What we do on the commercial side
Commercial roofing is a genuinely different discipline from domestic, and we treat it as such. Our commercial director has 25 years on UK commercial projects. Typical jobs: new-build industrial unit roofs up to 3,000 square metres in single-ply PVC or TPO; warehouse roof refurbishments (over-roofing tired profiled metal with single-ply); school and academy roof replacements done to tight summer-holiday programmes; care home, hotel and HMO roof works done without closing the premises; small commercial (shop parade, small factory unit) repair and replacement.
We carry £1,000,000 public liability cover (upgradable to £5m on request for specific projects), are CHAS accredited, hold Safety Schools in Procurement (SSIP) accreditation, and our in-house H&S manager writes project-specific method statements and risk assessments for every commercial job. For schools and care settings we can provide enhanced DBS checks on all operatives.
Single-ply membrane systems
Single-ply is now the dominant commercial flat and low-pitch roofing system in the UK, for good reason. It's fast to lay, highly reliable, BBA certified, and carries long manufacturer warranties. We fit four main single-ply systems:
Sika Sarnafil is our default specification for premium commercial projects. Swiss-engineered, 25-year guarantee, used on thousands of high-end UK buildings. Mechanically fixed or adhered over insulation, excellent fire performance (FM Global certified).
IKO Armourplan is the BP-owned competitor to Sarnafil, very similar specification, 20-year guarantee, somewhat more price-competitive on larger projects.
Firestone RubberCover (EPDM) for single-ply at the lower-spec end of the commercial market — e.g. small industrial units, storage sheds, standalone blocks. 20-year warranty.
Protan and FiberTite specified where the project engineer or architect has written a specific membrane — we've worked with both.
Profiled metal and over-roofing
A very large proportion of 1960s–1990s UK industrial and warehouse building stock has profiled metal roofing (trapezoidal or sinusoidal steel or aluminium, often with asbestos-cement on older buildings). Thirty-plus years in, most of these roofs are tired: lapping gaskets have perished, fixings are backing out, individual sheets are rusted through, and daylight is visible through the seams.
Our default commercial recommendation in this situation is over-roofing: rather than stripping and replacing (disruptive, expensive, and requires fully vacating the building), we install a new insulated single-ply system over the existing profiled metal. Tapered insulation corrects the falls, vapour control layers manage condensation, and the new single-ply goes down in one continuous system with a 20-year warranty. Done well, over-roofing transforms a tired industrial building without any operational downtime.
For genuinely failed metal roofs where over-roofing isn't viable, we do full strip-and-replace with new insulated profiled metal (Kingspan, Euroclad) or composite panels to current thermal and fire standards.
Maintenance contracts and planned works
For commercial building owners with multiple properties, we offer annual inspection-and-report contracts. We attend each roof once a year, inspect and photograph, clear gutter systems and outlets, carry out minor repairs (loose flashing, small membrane patches, downpipe clearing) under a fixed annual fee, and submit a written condition report with photographs and a proposed 5-year capital works plan.
For housing associations, care home operators, schools and academies, this is the most cost-effective way of managing roof stock: small problems caught early cost a fraction of what the same defects cost when discovered through ceiling stains and emergency call-outs. Annual contract costs are typically from £250 per building depending on size and complexity — we'll quote your specific portfolio.
Frequently asked questions
What insurance do you carry for commercial work?
£1,000,000 public liability as standard, upgradable to £5m. CHAS and SSIP accredited.
Can you work out of hours?
Yes — most of our school work is August half-term and summer holiday, much of our retail work is overnight or Sunday.
Do you provide method statements and RAMS?
Always, on every commercial project. Project-specific, not pro-forma.
Can you give insurance-backed guarantees?
Yes — available on Sarnafil, IKO Armourplan and some Firestone specifications. Typical cost 1–2% of project value.
Do you carry out pre-purchase commercial surveys?
Yes — written condition surveys with photographic evidence and costed 5-year remediation plan. From £350 for smaller buildings.