Newmarket Roofers handles commercial roofing projects in Haverhill from the first site visit through to final clean-up, working on flat roofs, pitched roofs, metal sheet buildings and everything in between.
Commercial roofing work looks straightforward from the ground, but the process from initial enquiry to a finished, watertight roof involves a number of distinct stages. Understanding what those stages are - and what should happen at each one - puts you in a better position to assess any quote and to know whether the work has been done properly. Here is how a commercial roofing job typically runs from start to finish.
Before any price can be given, the roof needs to be looked at properly. A walk-around from ground level tells you very little on a flat commercial roof. A thorough inspection means getting onto the roof surface and checking the membrane or covering, all upstands and flashings, outlets and drainage channels, penetrations such as pipes and rooflights, and the perimeter edge details.
On a pitched roof, the inspection should cover the condition of individual slates or tiles, the ridge and hip details, all flashings at abutments and in valleys, and the guttering. Inside the building, the roof void and any visible underside of the deck should be checked for damp, staining or structural movement.
A good inspection also identifies whether the existing deck or structure is sound. On flat roofs, core samples - small plugs cut through the roof build-up - can confirm whether the insulation and deck below a membrane are dry or whether moisture has been sitting in the build-up. This matters because overlaying a wet deck shortens the life of the new roof significantly. If a contractor does not check this before quoting, that is worth raising.
We carry out thorough surveys on commercial properties in and around Haverhill before quoting. Call us to arrange an inspection and we will give you a clear written assessment of what is there and what needs doing.
Once the inspection is complete, the scope of work needs to be clearly defined before any price is agreed. For a flat roof replacement, this means specifying:
For a pitched roof, the scope should specify whether the work is a full strip and re-roof or selective repairs, what materials are being used, and whether felt underlay and battens are being replaced. Vague scopes lead to disagreements over what was included. A clear, itemised scope protects both the customer and the contractor.
Typical costs for commercial flat roof replacement in felt run from around £40 to £70 per square metre fully installed. EPDM or single-ply systems typically run from £50 to £100 per square metre depending on roof complexity and specification. These are indicative ranges - the actual cost for any specific roof depends on size, access, the state of the existing structure and the materials specified.
Before work starts on a commercial roof, access needs to be organised safely. On a single-storey commercial building this might be a tower scaffold or a MEWP (mobile elevated work platform). On taller buildings or those adjacent to public areas, scaffold with edge protection and debris netting is standard.
Working around a live business adds a layer of planning. Deliveries of materials, scaffold positions, waste skips and vehicle access all need to be co-ordinated so that staff, customers or operations below are disrupted as little as possible. On multi-level commercial buildings, internal access to roof voids or plant rooms may also be needed during the job.
We plan access requirements as part of every commercial job and will agree the programme with you before work starts.
On a flat roof replacement where the existing covering is being stripped back, this is the stage where the true condition of the deck becomes clear. What looked serviceable from the surface can reveal saturated insulation, softened or delaminated deck boards, or areas of rot in timber decks once the old membrane is removed.
Any deck areas that are damaged need to be repaired or replaced before the new membrane goes on. Skipping this step and laying new material over damaged deck is the single biggest cause of premature flat roof failure. It is also where budgets can move if the deck is worse than the initial survey suggested - this is not unusual, and a good contractor will show you the problem before proceeding so you can make a decision.
On a re-cover (overlay), preparation involves cleaning the existing surface, cutting back any blistered or raised areas, and ensuring the new membrane will bond or fix correctly to what is below.
The installation stage varies by material. For torch-on felt, the first layer is typically nailed or bonded to the deck, with subsequent layers torched in overlapping runs. Joints need to be fully fused with no cold laps - a cold lap is where the torch has not been held long enough and the surfaces have not properly bonded, leaving a weak seam that will eventually let water in.
For EPDM, the membrane is typically adhered to the deck using a contact adhesive, then trimmed and detailed at edges, outlets and upstands. Large sheets minimise seams, but the detailing at the perimeter and around any penetrations is where the quality of the installation really shows. Each outlet needs to be properly bonded and clamped; each upstand needs the membrane to be taken up and secured at the correct height.
Flashings are installed or re-dressed as the roof covering progresses. Lead flashings at parapet walls are cut into the joint in the masonry, dressed down over the upstand, and pointed back in. This sequence matters - flashing installed after the fact, rather than integrated with the membrane installation, is more likely to fail at the junction.
Once the main roof covering is in place, outlets are fitted and connected to the drainage system. On commercial flat roofs, outlets should have leaf guards or dome covers fitted to reduce the frequency of blockage. Box gutters and parapet wall drainage should be checked for adequate fall and outlet capacity before the job is signed off.
If guttering is being replaced or repaired as part of the job, this is usually done in parallel with the main roof work or immediately after. On commercial buildings with long runs of aluminium or steel guttering, checking fall, joint seals and bracket fixings is part of the work rather than an optional extra.
A commercial roof job should not be considered finished until the surface has been inspected, all drainage tested where possible, and any snags dealt with. Water testing - either by running water over the surface or through the drainage system - can confirm that outlets are clear and that there are no obvious low points holding water.
You should receive a clear record of what was done, what materials were used and what specification was applied. If the membrane manufacturer provides a product data sheet or installation guidance for the system used, that documentation is worth keeping.
A commercial site needs to be left clean. Roofing waste - stripped felt, timber offcuts, old flashings, packaging - should be cleared from the roof, scaffold (if used) struck and removed, and the yard or car park left clear. Skip collections and scaffold removals need to be timed so they do not create unnecessary disruption to the business.
If we have needed to move or temporarily close off any area of the site during the job, that is reinstated as soon as the relevant work is complete rather than left until the end of the project.
For commercial roofing in Haverhill and nearby areas including Newmarket, Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds, call us to talk through your project.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
