Gillingham at a glance
- Postcode districts
- ME7, ME8
- Population
- about 101,187 (GeoNames)
- Council area
- Medway Council
- Building approval
- Medway Council building control, or a registered building control approver
- Nearest main town
- Maidstone, about 9 miles
- Guide price region
- South East (+10% on West Midlands rates)
Why choose torch-on felt roofing in Gillingham?
Torch-on felt suits property owners in Gillingham who want a dependable, layered roof without paying the top price per square metre. With two or three bonded layers, a single small defect in one sheet need not lead to a leak, which is a real advantage on larger roofs that are hard to inspect often.
In a large town like Gillingham, flat roofs are commonly found on lock-up garage blocks on estates or 1960s and 1970s link-detached houses with flat-roofed garages and porches. 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 torch-on felt roof cost in Gillingham?
For Gillingham we use South East rates: £1,650–£2,900 is the guide for a typical 18 m² garage roof in torch-on felt, VAT included. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
| Job | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Single garage (18 m²), torch-on felt | £1,650–£2,900 |
| Extension (20 m²), felt, new deck + insulation | £3,000–£5,150 |
| Block of flats (150 m²), felt + insulation + scaffold | £17,100–£29,900 |
| Single garage (18 m²), EPDM rubber | £1,750–£3,100 |
| Extension (20 m²), EPDM, new deck + insulation | £3,100–£5,350 |
How long does a torch-on felt roof last, and what is the guarantee?
A modern torch-on roof typically lasts 15 to 25 years, and high-performance systems with better membranes can last longer. That is a big step up from older felt roofs, which were often single-layer, unreinforced or poorly bonded.
What shortens the life of a felt roof is usually visible: mineral chippings worn away so the bitumen is exposed to sunlight, blisters where moisture was trapped, split laps, and upstands that have slumped or pulled away from the wall. Ponding speeds all of this up.
Manufacturer material guarantees are available on many specified torch-on systems; they often depend on a particular build-up and registration, which we handle where the system allows. Every re-roof also comes with our written workmanship guarantee, the length of which is stated in the quote, and insurance-backed options can be discussed. Our flat roof lifespan guide compares felt with the other systems.
What's included?
- Hot-works checks and fire watch on every torch-on job
- Vapour control layer and warm-roof insulation where needed
- Strip-off of the existing roof covering and removal of waste
- Deck inspection with replacement of damaged boards
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?
- Strood · 3 mi
- Gravesend · 8 mi
- Maidstone · 9 mi
- Sittingbourne · 9 mi
- Stanford-le-Hope · 10 mi
- Longfield · 11 mi
Torch-on felt roofing in Gillingham: questions
Do you cover Gillingham?
Yes. Gillingham is part of our Kent coverage, including postcode districts ME7, ME8. 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 Gillingham?
Where the work needs approval it goes to Medway 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 torch-on felt roof cost in Gillingham?
£1,650–£2,900 for a typical 18 m² garage roof in torch-on felt, at South East guide rates including VAT. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
Can I paint or coat an old felt roof?
Reflective or liquid coatings can extend the life of a sound felt roof, but they will not fix wet insulation, a rotten deck or poor falls. A survey shows whether coating or replacement makes more sense.
Can torch-on felt be laid in wet weather?
Not in rain or on a wet deck, because moisture trapped under the membrane causes blisters. Light cold weather is usually workable, but we will postpone rather than lay on a damp surface.