Common Planning and Building Regulations Questions
Whether for aesthetic reasons or for repairs, re-roofing is a large project but it is also an opportunity to significantly upgrade the weatherproofing, insulation and appearance of your home.
If you are planning to re-roof your home or part of your home you may need to apply for building regulations approval before starting the job. This is not always the case, but it's worth asking your local government planning department if you do before you start the job.
Re-Roofing flat roofs
If you are going to repair a flat roof, you will not usually need buildings approval. However, if you are completely replacing the roof and changing the thermal insulation characteristics of the roof, you most likely will. Building regulations state that when any replacement of a flat roof takes place, the thermal element of the structure of the roof should be upgraded, so heat loss from the roof is negligible.
The three main options for flat roofs are torch-on felt, GRP based products and EPDM rubber based products.
Torch-on felt is the more modern replacement for traditional pour and roll bitumen weatherproofing and is much safer and neater. GRP systems are very secure and when installed by a competent roofer or skilled DIYer are simple, neat and can provide years of trouble-free protection. EPDM rubber based systems are very similar in performance and like GRP can give a beautiful neat finish to any roof.
Re-Roofing pitched roofs
If you are considering replacing the tiles on your roof with a different type or tile, made from a different material, you will usually need buildings approval. It's important to determine is the structure or integrity of the building will be compromised by adding a different tiling solution to the roof. For example, the stability of the roof may be compromised if the roofing material is much heavier than your previous roofing material. So this will need to be checked.
Profile tiles can be used in place of plain tiles to help reduce the weight of the roof and if you are installing, or already have windows in your roof, flashing kits are available to fit any type of roof.
When replacing your pitched roof the opportunity should be taken to upgrade the insulation and the breathable membrane to reduce heat loss while reducing condensation and moisture buildup. Modern hybrid insulation like Actis Boost'R Hybrid can do both jobs and are incredibly easy to install.
