Lewes at a glance
- Postcode districts
- BN7
- Population
- about 17,297 (GeoNames)
- Council area
- Lewes District Council
- Building approval
- Lewes District Council building control, or a registered building control approver
- Nearest main town
- Brighton, about 7 miles
- Guide price region
- South East (+10% on West Midlands rates)
When does a garage roof in Lewes need replacing?
If your garage in Lewes has an old cement sheet roof, it will eventually crack and let in water. Any suspected asbestos is tested and removed by a licensed specialist first, then the garage can be given new timbers, a deck and a modern membrane that should last for decades with sensible maintenance.
Lewes's flat roofs are mostly on 1930s semis with flat-roofed garages and kitchen extensions, with plenty on bungalows with flat-roofed side extensions and dormers too. Much of the South East sits in the drier Thames catchment at roughly 730 mm of rain a year, so the usual failures are at joints, upstands and outlets rather than from sheer volume of rain.
How much does a new garage roof cost in Lewes?
Guide price in Lewes: £1,750–£3,100 for a typical 18 m² garage roof in EPDM, including VAT at South East rates. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
| Job | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Single garage (18 m²), EPDM rubber | £1,750–£3,100 |
| Single garage (18 m²), torch-on felt | £1,650–£2,900 |
| Single garage (18 m²), GRP fibreglass | £1,950–£3,600 |
| Extension (20 m²), GRP, new deck + insulation | £3,300–£5,900 |
Do I need planning permission or building regulations for a garage roof?
Usually not for planning, and often not for building regulations either, if the garage is detached and unheated. Re-covering a roof without materially changing its appearance does not normally need a planning application.
An unheated detached garage is not normally a thermal element, so the insulation rules for renovated roofs do not usually apply. That changes if the garage is attached and heated, used as a room, or being converted. A new roof covering that adds 15% or more to the existing weight, or any structural change, still needs building control approval in England. Wales has its own threshold for re-roofing, Scotland works through building standards and NI through district council building control.
Listed buildings and conservation areas can bring extra controls. We confirm what applies at survey and handle approvals where they are needed; our building regulations page covers the detail.
What's included?
- Strip-out of old felt, chippings and waste
- Replacement of soft or swollen deck boards
- Gutter or outlet renewed where the old one has failed
- Written workmanship guarantee, with material guarantees registered where available
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?
Garage roofs in Lewes: questions
Do you cover Lewes?
Yes. Lewes is part of our East Sussex coverage, including postcode districts BN7. 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 Lewes?
Where the work needs approval it goes to Lewes District 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 new garage roof cost in Lewes?
£1,750–£3,100 for a typical 18 m² garage roof in EPDM, at South East guide rates including VAT. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
Can you put a new roof on a garage with a cement sheet roof?
Yes, once any suspected asbestos has been tested and removed by a licensed specialist. The garage then usually needs new timbers and a deck before the new membrane goes on.
How long does a garage roof last?
It depends on the system. As indicative figures, EPDM lasts 25–50 years, GRP 20–40 and modern torch-on felt 15–25, with good specification and maintenance.