- Guide price
- £2,750–£4,800
- Survey
- Free for new and replacement roofs
- Quote
- Fixed, in writing
- Coverage
- England, Wales, Scotland, NI
Northamptonshire at a glance
- Largest towns
- Northampton, Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough
- Postcode areas
- NN
- Building control
- West Northamptonshire Council and North Northamptonshire Council
- Neighbouring areas
- Leicestershire · Bedfordshire · Warwickshire · Cambridgeshire
- Guide price region
- East Midlands (−2% on West Midlands rates)
How much does a warm roof upgrade cost in Northamptonshire?
Guide prices including VAT at East Midlands rates. 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 | £2,750–£4,800 |
| Extension (20 m²), EPDM with sedum green roof | £4,300–£7,900 |
Which flat roofs are common in Northamptonshire?
Flat roofs in Northamptonshire sit on lock-up garage blocks on estates, shops with flat-roofed rear stores below flats and terraced streets with flat-roofed rear kitchens and bathrooms. The East Midlands is drier than the west of Britain, so most flat roofs here fail through age, UV and poor detailing at upstands rather than sheer rainfall. Approximate 1991–2020 regional averages based on Met Office data.
Building regulations in England
Replacing more than half of a roof over a heated room usually counts as renovating a thermal element, so it is insulated to current standards and notified to building control. Renovated roofs over heated rooms are insulated to around 0.16 W/m²K where that's feasible, and new extension roofs are built to 0.15 W/m²K. In Northamptonshire the application goes to West Northamptonshire Council and North Northamptonshire Council. More on the rules.
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.
Will insulating the roof raise its height, and what about doors and upstands?
Yes. A warm roof makes the roof thicker, often by more than 100 mm depending on the insulation and the U-value target. That extra height is the main thing we plan around.
Waterproofing at a wall usually needs to rise about 150 mm above the finished roof surface, so if the roof gets higher, the upstand has to go higher too. That can be a problem where the roof meets a door threshold, a low window sill, a cavity tray or a rooflight kerb. At the edges, trims and fascias are reset to the new level, and gutters may need to move.
Where there isn't enough height, the options include using thinner, higher-performance insulation, lowering the deck where the structure allows, raising the sill or threshold, or, where it is genuinely not feasible to reach the full target, insulating as far as is reasonable and recording why with building control. We work this out at the survey so there are no surprises on the day.
Which towns in Northamptonshire do we cover?
Warm roof insulation upgrades in Northamptonshire: questions
Which towns in Northamptonshire do you cover?
All of Northamptonshire. The main towns have their own pages below, and if yours isn't listed we still cover it: send your postcode and we'll confirm.
How much does a warm roof upgrade cost in Northamptonshire?
£2,750–£4,800 for a 20 m² extension roof in EPDM with a new deck and insulation, at East Midlands guide rates including VAT. The fixed price comes after a free survey for new and replacement roofs.
Which council handles building control for a flat roof in Northamptonshire?
It depends on where the roof is: in Northamptonshire that's West Northamptonshire Council and North Northamptonshire Council. Replacing more than half of a roof over a heated room usually counts as renovating a thermal element, so it is insulated to current standards and notified to building control. We confirm which applies at the survey.
Is a warm roof worth it on a garage?
On a detached, unheated garage, usually not, as there is no heated space to protect and the thermal rules don't normally apply. On an integral or heated garage, or one being converted into a room, it is.
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.
Will a warm roof make my room warmer?
Usually, yes. A room under a poorly insulated flat roof loses less heat once the roof is upgraded and tends to feel more even in temperature. How much difference you notice depends on how the roof was built before.
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