Rickmansworth at a glance
- Postcode districts
- WD3
- Population
- about 25,413 (GeoNames)
- Council area
- Three Rivers District Council
- Building approval
- Three Rivers District Council building control, or a registered building control approver
- Nearest main town
- Watford, about 4 miles
- Guide price region
- East of England (+5% on West Midlands rates)
Why choose a green roof in Rickmansworth?
Small commercial buildings and blocks in Rickmansworth with a flat roof sometimes add an extensive green roof as part of a refurbishment. The structural check and safe access for maintenance matter even more on these larger roofs, which may need edge protection or fall-arrest points for each visit.
Rickmansworth's flat roofs are mostly on 1960s and 1970s link-detached houses with flat-roofed garages and porches, with plenty on low-rise post-war blocks of flats too. The East of England is the driest part of Britain, with parts of the Anglian region around 630 mm a year, so summer heat and UV, not rainfall, do most of the ageing on a felt roof.
How much does a green roof cost in Rickmansworth?
At East of England guide rates, a 20 m² insulated extension roof finished as a sedum green roof comes to £4,650–£8,500 including VAT. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
| Job | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Extension (20 m²), EPDM with sedum green roof | £4,650–£8,500 |
| Extension (20 m²), EPDM, new deck + insulation | £2,950–£5,150 |
Can a green roof go on my existing flat roof?
Only if the existing waterproofing is sound, root-resistant or protected by a root barrier, and has plenty of life left. In most cases it makes more sense to lay a green roof as part of a replacement.
Once the sedum, substrate and drainage layers are down, the membrane underneath is hard to inspect and expensive to repair, because the green layers have to be lifted to get to it. Putting a green roof on an ageing covering risks paying for the greenery twice. Our repair or replace guide helps you judge whether your current roof is a sensible base.
As for planning, re-covering a house roof normally needs no application if its appearance doesn't change materially. Because a green roof does change how a roof looks, check with your council, especially for listed buildings, conservation areas and roofs that are easily seen. The planning guide has more.
What's included?
- Structural check of joists, deck and supports
- Warm or inverted build-up to suit the roof
- Drainage layer, filter and lightweight growing medium
- Pre-grown sedum blankets laid and watered in
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?
- Watford · 4 mi
- Chalfont Saint Peter · 4 mi
- Gerrards Cross · 5 mi
- Bushey · 5 mi
- Amersham · 6 mi
- Chesham · 7 mi
Green and sedum roofs in Rickmansworth: questions
Do you cover Rickmansworth?
Yes. Rickmansworth is part of our Hertfordshire coverage, including postcode districts WD3. 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 Rickmansworth?
Where the work needs approval it goes to Three Rivers 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 green roof cost in Rickmansworth?
£4,650–£8,500 for a 20 m² insulated extension roof finished as a sedum green roof, at East of England guide rates including VAT. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
Can I walk on a green roof?
Only for maintenance, and only where it is safe. Most extensive green roofs on homes aren't designed as roof terraces, and a terrace generally needs planning permission and edge protection.
Can you put a green roof on a pitched roof?
We install green roofs on flat roofs only. Sloping green roofs need extra restraint to stop the growing medium slipping, and they are a specialist job outside our work.