Can you tell me about your flat roof please?

[LoveItOrListIt]

Planning a side double storey extension. Architect has designed two options, one with flat roof, one with pitched. They are recommending flat due to cost. Seems the pitched adds on £££ to align into existing roof. I’ve always been a bit nervous of flat roofs (leaks, aesthetics) however budget is tight.

If you got a flat roof side extension….did you regret it? Have you had any bother with leaks, drainage etc?

this guide might be helpful to you - www.nfrc.co.uk/using-a-member/request-homeowners-guide-to-roof-work - the NFRC are the trade body for roofing :)

Will take a look thanks!

I would never buy anywhere with a flat roof again - ours has been nothing but trouble and we have all sorts of clauses in our buildings insurance about getting it inspected every few years.

Our kitchen is in an extension with a flat roof. We replaced it when we moved in a few years ago and haven’t had any issues since then. The only reason it needed replacing was that the house was let before we bought it and the tenants hadn’t cleaned the gutters so a pile of leaves, moss etc blocking the gutter drainage eventually caused a leak. I was pretty afraid of flat roofs before moving here but now they wouldn’t phase me. In fact they are a lovely opportunity for a green roof if you factor that into your plans.

Ours is great- less than ten years and neighbours have copied us

Depends on the type of roof covering and whether the builders get the slight slope for drainage right, I think.
No issues with ours so far (6 yrs and counting).

If the side extension is visible from the front of the property then the council may not grant planning permission for a flat roof, it may depend on the houses nearby. Has anyone else nearby got a flat roof side extension? You can check your council planning site to look at plans granted permission, even if they've not yet been built.

I am moving out of our 1960s semi with flat roof - we had zero problems. We lived here 12 years. Buyers' survey did not identify any problem with it either. There is a lot of suspicion in this country re: flat roof but they can be great! Ours is!

My house has a flat roofed bit at the front, which is part of the design and has been in place since the 60s, and a flat roof extension at the back which has been in place since before planning permission was a thing so 70s we reckon. Neither has given me any issues, and while I have to declare it to insurance there are no clauses and my insurance is quite reasonably priced.

I replaced the old original tar and gravel finish on the front part with fibreglass a couple of years ago because the base boards were deteriorating but not yet leaking.

Modern fibreglass is really good and mine came with a 20yr guarantee. I think as long as it's done correctly they are not a problem.

Our current house has a flat roof extension (existed when we bought) and while there aren't particular issues there is a fair amount of ponding when we have a lot of rain and I always worry about it. I'm not sure it was done properly though!
I do think it puts some buyers off and if I had an extension done myself I would fork out for a pitched roof if I possibly could...

Thanks all…mixed bag I see! I’m wondering the cost difference….anyone any insights into this? We are planning a single story out the back and oddly I’m fine with that having a flat roof…but the side extension will be visible. There is precedent with a few other houses on the street having flat roof side extensions…I’m not sure I love the look of them however…but we desperately need the upstairs space.

Flat roof materials were not good many years ago and little or no maintenance was carried out regularly which has led to the bad reputation of the flat roof.

Modern materials are much better now. You don't get the problems you used to unless they are not fitted correctly.

I work in construction mainly dealing with domestic clients and deal with numerous house extensions every year and I chose a flat roof for my own extension.

I wouldn't worry about a flat roof if you want one.

Pretty much what a surveyor freind was telling me when I mentioned the house we've bought has one - one which was redone not long ago in the previous owners' time only to have to be repaired shortly after - I suspect it was a cheap and nasty job they had done. In our case, it fits to the old slate roof really badly anyway, so we're having it stripped off and a pitched roof put on in slate to mesh with the slate roof, but only because we're re-slating the main roof anyway so it seemed sensible to do it at the same time. We're taking the opportunity to open up the new pitched roof space to the room as well, as the way the old flat one was fitted -sort of tucked under the slate roof- meant the inside ceiling of the flat roof was very low.