Thinking about a top floor flat with a flat roof

[AlexC1981]

Hi all,

I'm thinking about making an offer on an early 70s built top (2nd) floor flat that has a flat roof. Is this likely to get baking hot in the summer and very chilly in the winter?

Will I be constantly worrying about leaks?

Cheers,
Alex

[blackcab]

Have it inspected by a roofer, if it does need doing it could be a negotiation tool, dont be scared of flat roofs they are fairly cheap to put right anyway

[RV8]

Definitely don't let it put you off, my place has a flat roof extension, and so did my last place. They are usually cheaper to repair, I've done work to them myself. The temperature they keep your room depends on the size of the cavity but the temperature difference in my place isn't really a problem, in summer you dont notice, in winter it's slightly cooler.

[davidjpowell]

blackcab said:

Have it inspected by a roofer, if it does need doing it could be a negotiation tool, dont be scared of flat roofs they are fairly cheap to put right anyway

He'll tell you it needs work!

[blackcab]

davidjpowell said:

blackcab said:

Have it inspected by a roofer, if it does need doing it could be a negotiation tool, dont be scared of flat roofs they are fairly cheap to put right anyway

He'll tell you it needs work!

may help to get a bit of money off the place then

[Wings]

Is it the leasehold or freehold you have the opportunity of buying?

There are new building regulations now in place covering residential properties flat roofs, which covers insulation in the roof’s void section. Whilst rain/water leaks are the obvious problem with flat roofs, the other not so obvious is in the winter you have another “cold spot” in the flat, so mixing with the warm air of the flat’s shower, washing machine, cooker, heating etc. etc., the flat could generate a lot more than usual of condensation problems.

[AlexC1981]

Thanks for the replies. It's a leasehold flat and the whole thing is covered by the flat roof. Its energy efficiency rating is 52 which is an E borderline D.

I'll try to find out who is responsible for the roof and when it was last replaced.

The lease is only 65 years and the current owner has been quoted £9900 to extend it back to 99 years. Even adding on another £9900 to the asking price, the flat still works out fairly cheap compared to similar ones in the area.

[blackcab]

Wings said:

Is it the leasehold or freehold you have the opportunity of buying?

There are new building regulations now in place covering residential properties flat roofs, which covers insulation in the roof’s void section. Whilst rain/water leaks are the obvious problem with flat roofs, the other not so obvious is in the winter you have another “cold spot” in the flat, so mixing with the warm air of the flat’s shower, washing machine, cooker, heating etc. etc., the flat could generate a lot more than usual of condensation problems.

The building regs have been there for ages and they are farily loose in terms of existing buildings, its only when you come to complete new works that they will apply - the regs relating to insulation etc are Part L - the changes that take place to part L later this year have a knock on effect to part F which is ventilation etc. i,e the tighter the airtightness of your building the more you need to ventilate it which makes a total arse of Part L.

In basic terms it means - lets block up all existing holes and stop drafts, then lets knock a whole in the wall and ventilate the building to an equal degree that we had before we spent all that money on insulation, super windows etc etc


if you need any help just ask I am studying all this at the moment