Commercial Roof Repair, Coating and Replacement: what the job involves and who is registered to do it

How commercial roofing works

1. Survey the fabric, including the fixings. A metal roof usually fails at the laps, the fasteners and the cut edges long before the sheet itself goes. A survey that reports the condition of those three things is what tells you whether coating is realistic.
2. Price the four options against remaining life. Repair buys a season, cut edge corrosion treatment and coating can buy a decade on a sound sheet, an overlay adds a new system over the old one without stripping, and replacement resets the clock. The right one depends on how long the occupier needs the building.
3. Plan the work around the occupier. Weekend and out-of-hours working, temporary weatherproofing at the end of each shift, and a plan for what happens if it rains at four o'clock are what separate a commercial roofing contractor from a domestic one.
4. Treat every roof as fragile until proven otherwise. Rooflights and ageing sheets are the classic fragile surfaces, and falls through them are a recurring cause of death in this trade. Access equipment, netting and a permit system are part of the price, not an upsell.
5. Keep the paperwork the insurer will ask for. Guarantees, the specification, the fire performance of what was installed and the date it was done are what a broker asks for at renewal and what a purchaser's surveyor asks for at sale.

Insurance and paperwork

Common questions

Is coating a metal roof a real alternative to replacing it?

On a sheet whose corrosion is confined to cut edges and fixings, a treatment and coating system is a recognised way to extend service life without stripping. On a sheet that has perforated in the field, it is a way to spend money twice.

Can a commercial roof be replaced while the building is occupied?

Usually yes, in bays, with the roof made watertight at the end of each working period. It costs more per square metre than an empty building and less than closing.

Who certifies commercial roofing work?

Where the work is controlled under the Building Regulations, either building control or a contractor registered on a competent person scheme signs it off. Many commercial roofing systems also carry a manufacturer guarantee that depends on an approved installer.

Registered contractors by region

• Registered roofers in the East Midlands postcode area
• Registered roofers in the East of England postcode area
• Registered roofers in the London postcode area
• Registered roofers in the North East postcode area
• Registered roofers in the North West postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Scotland postcode area
• Registered roofers in the South East postcode area
• Registered roofers in the South West postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Wales postcode area
• Registered roofers in the West Midlands postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Yorkshire and The Humber postcode area