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 upgrade to a warm roof in Gillingham?
Many flat-roofed extensions and dormers in Gillingham were built with little or no insulation, or with a cold roof that was never properly ventilated. Those rooms are often hard to heat in winter and can suffer condensation, mould and, in time, a rotten deck.
Gillingham's flat roofs are mostly on 1930s semis with flat-roofed garages and kitchen extensions, with plenty on shops with flat-roofed rear stores below flats 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 warm roof upgrade cost in Gillingham?
For Gillingham we use South East rates: £3,100–£5,350 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 | £3,100–£5,350 |
| Extension (20 m²), EPDM with sedum green roof | £4,850–£8,900 |
Do I have to insulate my flat roof when I replace it?
Usually, yes, if the roof is over a heated room and you are replacing more than half of its covering. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, that counts as renovating a thermal element, so the roof should be upgraded to the renovation standard where that is technically, functionally and economically feasible.
The rules don't usually apply to patch repairs, or to an unheated, detached garage. The target U-value depends on where you live:
| Nation | Roof renovation target |
|---|---|
| England | 0.16 W/m²K (homes), 0.18 (non-domestic) |
| Wales | 0.16 W/m²K |
| Scotland | Section 6 framework, with a domestic benchmark of 0.12 W/m²K pursued as far as reasonably practicable |
| Northern Ireland | 0.18 W/m²K |
A new extension roof has a tighter target than a renovation: 0.15 in England and 0.13 in Wales. The economic test in England's guidance is a simple payback within 15 years. We handle building control or building standards where it is needed. The building regulations page sets out the approval routes in each nation.
What's included?
- New waterproofing, with a written workmanship guarantee
- Vapour control layer on the warm side of the insulation
- Survey of the deck, joists and existing insulation
- Rigid insulation boards sized to the U-value target
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
Warm roof insulation upgrades 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 warm roof upgrade cost in Gillingham?
£3,100–£5,350 for a 20 m² extension roof in EPDM with a new deck and insulation, at South East guide rates including VAT. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
Can you insulate a flat roof from inside instead?
It is possible, but insulating between or under the joists creates a cold roof, which needs ventilation and carries a higher condensation risk. When the roof is being re-covered anyway, a warm roof from above is usually the better option.
Does a warm roof stop condensation?
It greatly reduces the risk by keeping the deck warm and placing a vapour control layer on the warm side. Good ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms below still helps.