Flat Roofs Are Everywhere in Tower Hamlets
Walk down any street in the borough and you'll see them: kitchen extensions behind Victorian terraces in Bethnal Green and Bow, garage roofs, bay tops, balconies, and whole post-war blocks around Poplar and E14. Done well, a flat roof sits there quietly for decades. Done badly, it's the single most common source of leaks we get called to across E1, E2 and E3.
We repair, re-cover and replace flat roofs in the three main systems — felt, GRP fibreglass and EPDM rubber — and we'll tell you straight which one suits your roof, because the right answer isn't the same for every job.
Felt, GRP or EPDM? An Honest Comparison
- Torch-on felt — the traditional system and still a good one. Proven, economical and easy to repair; a properly laid three-layer felt roof typically lasts 10–20 years. Often the sensible choice for garages, outbuildings and tighter budgets.
- GRP fibreglass — laid wet over a new deck and cured into one seamless skin, so there are no joints to fail. Hard-wearing and typically good for 25+ years when fitted well. A strong option for balconies and roofs that get walked on.
- EPDM rubber — a single flexible sheet glued to the deck, usually with no seams at all on a domestic roof. It copes well with movement and temperature swings and often lasts 30+ years.
We don't push one system for every roof. Size, shape, foot traffic, what the roof sits over and your budget all come into it — we'll recommend what's right for yours and explain why.
Repair or Replace? We'll Tell You Straight
Not every tired flat roof needs stripping. Blisters, small splits, failed joints and laps, and minor ponding can often be repaired for a fraction of the cost of a new covering — and where a repair will genuinely hold, that's what we'll quote. See our roof repairs page for how that works.
The honest exception is a roof that's been letting water in for a while. Once the deck or the insulation underneath is wet through, patching the surface is throwing money away — the moisture stays trapped and the leaks keep coming back. We'll check, show you photographs of what we find, and quote both options where both are realistic.
Warm Roofs and Building Regulations
Replacing a flat roof usually means upgrading its insulation to current Building Regulations at the same time — typically by building it up as a "warm roof", with the insulation above the deck. It makes the room below noticeably warmer, cuts condensation risk, and we handle the whole thing as part of the job, including the edge trims and upstand details that make it work.
Felt Roof Repairs
Splits, blisters and failed joints on torch-on felt can often be repaired the same visit — patched, re-bonded and sealed so the roof is watertight again before we leave. Where the felt is genuinely at the end of its life, we'll say so plainly and price both the repair and the replacement, so you can decide with the facts in front of you.
Flat Roof Replacement Costs
No two flat roofs cost quite the same, and anyone quoting a price without seeing yours is guessing. The big factors are the size of the roof, the condition of the deck underneath, whether the insulation needs upgrading to current Building Regulations, the edge details and upstands, and how easy the roof is to reach.
As a rough guide, replacing the covering on a small garage roof typically starts around £1,000–£1,500, with larger extension roofs costing more depending on the system and any deck or insulation work needed. We'll take a free look at yours and put an exact figure in writing — every job is quoted in writing before we start.
How It Works
- Free survey. We inspect the roof, photograph what we find and explain it in plain English.
- Written quote. A clear, itemised price — repair and re-cover quoted separately where both make sense. No call-out charge, no obligation.
- The work. Most flat roof repairs are done in a day; full re-covers usually take two or three. We keep things watertight overnight and take all the waste away.
- Guarantee. Our workmanship is guaranteed in writing. If anything's not right, we come back and put it right.
We're local, independent and fully insured, and we work on flat roofs across the whole of Tower Hamlets — from Wapping and Whitechapel up to Victoria Park and out to the Isle of Dogs.