A flat roof replacement strips the old covering from a low-pitched roof and lays a new waterproof system, usually EPDM rubber, GRP fibreglass or torch-on felt, over a sound deck with correct falls, upstands, trims and outlets so rainwater drains away.
Edinburgh sits within our coverage for a new flat roof, as do neighbouring Musselburgh, Bonnyrigg and Penicuik. Before giving a price we want to see the property: the condition of what's there now, the access, and anything that might need extra work. The guide range for Scotland is £1,900–£4,300 including VAT, and your written quote will spell out exactly what that covers.
- Guide price
- £1,900–£4,300 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–3 days for most roofs
- Postcodes
- EH1, EH2, EH3, EH7 and EH8
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- City of Edinburgh
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Flat roofs prices in Edinburgh
Every figure below is a guide for a new flat roof in Edinburgh, inclusive of VAT. Regional pricing for Scotland works out about 4% below the national guide, and the overall span is £1,900–£4,300. The survey costs you nothing, and after it we commit to a firm price for your specification in writing.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Edinburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Small roof (up to 8m²) | A dormer, bay, porch or small garage roof re-covered in EPDM or GRP. | £750–£1,900 |
| Extension or garage (15–25m²) | A typical extension or single garage roof stripped and re-covered. | £1,900–£4,300 |
| Large or new warm roof | Larger roofs, or roofs needing a new deck and insulation build-up. | £3,800–£8,600 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Roof area and access to the roof
- Covering system: EPDM, GRP or torch-on felt
- Condition of the deck and joists underneath
- Number of rooflights, pipes and upstands to detail
What do you get?
- Stripping and disposal of the old roof covering
- Replacement of rotten or soft deck boards
- Insulation upgrade to a warm roof build-up where agreed
- New EPDM, GRP or torch-on felt membrane laid to falls
- New trims, outlets and gutter connections
- Rooflights refitted or replaced where required
What are homes like around Edinburgh?
Edinburgh's New Town is a planned Georgian sandstone townscape within a World Heritage Site, and districts such as Marchmont and Leith have Victorian tenements. Bungalows and villas fill the suburbs, Midlothian has former mining villages, Livingston was built as a new town, and East Lothian villages often have red pantile roofs.
Listed and conservation-area homes need careful window and stone repairs. Bungalows commonly suit loft conversions and dormers, and suburban semis take extensions and garage conversions.
That variety is why a guide price for a new flat roof in Edinburgh is only a starting point; the survey shows what your particular property needs.
Do you need permission in Edinburgh?
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Edinburgh is in Scotland. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
In Scotland, like-for-like re-roofing does not usually need planning permission, except on listed buildings or in conservation areas.
Like-for-like re-covering does not usually need a building warrant, but structural changes or new roof windows can. Bats are protected across the UK; if they roost under roof tiles, soffits or fascias, work stops and a licensed ecologist advises before it restarts.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
From survey to handover
We look at the job
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price a new flat roof properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Quote in writing
After the survey we send a quote for a new flat roof that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Plan and prepare
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
Build and hand over
Our trades complete a new flat roof while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
What you can expect from us
Questions about a new flat roof in Edinburgh
Which postcodes in Edinburgh do you cover?
We cover EH1, EH2, EH3 and EH7, along with the rest of Edinburgh and the Lothians. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
Can you repair my flat roof instead of replacing it?
A flat roof can often be repaired if the damage is limited to a small split, a failed joint or a loose upstand and the rest of the covering is sound. If the deck is soft, the covering is blistered or cracked across the roof, or leaks keep returning, replacement is usually better value. We assess the whole roof and give you an honest recommendation.
Why does water sit on my flat roof?
Ponding water on a flat roof is usually caused by inadequate falls, sagging joists, a deck that has dipped or blocked outlets. Small puddles that dry within a day or two are not always a problem, but standing water speeds up wear and finds any weakness. A new roof can be laid on firring strips or tapered insulation to create proper falls. We check falls during the survey.
Is a flat roof suitable for a roof terrace?
A flat roof can only be used as a terrace if it is designed for it, with joists strong enough for people and furniture, a hard-wearing surface, safe edge protection and correct drainage. Using a standard extension roof as a terrace can damage it and may need planning permission and building regulations approval. We can advise on what a conversion would involve.
Do I need planning permission in Edinburgh?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Edinburgh is in Scotland, so Scotland's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Near Edinburgh
Coverage for Edinburgh spans EH1, EH2, EH3 and EH7. Close by, Musselburgh, Bonnyrigg and Penicuik are covered too, and the rest of our UK-wide area follows the same survey-then-quote process from start to finish.