt is the right choice, and when it is not
Felt is our first suggestion for garages, outbuildings, extension roofs on a tighter budget and repairs to existing felt. It is proven, repairable and lays quickly on simple shapes. Its limits are walkability and complex detailing, where GRP fibreglass roofing is stronger, and very large plain roofs, where EPDM rubber roofing can be quicker.
We lay all three and recommend one after the survey. Our flat roofing page sets the systems side by side, and our garage and extension roofs page covers the joists and frames underneath.
Felt roofing repairs: blisters, splits and lifted laps
Not every failed roof needs replacing. A blister is cut open, dried and patched with new felt torched flat. A split along a lap is cleaned and rewelded. A lifted upstand is primed, rebonded and sealed at the top. We trace the source before patching, because a repair over wet insulation fails again within months.
When the felt has blistered across the roof, the deck is soft or the layers have cracked with age, a new three-layer roof is the better spend. We show you the evidence and price both routes. If you mean the old underlay felt beneath your tiles, that is replaced with breathable membrane in a re-roof: see new roofs.
Felt roofing cost and your guarantee
Price depends on area, access, deck condition and insulation. Your quote is free, in writing, with materials and labour itemised and no hidden costs, and we will beat any written quote. Our flat roof cost guide shows the ranges. All work is backed with a 20 year written guarantee.
Torch-on roofers near you
We work from our Dunstable office across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and North London. Local pages cover Luton, Bedford, Hemel Hempstead and Stevenage. One reviewer had tiles replaced and a new roof on a shed and a garage. Customers rate us 4.91 from 62 reviews on TrustATrader, 4.7 from 23 on Google and 9.63 from 73 on Checkatrade. Ring 01582 807949.
Signs you need us
- Felt blistered, bubbled or split across the surface
- Laps opening and edges lifting or curling
- Bare patches where the mineral chippings have gone
- Water standing in dips after rain
- Damp stains on the ceiling or garage walls beneath
- A roof laid as a single roll with nails showing
- Cracks along upstands where the felt meets the wall
How it works
How it works, from first call to guarantee
Survey and quote
We inspect the covering, the deck, the upstands and the edges, photograph the problems and give you a free, no obligation written quote for repair or replacement.
Strip and deck
The old felt comes off, the deck is repaired or renewed, falls are corrected, and insulation goes in on a warm roof.
Torch on three layers
The underlay, the reinforced base and the mineral cap sheet are laid and heat-welded, with laps staggered and upstands bonded up the wall.
Details, check and guarantee
Trims, drips, outlets and flashings are finished and checked. We clear the site and issue your 20 year written guarantee.
Our own photos
Recent felt roofing work
Every photo is from a job we worked on. Tap any image to see it full size.
New mineral felt flat roof dressed up to the house wall
New grey mineral felt flat roof dressed against a window and wall
Finished felt flat roof with lead at the wall
Finished felt flat roof with a drip edge
Finished felt flat roof between two walls
Felt flat roof mid laying with tools and rolls
Torch-on felt base layer laid over a new OSB deck around a roof light
Reviews
What Doyle Homes customers say
Word for word, each one linked to the platform it was left on.
TrustATrader review
Would recommend this company to others. Our neighbours in the street have already placed an order for a flat roof as a result of our work. My daughter also has had this company for many years conducting works on their properties, and found them to be excellent.Our roof looks great and Robert and the team are great people to deal with.
Logan E. · February 2023Read on TrustATrader →
TrustATrader review
Yesterday I had my flat roof replaced by Doyle Homes and I couldn't be more impressed with their work. From their professionalism and attention to detail were exemplary. The team arrived promptly, worked efficiently, and maintained a clean work environment throughout the project. Communication was excellent and I needed some additional work doing which they dealt with. The end result exceeded my expectations, with a beautifully installed roof that provides both aesthetic appeal and peace of mind. I highly recommend Doyle Homes for any roofing needs.
Jason R. · October 2024Read on TrustATrader →
Our guarantee
All work is backed with a 20 year written guarantee
Every job, from a single slipped tile to a full re-roof, comes with a 20 year guarantee in writing. You get it with your paperwork when the job is signed off, and if anything we did lets you down inside those 20 years, you ring the same number and we come back and put it right.
What you get
- 20 year written guarantee
- Fully insured work
- Risk assessment before every job
Before you sign
- Free, no obligation quote
- Full assessment of the roof
- Detailed quote and timetable
Price promise
- We will beat any written quote
- Family business, no call centre
- Over 25 years' experience
Hugh O'SheaDirector, Doyle Homes Ltd
Questions
Felt roofing questions
Can I felt a roof myself?
You can felt a shed. For a garage, extension or any roof above a room, a single nailed layer fails quickly, and torch-on needs training, tools and fire precautions. A professional three-layer system carries our 20 year written guarantee.
What is torch-on felt?
Torch-on felt is a bitumen sheet bonded to the roof by heating its underside with a gas torch. We lay three layers: an underlay, a reinforced base and a mineral cap sheet, with all laps welded.
How long does a felt roof last?
A three-layer torch-on roof on a sound deck is built to outlast the 20 year written guarantee we give on the work. A single nailed roll on a shed gives you a few winters.
Is felt cheaper than rubber or fibreglass?
On garages and small simple roofs, yes. On large or detailed roofs the gap closes. You get a free, no obligation written quote, and we will beat any written quote.
Can you repair my felt roof or does it need replacing?
Blisters, splits and lifted laps on a dry deck are repaired. A soft deck or blistered felt across the surface needs replacing. We show you photographs and price both.
Do you fit felt to garages and sheds?
Yes. We re-roof garages, outbuildings and extensions, and fit new decks where the old boards have rotted. See our garage and extension roofs page.
Get your free quote
Tell us what the roof is doing. Free, no obligation quote, a 20 year written guarantee on the work, and we will beat any written quote.