Hi, we are having a dormer loft extension built which needs to have a flat
roof. My late father was in the building trade and then a surveyor and
always swore to avoid them like the plague. Our prospective builder has
however told me that things are 'much better these days' and they offer a 25
year guarantee on a GRP flat roof.

We live on a very exposed area of coastline where the roof would be subject
to a great deal of UV and windy weather (although the prevailing wind comes
from the opposite side of the house.

Does a GRP (fibreglass) roof sound like a good idea, or is there another
material that might be more appropriate - i.e. do an equally good job at
less cost and/or need 'even' less maintenance?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Keith

"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...
Hi, we are having a dormer loft extension built which needs to have a flat
roof. My late father was in the building trade and then a surveyor and
always swore to avoid them like the plague. Our prospective builder has
however told me that things are 'much better these days' and they offer a
25
year guarantee on a GRP flat roof.

We live on a very exposed area of coastline where the roof would be
subject
to a great deal of UV and windy weather (although the prevailing wind
comes
from the opposite side of the house.

Does a GRP (fibreglass) roof sound like a good idea, or is there another
material that might be more appropriate - i.e. do an equally good job at
less cost and/or need 'even' less maintenance?

I'd rate a GRP roof as one of the best solutions to a flat roof. But having
just had to put an incline on one due to rotted timbers below caused by
leaks, I'd have another think about at least a slightly inclined solution.
With GRP, even a few degrees is helpful whereas tiles need a lot steeper of
course.

On Sun, 8 May 2005 21:15:26 +0000 (UTC), "Keith \(Dorset\)"
wrote:

Hi, we are having a dormer loft extension built which needs to have a flat
roof. My late father was in the building trade and then a surveyor and
always swore to avoid them like the plague. Our prospective builder has
however told me that things are 'much better these days' and they offer a 25
year guarantee on a GRP flat roof.

We live on a very exposed area of coastline where the roof would be subject
to a great deal of UV and windy weather (although the prevailing wind comes
from the opposite side of the house.

Does a GRP (fibreglass) roof sound like a good idea, or is there another
material that might be more appropriate - i.e. do an equally good job at
less cost and/or need 'even' less maintenance?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Keith



They build boats out of GRP which shows how waterproof it is. If done
properly its virtually indestrutable, and will last till the end of
time.

Rick

i fibreglassed a roof gully on a house on the coast appros 22 years ago and
it failed last month so i would recommend them but nowadays i prefer lead if
you can afford it
"Rick" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 8 May 2005 21:15:26 +0000 (UTC), "Keith \(Dorset\)"
wrote:

Hi, we are having a dormer loft extension built which needs to have a flat
roof. My late father was in the building trade and then a surveyor and
always swore to avoid them like the plague. Our prospective builder has
however told me that things are 'much better these days' and they offer a
25
year guarantee on a GRP flat roof.

We live on a very exposed area of coastline where the roof would be
subject
to a great deal of UV and windy weather (although the prevailing wind
comes
from the opposite side of the house.

Does a GRP (fibreglass) roof sound like a good idea, or is there another
material that might be more appropriate - i.e. do an equally good job at
less cost and/or need 'even' less maintenance?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Keith



They build boats out of GRP which shows how waterproof it is. If done
properly its virtually indestrutable, and will last till the end of
time.

Rick

"Keith (Dorset)" wrote in message
...
Hi, we are having a dormer loft extension built which needs to have a flat
roof. My late father was in the building trade and then a surveyor and
always swore to avoid them like the plague. Our prospective builder has
however told me that things are 'much better these days' and they offer a
25
year guarantee on a GRP flat roof.

We live on a very exposed area of coastline where the roof would be
subject
to a great deal of UV and windy weather (although the prevailing wind
comes
from the opposite side of the house.

Does a GRP (fibreglass) roof sound like a good idea, or is there another
material that might be more appropriate - i.e. do an equally good job at
less cost and/or need 'even' less maintenance?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Keith


Lead will probably last the longest, then "zinc", then GRP then ashphalt,
then felt.

It rather depends how long you plan staying there! Lead/Zinc are 80/40
years (impossible to say, really, but these are guidelines)

GRP (as your builder and the other poster says) 20-25

Ashphalt say 15-20 (not very common but I was offered this)

Felt 10-15

ALL THESE are subject to the job being done properly in the first place.

I had lead on mine and am very happy with it.


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

On Sun, 8 May 2005 22:26:44 +0000 (UTC), "dale hammond"
wrote:

i fibreglassed a roof gully on a house on the coast appros 22 years ago and
it failed last month so i would recommend them but nowadays i prefer lead if
you can afford it

Hi,

How thick was it and how did it fail?

cheers,
Pete.

Rick wrote:

On Sun, 8 May 2005 21:15:26 +0000 (UTC), "Keith \(Dorset\)"
wrote:


Hi, we are having a dormer loft extension built which needs to have a flat
roof. My late father was in the building trade and then a surveyor and
always swore to avoid them like the plague. Our prospective builder has
however told me that things are 'much better these days' and they offer a 25
year guarantee on a GRP flat roof.

We live on a very exposed area of coastline where the roof would be subject
to a great deal of UV and windy weather (although the prevailing wind comes

from the opposite side of the house.

Does a GRP (fibreglass) roof sound like a good idea, or is there another
material that might be more appropriate - i.e. do an equally good job at
less cost and/or need 'even' less maintenance?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Keith




They build boats out of GRP which shows how waterproof it is. If done
properly its virtually indestrutable, and will last till the end of
time.

It is UV degradeable though. Slow, but it happens.

But you can always slap a new coat of resin on top itf it starts looking
sick.


Rick

if memory serves me right it was 3 layers of 2 oz mat but on top of that i
used gelcoat with wax additive (flowcoat) as for the fall what fall lol i
just did the grp the base was plywood which some cowboys had put in

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 8 May 2005 22:26:44 +0000 (UTC), "dale hammond"
wrote:

i fibreglassed a roof gully on a house on the coast appros 22 years ago
and
it failed last month so i would recommend them but nowadays i prefer lead
if
you can afford it

Hi,

How thick was it and how did it fail?

cheers,
Pete.

In article ,
Bob Mannix wrote:

It rather depends how long you plan staying there! Lead/Zinc are 80/40
years (impossible to say, really, but these are guidelines)

GRP (as your builder and the other poster says) 20-25

Ashphalt say 15-20 (not very common but I was offered this)

Felt 10-15

Any feel for the comparitive prices of these?

Darren

(dmc) wrote:

In article ,
Bob Mannix wrote:

It rather depends how long you plan staying there! Lead/Zinc are 80/40
years (impossible to say, really, but these are guidelines)

GRP (as your builder and the other poster says) 20-25

Ashphalt say 15-20 (not very common but I was offered this)

Felt 10-15

So a felt roof (x around 20+ locally to my knowledge) in perfect
condition at 40 years+ is unusual then? Then again the very well
regarded local builder was *extremely* good.




--

"Cynical Git" wrote in message
...
(dmc) wrote:

In article ,
Bob Mannix wrote:

It rather depends how long you plan staying there! Lead/Zinc are 80/40
years (impossible to say, really, but these are guidelines)

GRP (as your builder and the other poster says) 20-25

Ashphalt say 15-20 (not very common but I was offered this)

Felt 10-15

So a felt roof (x around 20+ locally to my knowledge) in perfect
condition at 40 years+ is unusual then? Then again the very well
regarded local builder was *extremely* good.

Ah, maybe if you could go back in time and get a felt roof 40 years ago...

I am always happy if felt roofs last longer than people expect (who wouldn't
be!). The figures quoted were what the builder(s) I have had said, are
certainly true of ones I have known round here and was true of mine, which
started to show problems at about 12 years and which was replaced at 15, by
which time it needed it! I would be planning to have the money for a
replacement in another 15 years.

It does also depend on how much sun it gets and if it is ever walked on.


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

"dmc" wrote in message ...
In article ,
Bob Mannix wrote:

It rather depends how long you plan staying there! Lead/Zinc are 80/40
years (impossible to say, really, but these are guidelines)

GRP (as your builder and the other poster says) 20-25

Ashphalt say 15-20 (not very common but I was offered this)

Felt 10-15

Any feel for the comparitive prices of these?

Darren


Not as much difference as you might think but I can't give today's figures.
I was going to have asphalt but in the end the loft company man said he had
so much lead reflashing to do round the chimney he might as well get the
lead man to do the roof at no extra charge. He made an excellent job of it.
Lead roofs aren't "flat" as the lead comes in sheets which are formed over
wooden formers where they overlap - I will send you a piccie if I can find
it.



--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

On Mon, 9 May 2005 11:42:38 +0000 (UTC), "dale hammond"
wrote:

if memory serves me right it was 3 layers of 2 oz mat but on top of that i
used gelcoat with wax additive (flowcoat) as for the fall what fall lol i
just did the grp the base was plywood which some cowboys had put in

Thanks, what was the thickness of the fibreglass itself, am not too
good on oz- thickness. Also did it split under the gelcoat or did the
gelcoat come off first?

cheers,
Pete.

Bob Mannix wrote:

"Cynical Git" wrote in message
...

(dmc) wrote:


In article ,
Bob Mannix wrote:


It rather depends how long you plan staying there! Lead/Zinc are 80/40
years (impossible to say, really, but these are guidelines)

GRP (as your builder and the other poster says) 20-25

Ashphalt say 15-20 (not very common but I was offered this)

Felt 10-15

So a felt roof (x around 20+ locally to my knowledge) in perfect
condition at 40 years+ is unusual then? Then again the very well
regarded local builder was *extremely* good.


Ah, maybe if you could go back in time and get a felt roof 40 years ago...

I am always happy if felt roofs last longer than people expect (who wouldn't
be!). The figures quoted were what the builder(s) I have had said, are
certainly true of ones I have known round here and was true of mine, which
started to show problems at about 12 years and which was replaced at 15, by
which time it needed it! I would be planning to have the money for a
replacement in another 15 years.

It does also depend on how much sun it gets and if it is ever walked on.


My garden shed roof had the felt totally disintegrate after 8 yaers.
Cheap ****e agreed, but don't expect felt to be the be all and end all
of longevity.