Flat roofing that stays watertight: EPDM, GRP and felt
Flat roofing across Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and North London: new roofs, repairs and full replacements in EPDM, GRP fibreglass or torch-on felt. Get a free, no obligation quote, with 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 flat roofing quote
Step 1 of 3
Three quick steps. We ring you back to arrange a free survey.
Free, no obligation20 year written guaranteeWe beat any written quote
New roofs on extensions, garages, porches, bays and dormers
Full strip and replacement of failed felt, rubber and fibreglass coverings
New 18mm OSB3 or ply decks, firring strips for falls and replacement joists
Warm roof insulation with vapour control layer and PIR board
EPDM single-ply rubber, GRP fibreglass and three-layer torch-on felt
Roof lights, lanterns and kerbs fitted and sealed into the new roof
Edge trims, drip details, outlets, gutters and lead upstands
Targeted repairs to splits, blisters, laps and failed upstands
Flat roofing for extensions, garages, dormers and porches
These roofs are the hardest to get right and the most expensive to get wrong. Water has nowhere to run, so every joint, upstand and outlet has to be perfect on day one and stay perfect for decades. Doyle Homes has over 25 years' experience of flat roofing on kitchen extensions, garages, porches, bay windows, dormers and veranda roofs, and we build each one to the same rule: the water leaves the roof, every time.
One reviewer's sixty-year-old dormer bungalow had a badly weathered roof in danger of leaking. The new roof, the ridge tiles and the gutters were all done in a day and a half. Another had their roof replaced and found the neighbours ordering the same. We are a family business, fully insured, and all work is backed with a 20 year written guarantee.
Which system: EPDM, GRP or torch-on felt
Three systems cover almost every job we quote. None is the best in every case, and we pick with you after the survey, not before it.
System
How it is laid
Best suited to
EPDM rubber
One single-ply rubber sheet cut to the roof, bonded to the deck with adhesive and finished with trims and bonded upstands.
Large and awkward roofs, fast installs and roofs with few details. See EPDM rubber roofing.
GRP fibreglass
Glass matting laminated in resin on the deck, then a pigmented topcoat, forming one jointless shell.
Balconies, walkways and small to medium roofs with plenty of detail. See GRP fibreglass roofing.
Torch-on felt
Three layers of bitumen felt built up and welded with a gas torch, finished with a mineral cap sheet.
Garages, outbuildings, extensions and budget-led jobs. See felt roofing.
What sits under the waterproofing
Behind every watertight covering sits a build-up, and most failures start there. The structure is timber joists with a deck of 18mm OSB3 or exterior ply screwed down. Firring strips cut to a taper give the deck its fall to the outlet, with a finished fall of at least 1 in 80 once the roof is loaded.
Above the deck on a warm roof sit a vapour control layer and PIR insulation board, so the deck stays warm and dry. A cold roof puts the insulation between the joists and ventilates the void above it. Then comes the waterproof covering, the edge trims, the outlets and the upstands where the roof meets a wall.
Warm roof or cold roof: insulation done right
Insulation decides how the roof behaves for the next twenty years. A warm roof puts PIR board above the deck and a vapour control layer beneath it, so the joists and boards stay warm, dry and above dew point. A cold roof puts insulation between the joists and relies on a ventilated void above it, and that only works where the eaves are open and the airflow is guaranteed.
Where we replace a roof, we recommend warm construction, because it protects the structure and lifts the thermal performance of the room below. If your ceiling is stained from the inside rather than from a drip, we check for condensation as well as leaks, because the fix is different.
How these roofs fail
Ponding and no falls
Water sitting on the surface for more than 48 hours means the falls are wrong or the deck has deflected. Standing water ages any covering, adds weight and finds every weakness. We measure it, find the cause and correct it with new firrings, not by painting over it.
Splits, blisters and open laps
Felt blisters when moisture trapped in the build-up heats and expands. Splits follow where the roof moves at joints and corners. Laps open where heat welding or bonding was poor. We cut out blisters to find the wet source, then repair or relay the failed area.
Failed upstands, flashings and trims
More leaks start where the roof meets a wall, a window or a roof light than in the middle of the surface. Lead and felt upstands lift, mastic cracks, and edge trims loosen. We renew these details with lead work and fresh trims, fixed to hold.
Wet deck and rotten timber
Months of leaking soak the deck and insulation. Soft OSB, black joist ends and a spongy feel underfoot tell us the deck has to go. We strip back, replace the boards and joists, and re-insulate before the new covering goes on.
Flat roofing repairs: what we fix and what we replace
Most leaking roofs do not need a new covering. A local split is cut out, dried and patched with the same material, bonded or welded back into the surrounding surface. A lifted upstand is re-dressed and sealed, a blocked outlet is cleared and refitted, and a cracked edge trim is replaced. These are same-day repairs, priced fairly, and backed by the same 20 year written guarantee as a new roof.
A repair stops being the answer when the build-up underneath has failed. If the insulation is saturated, the boards are soft or the surface is blistered from edge to edge, patching only delays the bill. We show you where the roof has failed, why, and what each option costs, then you choose.
How we diagnose before we quote
A quote written from the ground is a guess. We get on the roof, check the falls with a level, inspect every upstand, outlet and trim, probe the deck for soft spots and look at the ceiling below for stain patterns. Good flat roofing starts with an honest survey, so we photograph what we find and talk you through it.
A repair is the right answer when the deck is dry and the failure is local: one split, one lifted lap, one cracked upstand. A replacement is the right answer when the deck is wet, the covering has blistered across the whole roof or the ponding is built in. We tell you which, with the evidence, and put both prices in front of you when the answer is close. Our flat roof cost guide shows the numbers.
Roof lights, gutters and the details that finish the job
A new covering is only as good as its details. We fit roof lights and glazed lanterns on properly built kerbs, run the covering up the kerb sides and seal every junction. Outlets, hopper heads and gutters get renewed with the roof, with fascias and soffits where the edge is timber. See a finished glazed example on our flat roof with roof lantern project.
Garage and extension roofs have their own page: see garage and extension roofs for the build-up, the joists and the options on pitched garages.
Customers rate us 4.91 from 62 reviews on TrustATrader, 4.7 from 23 on Google and 9.63 from 73 on Checkatrade. You get a free, no obligation quote, a risk assessment before every job and a promise to beat any written quote. Ring 01582 807949.
Signs you need us
Water pooling for more than a day after rain
Blisters, bubbles or splits in the surface
Damp patches or brown stains on the ceiling below
Felt lifting at the edges or peeling away from the wall
A soft or spongy feel underfoot
Moss, weeds or cracked, shrunken, chalky covering
A covering older than it was ever meant to last
How it works
How it works, from first call to guarantee
Survey and diagnosis
We check the falls, the upstands, the outlets and the deck, probe for wet boards and photograph what we find, so the quote matches the roof you actually have.
Choose the system with us
We explain EPDM, GRP and torch-on felt against your roof's size, shape, traffic and budget, and give a free, no obligation written quote for the one that fits.
Strip, deck, insulate, cover
Old covering comes off, the deck is repaired or renewed, falls and insulation go in, then the waterproof layer, trims and details are installed and checked.
Handover and 20 year guarantee
We leave the roof clean and tidy, show you the finished details and issue your 20 year written guarantee.
Our own photos
Recent flat roofing work
Every photo is from a job we worked on. Tap any image to see it full size.
Word for word, each one linked to the platform it was left on.
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.
Flat roof on our 60 year old dormer bungalow had become badly weathered and in danger of leaking. Also ridge tiles and gutters needed replacing. In Doyle Homes I couldn't have made a better choice. No time was lost and all work was completed in a day and a half. Hugh Oshea's project management, advice and communication was excellent, and his team of roofers were hard working, skilful, efficient and polite at all times. The final result far exceeded my expectations for a very fair price. Highly recommended.
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.
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.
It depends on the roof. EPDM suits large roofs with few details, GRP suits balconies and complicated shapes, and torch-on felt suits garages and tight budgets. We survey the roof, then recommend one and show you why.
How much does a flat roof cost?
The price depends on size, access, the deck's condition and the system. You get a free, no obligation written quote with materials and labour itemised, and we will beat any written quote you hold. Our cost guide shows the ranges.
Should I repair or replace a leaking roof?
Repair when the deck is dry and the damage is local. Replace when the boards are soft, blisters cover the surface or water ponds across the roof. We show you photographs and price both when the call is close.
How long does flat roofing replacement take?
A single garage or extension roof is a one to two day job once the deck is sound. One reviewer's dormer roof, ridge tiles and gutters were all completed in a day and a half. Your quote includes a timetable for your own roof.
Do you fit roof lights and lanterns?
Yes. We build the kerb, fit the roof light or lantern and run the waterproofing up to it so the junction is sealed. We can fit a new one with a new roof or renew the seal on an existing one.
Why does my flat roof keep leaking?
A repeat leak means the cause was never fixed. The usual causes are ponding, a failed upstand, a split at a joint or a wet deck. We trace the leak to the cause and repair that, not the stain.
Is your flat roofing guaranteed?
Yes. All work is backed with a 20 year written guarantee, and we are fully insured. If you have cause for concern after we finish, call us and we make sure any issue is fully rectified.
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