Cambridge Roofers carries out commercial roofing in Sawston for offices, warehouses, retail units and light industrial buildings - repairs, re-roofs and flat roof work done properly.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
Getting a commercial roof repaired or replaced is only half the job. What happens afterwards - how the roof is maintained, what is checked and when - determines whether it lasts its full serviceable life or fails years early. This page covers the full scope of commercial roofing work, and goes into detail on the aftercare and routine maintenance that most business owners overlook until there is a problem.
Cambridge Roofers handles commercial roofing in Sawston and across the surrounding area, including Cambridge, Trumpington, Saffron Walden and nearby towns. We work on flat roofs, pitched roofs, repairs and full re-roofs on business premises of all sizes.
Commercial roofing covers all roofing work on business premises: offices, warehouses, light industrial units, retail units and mixed-use buildings. The scope of work typically includes:
On a commercial building, any of these elements failing causes more than just an annoying drip. A leak into a warehouse or office disrupts the business, potentially damages stock, equipment or data infrastructure, and can affect the condition of the building fabric if left unaddressed.
Flat roof membranes are the most common source of commercial roofing problems. Felt degrades with UV exposure and movement in the building below. It blisters, cracks at laps and joints, and pulls away from upstands. Ponding water - where flat roofs have inadequate falls and water sits on the surface rather than draining - accelerates this degradation significantly.
On pitched commercial roofs, broken or slipped tiles and slates allow water to reach the sarking felt below. Once that felt is saturated, water finds its way to the timbers and eventually into the building. Failed ridge mortar is another common entry point - on exposed buildings especially, freeze-thaw cycles work mortar loose over time.
Leadwork failures are often gradual and therefore missed until the damage is done. A flashing that has lifted slightly from a parapet wall or chimney allows water in during heavy rain but may not show up as an obvious drip inside the building for months.
This is where most of the long-term value in commercial roofing lies. A roof that is checked and maintained correctly lasts considerably longer than one that is ignored between failures. The maintenance requirements vary by roof type, but the principles are consistent.
The most important single thing on a flat roof is keeping the outlets and gutters clear. A blocked outlet causes water to pond on the surface. Even a modern, well-installed membrane deteriorates faster under standing water, and an older felt membrane will fail quickly. Outlets should be checked at least twice a year - in autumn after leaf fall and again in spring.
The surface of the membrane should be inspected for blistering, cracking or any areas where the covering has pulled away from upstands or around rooflights. Catching a small split early and patching it cleanly costs a fraction of what is needed once water has worked its way into the insulation below.
Parapet walls and copings should be checked for cracked mortar joints and any signs of the coping stones moving. Water getting behind a parapet causes problems that are expensive to fix and easy to miss until they are serious.
On a tiled or slated commercial roof, any tiles that have slipped or broken should be replaced promptly - leaving a gap in the tile coverage, even a small one, allows rain-driven water to reach the felt and timbers. After periods of frost, it is worth checking ridge and hip mortar, as freeze-thaw action is a common cause of mortar failing.
Moss and lichen growth on tiles and slates is worth treating before it becomes heavy. Dense moss growth holds moisture against the tile surface, which accelerates frost damage and can lift tiles at their edges over time. Treatment is a straightforward chemical wash rather than pressure washing, which damages many tile types.
Gutters on a commercial building carry far greater volumes of water than domestic guttering. Leaf debris, moss from the roof surface and general detritus accumulate at outlets and in low points of the guttering run. A blocked commercial gutter can overflow in minutes during heavy rain, sending water back against the fascias and roof edge.
At a minimum, commercial guttering should be cleared annually - twice a year on buildings near trees. Joints and brackets should be checked at the same time, as failed joints allow water to run behind the guttering and down the wall face rather than away from the building.
Fascia boards on commercial buildings are often UPVC and lower maintenance than timber, but they still need checking for movement, gaps or any sections that have pulled away from fixings. A loose fascia section means the guttering it supports is not sitting at the correct fall.
Rooflights and VELUX units are a common source of water ingress on commercial buildings. The sealant around the frame perishes, the flashing lifts, or the kerb around the unit settles slightly and creates a gap. These are all relatively straightforward to address when caught early, often with a simple re-seal or reflash. Left until water is actively coming in, the problem often involves wet insulation and staining to ceilings or internal fixtures.
Lead flashings should be inspected as part of any general roof check. Sound lead is flexible and sits neatly against the surfaces it covers. Failing lead becomes brittle, cracks at bends and pulls away from mortar joints. Where a flashing has been repointed with mortar alone, without proper lead dressing, it is likely to fail again and may need to be completely re-dressed.
A planned inspection once a year - or twice on older buildings - gives you peace of mind that small problems are caught before they become expensive ones. An inspection should cover the entire roof surface, all drainage points, all flashings and leadwork, rooflights and any parapets or upstands. The result should be a clear picture of what is in good condition, what needs attention soon and what can wait.
Keeping a simple record of inspections and any work carried out also helps when it comes to selling or re-letting a commercial building, as it demonstrates the property has been properly maintained.
We work on commercial roofs in Sawston and across the area, including Trumpington, Saffron Walden, Cambridge and surrounding villages. Call us to arrange an assessment of your commercial roof - we will give you a clear view of its condition and what it needs, without pushing unnecessary work.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
