Felt Roofing Watford

A flat roof job in Watford

This job came to us after the customer had been dealing with leaking gutters for some time. The old roof covering had reached the point where patching it up wasn't going to cut it any longer, and with water finding its way in, the timing was right to get it sorted properly rather than keep firefighting the problem every time it rained.

The customer got in touch to take advantage of our 20% discount offer, which is often what tips people over into finally booking the work in. We provided a free, no obligation quotation and talked through exactly what the job would involve before anything was agreed.

What we found underneath

Once the old covering was stripped back, there was damage to the timbers underneath that needed addressing before any new roofing could go down. This is fairly common on older flat roofs, especially where water has been getting in around the edges or through failed gutters over a long period. We replaced the affected sections and made sure the deck was sound before moving on.

We fitted 18mm OSB boards across the roof to give a solid, even base. Skipping this step, or trying to work over a weak deck, is one of the main reasons flat roofs fail early, so it's not an area we cut corners on.

The felt roofing system

For the covering itself, we installed a high-performance torch-on felt system, built up in three layers: two underlay layers and one mineral finish cap sheet. This is a proven build-up for flat roofs in London, giving good resistance to standing water and UV exposure over the years, and it's the specification we'd recommend for most domestic flat roofing in this part of Watford.

The finished roof was completed in a charcoal mineral finish, which the customer chose for its clean, understated look against the rest of the property. New UPVC fascia edge trims were fitted around the perimeter to tidy the roof line and protect the edge boards going forward.

Flashing, gutters and ventilation

We fitted new lead flashing to the rear wall junction, which is one of the most common places for leaks to start if the flashing has degraded or was never installed correctly in the first place. Getting this detail right matters more than people realise, since a poorly dressed flashing can undo the benefit of a brand new felt covering within a couple of years.

We also improved the roof ventilation as part of the works. Flat roofs without adequate ventilation can suffer from trapped moisture underneath the felt, which shortens the life of the covering and can lead to timber problems further down the line. Addressing this at the same time as the felt roofing install meant the customer isn't likely to run into that issue again.

Additional work while we were there

With scaffold and access already in place, we took the opportunity to carry out some further work for the customer. This included pressure washing the roof area, replacing the UPVC fascias and gutters around the property, and fitting new fencing. It's often more cost-effective for customers to bundle jobs like this in with a roofing project, since it avoids paying for separate access and visits later on.

Timescale and finish

The whole job, from strip-out to finished roof, was completed in two days. That included the timber repairs, the three-layer felt system, new flashing, fascias and the additional groundworks. The customer described the finished roof as amazing compared to what was there before, which is exactly the kind of feedback we aim for on every project.

All work was carried out to our usual standard of finish, and every roof we install comes with public liability insurance in place throughout the job, giving the customer peace of mind that they're covered from start to finish.

Guarantee and getting in touch

This installation, like all our felt and flat roofing work, comes with a 10 year guarantee. With over 40 years of experience between us at HighPoint Roofing And Building, we've seen most of the ways flat roofs can go wrong, and we build every job to avoid those pitfalls rather than just patch over them.

If you're dealing with a leaking flat roof in the WD postcode area or anywhere across London, get in touch for a free, no obligation quotation. We'll take a proper look, explain what's needed in plain terms, and give you a price before any work is agreed.