Flat Roofing in Dulwich: who may need to agree first
Before a flat roof is renewed in Dulwich, find out whether anyone has to approve the work. Two bodies may have a say, and they act separately.
Southwark Council
Dulwich is in the London Borough of Southwark. Dulwich Village, with its Georgian houses, is a conservation area, and outside changes there are looked at more closely. Renewing a roof covering with the same material often needs no planning permission. Changing the material, raising the height or adding a rooflight may. The council's planning team will confirm the position for your address.
The Dulwich Estate
Thousands of freehold homes come under the Dulwich Estate's Scheme of Management. Where it applies, the Estate's own approval is needed before the outside of a property is altered, and planning permission from the council does not stand in for it. The rules differ with the type of change, so speak to the Estate's Scheme of Management office early. We cannot say what either body will decide, but we can give you a clear description of the materials and method to send them.
Extensions, dormers and garages
Flat roofs in this part of London usually sit in one of three places. An extension roof at the back is normally the largest and may carry a rooflight or lantern. A dormer roof is small but high up and hard to see, so faults go unnoticed. A garage roof is often the oldest covering on the plot. We install felt, EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass and torch on roofs, and will suggest the one that fits the roof and any conditions set by the council or the Estate. All four are listed under flat roof installation and repair.
Roofers in Dulwich
CRB Roofing Building Ltd is run by the third generation of a roofing family. Our own team does all the work, we are fully insured, and what we build is guaranteed. Site visits and quotations are free, and our pricing is competitive with no hidden costs. Phone London 020 8945 7505 or Onsite 07778 272228.
The housing changes from street to street. Victorian and Edwardian terraces are typical of East Dulwich, with West Dulwich on the opposite side of the old village. Forest Hill and Sydenham lie just over the wooded ridge to the east and south. Slate, clay tile and flat roofs all appear within a few streets of each other.
Roof Repairs in Dulwich
Not every problem calls for a new roof. Typical repairs include refixing or replacing slipped, cracked and missing slates and tiles, renewing flashing where it has split or lifted, and curing leaks around valleys, gutters and the roofline. We match replacement tiles to the existing roof so that a repair does not stand out.
If wind or heavy rain has opened the roof up, we offer emergency roof repairs. There is more under repairs to roofs.
New Roof in Dulwich
A new roof is a visible change, so the consent points at the top of this page apply here too. Once those are settled we strip the old covering and install a new pitched roof in slate or in clay or concrete tile. Restoring heritage roofs, extending a roof, laying a flat one from new and reconstructing a roof in full are all things we do, and a stack can be rebuilt or removed at the same time. We bring our own scaffolding, which is free when the job is a new roof. Start with our new roof service.
Facias Replacement in Dulwich
Edwardian houses often have deep eaves and decorative bargeboards on the gables. When that timber decays, the gutters fixed to it suffer too. We install soffits and fascias in uPVC, change bargeboards and box ends, put up new guttering and downpipes, and clean out and reset gutters that hold water. New boards change how a house looks from the road, so check first whether the council or the Estate would want to approve them on your property. Have a look at soffits, fascias and gutters.
Chimney Repairs in Dulwich
Chimneys are easy to forget until a piece of mortar lands on the patio. Our chimney work includes repointing, partial and full rebuilds, removal of unwanted stacks, capping, and repairs to the flashing at the base. Box gutters, valleys in lead and stepped flashings are handled by the same team. Read about chimney work and leadwork.
Brick Repointing in Dulwich
Good pointing keeps a brick wall dry and neat. We cut out mortar that has perished and repoint in a matched colour: the front, back and sides of a house, the walls round the garden, parapets and stacks. On period and listed houses we keep to older techniques wherever they are called for. We render walls as well. The steps are explained under repointing.
Damp Proofing in Dulwich
A stain on a wall can come from the ground, from outside or from the air in the room. Our damp surveys and inspections identify the source before anything is treated. The answer may be a damp proof course injected at the base of the wall, tanking or membranes for a cellar, a treatment for the outside of the wall, or extra ventilation where condensation is the cause. Learn more from our damp proofing service.
Property Refurbishment in Dulwich
We refurbish houses inside and out. Indoors that covers kitchens and bathrooms, floors and tiling, plaster and paint. Outside it covers rendering, structural improvements and repairs to the roof and chimneys. When a scheme needs them, we can help with the planning application, with surveys and architect's plans, and with running the job. What we cover is listed under refurbishment.
Questions about flat roofs in Dulwich
Do I need the Estate's agreement to renew a flat roof like for like?
Ask the Estate. Its requirements vary with the type of change, and only the Scheme of Management office can tell you how a straight replacement is treated at your address. Have the details of the existing covering and the proposed one ready when you contact them. If your home is outside the Scheme, the question does not arise, though conservation area rules may still apply.
How can I tell a flat roof is failing before it leaks?
Look at it from an upstairs window twice a year. Warning signs are blisters and bubbles in the surface, cracks or splits along the joints, edges that have lifted, moss or plants taking root, and pools that are still there two days after rain. Indoors, a faint brown ring on the ceiling or a musty smell under the roof means water is already getting in.
Can a flat roof be repaired in winter?
Yes. A leak can be found and sealed at any time of year, and felt can be laid in cold, dry weather. Resin and adhesive systems such as GRP fibreglass and EPDM rubber need a dry surface and milder temperatures to bond, so a full replacement in one of those is timed for a suitable spell. Where that means waiting, a temporary repair keeps the room dry.
To book a free visit you can also message us on the contact page. Our other locations are shown under areas we cover.
