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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask if you can felt over a leaking felt roof,

33 replies

Rooferxoxo · 06/07/2020 13:01

We are selling a house and the flat roof over the lounge/kitchen has started to leak. The flat roof is 12 years old. The roofer has suggested just felting over existing felt roof instead of removing old roof and replacing with a new one Is this a recognised method or just a bodge job?

OP posts:
Stefoscope · 06/07/2020 13:59

Not an expert but I thought flat roofs had a fairly short life expectancy as the water tends to sit in pools when it rains. If you did completely replaced the roof I'd have thought a survey may well pick up having a flat roof as a potential issue.

Abitofalark · 06/07/2020 14:55

I used to have flat roofs in previous flat and house but am no sort of expert and this is my opinion only. It's not unknown to do it but whether it can be done or would be a good idea, would depend on the condition of the old felt and the roof structure underneath. I wouldn't have it done myself because I'd be worried about rotting timber or trapped water underneath. What has the roofer to say about that? But I'm a worrier about such things, especially when selling a house. And I'd get up and have a look at the roof myself so I have an idea what state it's in.

Having a flat roof will cause some potential buyers to hesitate or to rule it out altogether. A proper re-roofing including any necessary repair or replacement of the wooden base and new felt to proper standards could reassure them about not having to deal with leaks or replacement in the near future. But it is more expensive of course.

If I were you I'd do a bit of research and post the question 'Can you felt on top of felt on a flat roof? in a search engine to see what comes up.

SockYarn · 06/07/2020 15:01

Bodge job.

We had a similar situation and tried a bodge, didn't work. Either fix it properly, or reduce your asking price accordingly.

Original poster
Rooferxoxo · 06/07/2020 16:03

Thank you all Smile

OP posts:
MissConductUS · 06/07/2020 16:10

If water is getting in the wooden roof deck has already started to rot. By the way, they don't use felt anymore (at least in the US), they use sheets of a tough, impermeable plastic barrier in overlapping layers.

We had to replace our entire roof last year, including the roof deck.

Original poster
Rooferxoxo · 06/07/2020 16:39

@MissConductUS
If water is getting in the wooden roof deck has already started to rot

Good point

OP posts:
Worriedmum4 · 06/07/2020 17:00

Flat roofs are a complete nightmare . After years of leaking and bodging my dad built a sloping roof over the top of the felt one that fixed it

Coulddowithanap · 06/07/2020 19:43

We patched a leak on our flat roof with felt over the old stuff, but we are planning on redoing the whole roof in the next year.

Original poster
Rooferxoxo · 06/07/2020 21:05

#Coulddowithanap
We patched a leak on our flat roof with felt over the old stuff, but we are planning on redoing the whole roof in the next year

Did it do the trick and solve the leak?

OP posts:
Woodmarsh · 06/07/2020 21:22

Bodge job

Neron · 06/07/2020 22:28

It's a bodge job and you know it is. Patching it over until you have the buyers money then it is their problem to sort.

Abitofalark · 07/07/2020 00:43

@Worriedmum4

Flat roofs are a complete nightmare . After years of leaking and bodging my dad built a sloping roof over the top of the felt one that fixed it
In my case, it's literally a nightmare. Even though I sold that house over 20 years ago I still have a recurring dream about the roof. I'd had it stripped down, reinforced, a slight fall put on it and properly re-roofed. Still the anxiety never went away.
Original poster
Rooferxoxo · 07/07/2020 05:10

@Neron

It's a bodge job and you know it is. Patching it over until you have the buyers money then it is their problem to sort.
Thing is , I don't know or I wouldn't be asking. The roofer is presenting it as a legitimate method of fixing roof.
OP posts:
Original poster
Rooferxoxo · 07/07/2020 05:12

@Abitofalark

I can relate to your post. Countless sleepless nights over this flat roof already.

OP posts:
puzzledpiece · 07/07/2020 13:05

My son had his flat felted roof replaced with a fibreglass one Must longer lasting.

Ginkypig · 07/07/2020 13:12

It's only a workable solution if as said the wood underneath is unaffected (almost zero chance of that because you have noticed the leak which means water is already through)
And if the remaing felt is in good condition. Again unlikely because it's the same age and has experienced the same conditions as the part of the felt that has degraded to cause the leak.

Doesn't logic tell you that even without professional knowledge?

Original poster
Rooferxoxo · 07/07/2020 13:25

@Ginkypig

It's only a workable solution if as said the wood underneath is unaffected (almost zero chance of that because you have noticed the leak which means water is already through) And if the remaing felt is in good condition. Again unlikely because it's the same age and has experienced the same conditions as the part of the felt that has degraded to cause the leak.

Doesn't logic tell you that even without professional knowledge?

"@Ginkypig" Oh how sneery and superior are you? The obvious approach to this problem is to get a professional roofer to look at the job and advise, and then to check out roofer's recommended solution further. This exactly what we are currently doing. Based on the very helpful replies I received from other posters, we will no doubt get another roofer out.
OP posts:
Original poster
Rooferxoxo · 07/07/2020 13:32

@puzzledpiece

My son had his flat felted roof replaced with a fibreglass one Must longer lasting.
Thank you for this suggestion. Sounds interesting. Off to Google.Smile
OP posts:
Arnoldthecat · 07/07/2020 13:37

Sounds like a right bodge

2Seconddayt0day · 07/07/2020 13:41

EPDM rubber roof

Better than felt

Lasts longer

Original poster
Rooferxoxo · 07/07/2020 15:25

@2Seconddayt0day

EPDM rubber roof

Better than felt

Lasts longer

Sounds interesting. Thank you for this suggestion! Will check it out.
OP posts:
MissConductUS · 07/07/2020 18:15

We had this type of underlayment installed with our roof:

www.owenscorning.com/roofing/components/products?category%5B%5D=ice-water-barrier

Original poster
Rooferxoxo · 07/07/2020 20:21

[quote MissConductUS]We had this type of underlayment installed with our roof:

www.owenscorning.com/roofing/components/products?category%5B%5D=ice-water-barrier[/quote]
That looks good. Thank you for this link!

OP posts:
Ginkypig · 07/07/2020 21:11

I wasn't trying to be sneery. I genuinely wanted to know if you had thought about it yourself rather than trust someone who seems to be trying to rip you and any future owners off.

If you look at my posting history you will see that I am very rarely anything but nice or supportive and quite often defensive of posters who are getting treated badly on here.

I'm sorry if you were offended though.

User0ne · 07/07/2020 21:40

How big is the flat roof? Where o am they are around £80 per square meter to redo so not expensive in the scale of house buying/selling.

Also where is the roof broken? You can get repair tape which is good for reinforcing corners (though it makes it obvious that a new roof will be required soon.