Washington at a glance
- Postcode districts
- NE37, NE38
- Population
- about 67,085 (GeoNames)
- Council area
- Sunderland City Council
- Building approval
- Sunderland City Council building control, or a registered building control approver
- Nearest main town
- Sunderland, about 5 miles
- Guide price region
- North East (−7% on West Midlands rates)
Why choose a green roof in Washington?
In a place like Washington, many people look out over a flat extension or garage roof from upstairs. Grey felt or rubber isn't much of a view, and a sedum roof turns it into something green that changes colour through the seasons and flowers in summer.
Washington's flat roofs are mostly on 1960s and 1970s link-detached houses with flat-roofed garages and porches, with plenty on shops with flat-roofed rear stores below flats too. England averages roughly 870 mm of rain a year; the North East is drier than the west but cold and windy near the coast, so wind uplift and freeze-thaw are in the specification.
How much does a green roof cost in Washington?
Guide price in Washington: £4,100–£7,500 for a 20 m² insulated extension roof finished as a sedum green roof, including VAT at North East rates. 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 | £4,100–£7,500 |
| Extension (20 m²), EPDM, new deck + insulation | £2,600–£4,550 |
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
- Root-resistant membrane or separate root barrier
- Pre-grown sedum blankets laid and watered in
- Gravel strips kept clear around edges and outlets
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?
- Chester-le-Street · 4 mi
- Felling · 4 mi
- Houghton-Le-Spring · 5 mi
- Sunderland · 5 mi
- Jarrow · 6 mi
- Wallsend · 6 mi
Green and sedum roofs in Washington: questions
Do you cover Washington?
Yes. Washington is part of our Tyne and Wear coverage, including postcode districts NE37, NE38. 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 Washington?
Where the work needs approval it goes to Sunderland City 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 Washington?
£4,100–£7,500 for a 20 m² insulated extension roof finished as a sedum green roof, at North East guide rates including VAT. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
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.
What happens if a green roof needs repairing?
The green layers are lifted around the problem area, the membrane is repaired, and the layers are relaid. Building on a sound, long-life membrane in the first place keeps that to a minimum.