Shirley at a glance
- Postcode districts
- B90
- Population
- about 32,000 (GeoNames)
- Council area
- Solihull Council
- Building approval
- Solihull Council building control, or a registered building control approver
- Nearest main town
- Solihull, about 2 miles
- Guide price region
- West Midlands (baseline rates)
When should a flat roof in Shirley be replaced?
Selling or letting a property in Shirley can also prompt a replacement. A buyer's surveyor will usually flag a flat roof near the end of its life, and a recent replacement with written workmanship and material guarantees answers that question before it turns into a negotiation point.
Around Shirley, flat roofs are common on shops with flat-roofed rear stores below flats and on 1960s and 1970s link-detached houses with flat-roofed garages and porches. England averages roughly 870 mm of rain a year and the West Midlands sits close to that, so falls and outlets are the difference between a roof that drains and one that ponds.
How much does a flat roof replacement cost in Shirley?
For Shirley we use West Midlands rates: £2,800–£4,900 is the guide for a 20 m² extension roof in EPDM with a new deck and insulation, VAT included. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
| Job | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Extension (20 m²), EPDM, new deck + insulation | £2,800–£4,900 |
| Single garage (18 m²), torch-on felt | £1,500–£2,600 |
| Extension (20 m²), GRP, new deck + insulation | £3,000–£5,400 |
| Single garage (18 m²), EPDM rubber | £1,600–£2,800 |
Should I overlay my old flat roof or strip it fully?
Strip it fully if the deck is soft, the insulation is wet or the falls are wrong; an overlay only suits a dry, sound roof that already drains well. Covering a wet roof traps the moisture, and rot carries on out of sight.
An overlay also raises the roof level, eating into upstand height at walls and door thresholds, and every layer adds weight. In England, a covering that adds 15% or more to the roof's weight needs building control approval. Signs it is time to replace rather than repair:
- ponding that lingers long after rain
- blisters, cracking or crazing across wide areas
- bare bitumen where the mineral chippings have gone
- split laps and lifted upstands or flashings
- damp ceilings, or a deck that has gone soft
- leaks that return after each repair
A single defect on an otherwise dry roof can usually be put right with a repair. If you're unsure, a survey settles it, and our guides to overlay or strip and repair or replace go further.
What's included?
- Building control handled where needed, plus a written workmanship guarantee
- New membrane, upstands, edge trims and outlets
- New deck, firrings and warm-roof insulation where needed
- Free survey of the deck, falls, edges and insulation
Building regulations in England
Replacing more than half of a flat roof over a heated room usually counts as renovating a thermal element, so the roof is insulated to around 0.16 W/m²K where that's technically and economically feasible, and the work is notified to building control: the council or a registered building control approver, unless a registered competent person self-certifies it. A roof on a new extension is built to 0.15 W/m²K. Patch repairs, and most unheated detached garages, don't trigger the upgrade. Structural changes, or a new covering that adds 15% or more to the roof's weight, also need approval. More on the rules.
Which nearby areas do we also cover?
- Solihull · 2 mi
- Acocks Green · 3 mi
- Birmingham · 6 mi
- Washwood Heath · 6 mi
- Bartley Green · 8 mi
- Smethwick · 8 mi
Flat roof replacement in Shirley: questions
Do you cover Shirley?
Yes. Shirley is part of our West Midlands coverage, including postcode districts B90. Surveys and roofs are carried out by vetted roofing teams working under S&K Property Investments and Improvement Ltd.
Who checks building regulations for a flat roof in Shirley?
Where the work needs approval it goes to Solihull Council building control, or a registered building control approver. We tell you at the survey whether your job needs it and deal with the paperwork as part of the quote.
How much does a flat roof replacement cost in Shirley?
£2,800–£4,900 for a 20 m² extension roof in EPDM with a new deck and insulation, at West Midlands guide rates including VAT. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
Is VAT charged on a flat roof replacement?
Yes, roof replacement is standard-rated at 20%, and an insulated replacement is treated as a single supply. Our guide prices already include VAT.
Can you replace just part of a flat roof?
Sometimes, if the rest is sound and dry. Renovating more than half of a roof over a heated room usually brings the whole roof under the insulation rules, so a full replacement can make more sense.