Flat roofs in Waterford.
A flat roof is not flat. It is a gentle slope that has to carry water to an outlet, and nearly every flat roof that leaks has stopped doing that. We fix the fall as well as the surface.
Water sitting on the roof is the problem
Most flat roofs on Irish houses sit over a kitchen extension, a garage or a dormer. They are rarely the original roof, they are usually quite small, and the people who put them on were often in a hurry. The result is a surface that was never laid to a proper fall, so after rain it holds puddles in the same places for days.
Standing water is what ages a flat roof. It sits on seams and upstands, freezes and thaws, grows a film of algae and slowly gets through. When the leak finally shows indoors it is often far from where the water went in, because the deck underneath carries it along.
The two coverings we lay are EPDM, a single rubber sheet that is cut to the roof and bonded down, and GRP, a fibreglass-reinforced finish that sets hard and seamless. Both can last for decades if the deck beneath is dry and falls to an outlet. Which one suits your roof depends on its shape, the number of penetrations and the state of the boards.
Before any covering goes on we check the deck. Soft or stained boards are cut out and renewed, falls are built up with tapered insulation where they are missing, and the upstands at walls and chimneys are formed so the edges cannot lift. A flat roof laid over a wet or sagging deck is a flat roof that comes back.
What can be done with a flat roof.
EPDM re-cover
A single rubber membrane, bonded to a sound deck and finished with neat edge trims. Quick to lay and forgiving of movement.
GRP re-cover
A seamless fibreglass roof that suits awkward shapes, small areas and roofs people walk on.
Deck repair
Rotten or soft boards cut out and replaced so the new covering sits on something solid.
Building a fall
Tapered boards or insulation so water runs to the outlet instead of lying in the middle.
Upstands and flashings
The vertical edge where roof meets wall is formed higher and finished in lead or the same membrane.
Outlets and rainwater
New outlets or a larger one where the old one cannot cope, joined to the downpipe.
What each price takes in.
The quote is one fixed sum, so the bill at the end matches the paper you signed.
Included in every job
Quoted separately
What this usually costs.
| Service | Indicative price (2026) | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Roof (EPDM / GRP) | €90–€140 per m² | 2–5 days |
These are 2026 guide ranges and not a quotation. How big and steep the roof is, what it is covered with, how we get to it and the state of the timber beneath all shift the figure. What you pay is the sum written down after the survey, and 13.5% VAT is added for homes.
From the first look to the handover.
Survey
The covering, the deck and the outlets are looked at, and the fall is checked.
Written price
A fixed figure by the square metre, with the deck work shown separately if it is needed.
Strip and rebuild
Old covering off, deck made sound, fall built and the new membrane laid and sealed.
Check
Edges and outlets are tested, the site is cleared and the guarantee is issued.
What Waterford homeowners ask us.
How much does a flat roof cost?
The 2026 guide is €90–€140 per square metre plus VAT, laid in EPDM or GRP, taking 2–5 days. Deck repairs and a built-up fall are the usual reasons a roof lands at the upper end.
EPDM or GRP: which is better?
Neither always wins. EPDM suits larger, simple shapes and is quick to lay. GRP suits small, awkward roofs and ones that get walked on. The survey decides.
Can a leaking flat roof be patched?
Sometimes, if the covering is young and the leak is at one clear point. On an older surface that ponds, patches rarely last and the saving is lost.
How long does a flat roof last?
Both coverings can last for decades when laid on a sound deck with a proper fall. The deck and the detailing at the edges matter more than the brand.
Can I put solar panels or a rooflight in?
Often yes, but it is planned before the covering goes down so the penetrations are sealed correctly. Mention it at the survey.
Will the work disrupt the house?
Not much. It happens on top of the building, the old covering is taken away in bags, and the room below stays in use.
Related roofing jobs.
Lead Flashing & Chimneys
Lead renewed at every junction of roof and wall or stack, and chimneys repaired so they no longer soak up the rain.
Roof Inspections
A written report with photographs, from the slope and the attic, setting out what the roof needs and what it can do without.
Commercial Roofing
Shop, office, unit and yard roofs that are flat or low in pitch, kept watertight without halting the working week.
From the city to the coast, we work throughout Waterford. Surveys are free, quotes are fixed and written, and the finished work is guaranteed on paper.
Get your roof
looked at.
Tell us what the roof is doing and roughly where in Waterford it is. Someone looks at it for free and a fixed written price follows. Send the form below.