Cambridge Roofers provides commercial roofing in Royston for offices, warehouses, retail units and light industrial buildings, covering repairs, flat roof replacement and full pitched re-roofs.
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Cost is almost always the first question a commercial property manager or business owner asks about roofing work. The honest answer is that commercial roofing prices vary considerably, and a price without a proper survey behind it is rarely worth the paper it is on. What this page does is set out the main factors that drive cost up or down, so you can understand why quotes differ, ask the right questions, and budget realistically before anyone comes to look at your roof in Royston.
The figures below reflect typical UK commercial roofing costs at current material and labour rates. Every job is different, and only a survey of your specific building will give you an accurate number.
The most obvious cost driver is simply the size of the roof. Commercial roofing is typically priced per square metre for the main covering. A flat roof replacement using a torch-on felt system currently runs at roughly £60 to £100 per square metre, including stripping the old covering and disposing of it. EPDM rubber membrane replacement typically costs £80 to £120 per square metre. These ranges cover installation of the main field only - add-ons for drainage, upstands and penetrations are priced separately.
For pitched commercial roofs using concrete or clay tile, a full re-roof typically costs £80 to £140 per square metre depending on tile specification and roof complexity. Natural slate is higher - typically £120 to £200 per square metre or more depending on the slate quality and the complexity of the roof.
Access has a significant effect on cost. A single-storey commercial building that can be reached with a tower scaffold or mobile platform costs less to work on than a multi-storey building requiring full tube-and-fitting scaffold on all elevations. Scaffold erection and hire for a typical commercial job adds several hundred to several thousand pounds depending on the scale, and this should be clearly set out in any quote you receive.
On a flat roof, the cost of stripping the old covering and disposing of it is part of the project cost. Old built-up felt, especially multiple layers, takes time to strip and the arisings need to go to a licensed waste facility. For profiled sheet roofs on industrial buildings, the sheets themselves are bulky and heavy, and disposal adds to the programme and cost.
If the survey establishes that it is appropriate to go over the existing covering rather than strip it - sometimes the case with a single layer of felt in sound condition - the stripping cost drops away. But going over without stripping is not always appropriate, and should only be done if the deck and existing layer are confirmed to be dry and sound. A roofer who recommends going over without giving a clear reason is worth pressing for detail.
This is the factor that can change a commercial roofing budget most significantly, and it is the one least visible before work starts. When old covering is stripped, the condition of the deck or roof structure underneath becomes clear for the first time. Timber flat roof decking that has been subject to water ingress is often soft or partially rotten and needs replacing before the new covering goes on. Rafter sections on a pitched roof that have had water tracking over them for years may need cutting out and splicing.
On a large commercial building, even a relatively small percentage of the deck area needing replacement adds real cost - new timber, extra labour, more skips. A thorough initial survey can reduce but not eliminate this uncertainty, because some damage only becomes visible when the covering is removed.
A sensible approach is to ask your contractor what happens if structural problems are found mid-job. A clear answer - with a sense of what replacement boarding or rafters might add per square metre - lets you budget for the worst case rather than be caught out by it.
Lead flashings at abutments, chimney stacks, parapet walls and around roof penetrations are priced separately from the main covering. On a commercial building with several abutments, multiple pipe penetrations and a parapet around the roof perimeter, the lead and detailing element of the job can be a material part of the total cost. Expect leadwork to be priced by the metre for simple runs, or as a fixed item for chimney stacks and complex junctions.
Drainage work - new outlets, extended downpipes, gutter replacement - is also priced separately. On a large commercial roof, correctly sized and positioned outlets matter both for the roof's performance and for the building's drainage compliance. Undersized guttering on a commercial building is a common problem and replacing it adds to the project cost but pays back quickly by preventing wall and soffit damage.
Fascia and soffit replacement, where needed, is typically priced per linear metre. UPVC is the standard choice for commercial buildings; cast iron or timber may be used where the building's character calls for it, at higher cost.
Planned work is almost always cheaper than emergency work. A roof that fails in winter and needs emergency attention involves weekend rates, urgent material sourcing and temporary waterproofing costs that all add to the bill.
Doing related work at the same time reduces overall cost. If gutters, fascias and leadwork all need attention, having them done alongside a re-roofing project means the scaffold is only hired once and the site is mobilised once. Returning separately to do guttering six months after a re-roof means paying for access again.
Choosing the right material for the building's life expectancy also affects long-term cost. A cheap felt system on a roof that will be in service for 30 years will need replacing sooner than a better-specified EPDM or quality tile covering, and the total cost over the building's life is higher even if the upfront price is lower.
The most useful thing you can do before requesting quotes for commercial roofing in Royston is to have the roof properly surveyed first. A survey report that identifies the condition of the deck, the extent of any damage, and the scope of associated work - gutters, flashings, fascias - gives every contractor quoting on the job the same information, which makes quotes genuinely comparable.
Without that foundation, quotes can differ by thousands of pounds not because contractors charge differently, but because they have made different assumptions about what they will find when the old covering comes off.
We carry out commercial roofing in Royston and across the wider area, including Cambridge, Saffron Walden, Newmarket, St Ives, Ely and neighbouring towns and villages. Call Cambridge Roofers to arrange a straightforward assessment of your commercial roof - we will give you a clear view of what the roof actually needs and what it is likely to cost before any work is agreed.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
