Flat Roofing in Edinburgh

Dalry includes multi-occupancy tenement blocks, while detached and semi-detached villas are more characteristic of the city's south and west. Where those buildings have a flat-roofed addition, establish how it meets the original wall, whether higher roofs discharge onto it and who needs to consider the work. The building type does not establish the flat roof's age, material or ownership.

A rear extension may have restricted access or a shared route through the property. Measure the junction beneath windows before selecting a replacement build-up, and clarify arrangements with affected neighbours. Do not assume that a small flat section is easy to reach or that every tenement has one.

If the roof has one split, a lifted corner or a leaking joint and the deck beneath is firm, a repair is usually the sensible choice. Our flat roof repairs page explains what that involves. If the covering is cracked and blistered all over, or the boards have gone soft, renewing the roof is the honest answer, and our guide to flat roof replacement cost sets out what affects the price.

Edinburgh's easterly winds can bring haar, a persistent coastal fog. Moisture on a surface or a damp room is not proof of a leaking membrane: record when the symptom occurs and inspect ventilation, the roof junctions and rainfall drainage. The city receives less rain than Glasgow, but every flat roof still needs reliable falls and clear outlets.

The covering should rise at wall junctions with suitable flashing above, and edge details must suit the roof system. An outlet at the wrong level or an obstructed connection can leave standing water even where the open covering appears intact. Check the deck and the route into the gutter before choosing repair or renewal.

The capital has fifty conservation areas, including Dalry Colonies, Morningside and Portobello. The City of Edinburgh Council can advise on the actual property's designation and proposed alteration. Changing roof levels, visible edges or wall details should be checked before agreeing a new build-up; proximity to a conservation area is not proof that every property has identical controls.

For a shared building, identify who can approve access and who needs the written findings. Survey the available route and any scaffold positions rather than assume materials can pass through a communal stair. We plan access during the visit and include it in the quote.

We look at the surface, the falls, the edges, the upstands and the outlets, and the ceiling underneath if we can. We will also check where the flat roof meets the main roof or wall, because a failed flashing there can soak an otherwise sound covering. Then we explain what we found in plain language, and say whether a repair or a renewal makes sense. Our main flat roofing page has more on how we build new flat roofs.

Rowan Roofing is a family-run firm based in Cardenden. We have traded as Rowan Roofing for 16 years, with over 50 years of roofing experience in the family, and Edinburgh is one of our three core cities. You get honest advice and a written quote with no pressure. If the pitched roof needs attention too, our Edinburgh roof repairs page covers that work, or contact us to arrange a visit.