Brandon Roofers provides commercial roofing in Feltwell and the surrounding area, covering flat roof replacement, large-scale felt systems, single-ply membranes, and ongoing maintenance for industrial units, retail premises, warehouses, and office buildings.
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Commercial roofing is a different discipline from domestic work. The roof areas are larger, the systems more varied, and the consequences of getting it wrong - water ingress into stock, equipment, or working areas - are more serious. We work on industrial units, retail premises, warehouses, and office buildings in and around Feltwell, operating safely at height using the correct access equipment for each job.
The most common systems on commercial roofs are built-up felt (also called BUR), torch-on felt, single-ply membranes such as EPDM rubber, and standing-seam or profiled metal. Each has its own lifespan, failure modes, and repair logic. Understanding which system your building has is the first step to getting the right advice.
We can schedule commercial roofing work outside normal trading hours - early mornings, evenings, or weekends - where disruption to your business or tenants needs to be kept to a minimum.
Torch-on felt (two or three-layer systems) remains one of the most widely used flat roof coverings on commercial buildings. It is straightforward to repair and replace, and when laid correctly over adequate insulation, a quality torch-on system typically performs for 15 to 25 years before full replacement is needed. Replacement costs for torch-on felt on commercial roofs in this region generally run between £35 and £60 per square metre, depending on the number of layers, the deck condition, and the amount of insulation required.
EPDM rubber membranes are increasingly specified on commercial buildings where a seamless, waterproof finish is the priority. A single-ply EPDM system applied by an experienced installer can perform for 30 years or more before it requires full replacement. Installation costs are broadly similar to torch-on felt, though the material cost is higher and there are fewer joints to fail over time.
Metal roofing - profiled steel or standing seam - is standard on many agricultural and industrial buildings. Repairs typically involve replacing individual sheets, sealing laps, or treating rust. Full re-roofing in metal is priced per square metre of coverage and varies considerably with sheet profile and thickness.
Any price you are quoted for commercial roofing should specify the system, the number of layers, the insulation specification, and whether the deck requires repair or replacement before the new covering goes on. If a quote does not include this detail, ask for it before you agree to anything.
This is the section most commercial property owners do not think about until something goes wrong. Choosing the wrong contractor for a commercial roof can cost far more than getting the specification right first time. The questions below are the ones worth asking before you sign anything.
Commercial roofing covers a wide range of systems, and a contractor who is competent on torch-on felt may have little experience with single-ply membranes or metal roofing. Ask specifically whether they have worked on buildings with the same system as yours. Ask how many commercial projects they have completed in the last year, and whether they can provide references from commercial clients - not just domestic ones.
There is a meaningful difference between a roofer who occasionally takes on a flat-roof extension and one whose main workload is commercial buildings. The latter will have the access equipment, the risk assessment processes, and the site management experience that larger jobs demand.
Working at height on commercial buildings requires either scaffolding, a mobile elevated work platform (MEWP), or a properly rigged rope access system, depending on the height and configuration of the structure. Ask what access equipment they plan to use and who supplies it. A contractor who plans to use ladders alone on a large commercial flat roof is not approaching the job safely.
Find out whether access equipment is included in the quoted price or whether it will be added as a separate cost. On a large commercial job, scaffold or MEWP hire can add several thousand pounds to the overall cost. You need to know this before you agree to proceed.
A proper commercial roofing quote is a written specification, not a figure on a piece of paper. It should state the existing system, the proposed replacement system, the number of layers, the insulation value (U-value) where relevant, the condition of the deck and whether any remedial work is included, and the anticipated programme of work. If a contractor provides a verbal estimate or a one-line quote, ask for the full specification in writing before you compare prices.
Written specifications matter because they are the document you rely on if the finished work does not match what was agreed. Without one, disputes about what was included are extremely difficult to resolve.
Ask directly how the contractor plans to manage noise, dust, access restrictions, and working hours. On occupied commercial premises, this is not a minor consideration. A torch-on felt installation involves open flame and bitumen fumes; a metal re-roof involves significant noise. If your business operates during standard hours, find out whether the contractor is willing to work outside them and whether that flexibility is included in the quoted price or charged as an additional cost.
Find out also who your point of contact will be throughout the job. On larger commercial projects, the person who quotes the work is often not the person who manages it on site. Knowing who is responsible for day-to-day decisions saves a great deal of confusion once work starts.
Manufacturers of single-ply membranes and quality felt systems often provide product warranties that are separate from any workmanship arrangement. Ask which specific manufacturer's product is being used and what warranty that manufacturer offers on the material itself. This is information a competent contractor should be able to give you without hesitation.
Note that a materials warranty from the manufacturer and any workmanship arrangement from the contractor are two separate things. Do not assume one covers the other. Ask clearly what each covers and what you would need to do to make a claim under either.
Commercial roofing projects above a certain size and duration trigger specific requirements under construction health and safety legislation. Ask whether the contractor produces a written method statement and risk assessment for the work, and whether they have a designated site supervisor. On larger projects, ask whether a Construction Phase Plan is required and who is responsible for producing it.
These are not bureaucratic formalities. They are the documents that protect you as the client if something goes wrong on site. A contractor who is uncomfortable with these questions is signalling that their approach to commercial work may not meet the standard you should expect.
Not all commercial roofing projects can shut the building down. On an occupied retail unit or a warehouse with live stock, the roof replacement may need to be phased so that sections of the building remain weathertight throughout. Ask how the contractor plans to sequence the work to maintain weather protection, and what happens if rain interrupts the programme before a new covering is fully sealed.
This is a practical question that separates contractors with real commercial experience from those who are less familiar with occupied building projects. The answer tells you a great deal about how the job will actually be managed.
Before any commercial roofing work is priced, a thorough survey of the existing roof is essential. A good survey should identify the current system and its condition, the condition of the deck beneath, the level of insulation and whether it meets current building regulation standards, the position and condition of outlets, gutters, upstands, rooflights, and any penetrations through the roof surface. It should also note any areas of ponding water and whether the falls on the roof are adequate.
A survey that takes less than 30 minutes on a roof of any significant size is almost certainly missing detail that will affect the final price or the quality of the finished job. Ask the contractor to walk you through their findings before they produce a quote.
If you have a commercial building in Feltwell that needs a roof survey, a repair, or a full replacement, call us to arrange a site visit. We will survey the roof, explain what we find, and provide a written specification and price before you commit to anything.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
