Felt, EPDM and GRP flat roof costs in Leeds

Updated October 2026. These are starting prices, based on typical rates published by Leeds and northern roofers and national cost guides. Your price depends on access, the size of the roof, the condition of the deck underneath and the system chosen, so a job can cost more than the starting figure. After a free survey you get a fixed price in writing.

Flat roof prices at a glance

Full re-roof prices include stripping the old covering and normal disposal, and assume the deck only needs minor repairs. As a rough guide per square metre, felt starts from about £50, EPDM from about £80 and GRP from about £95, but small roofs cost more per square metre because edges, trims and set-up time are a bigger share of the job. Scaffolding is priced separately where it is needed.

Flat roof repairs

A flat roof that leaks is not always a roof that needs replacing. A split in the felt, a blister that has burst, or a joint that has opened along an upstand or wall flashing can often be repaired. The price depends on finding the real entry point, which on a flat roof can be some distance from the drip inside.

Repairs make sense when the rest of the covering is sound and the deck underneath is dry and firm. If the roof feels soft or spongy underfoot, has repaired patches all over it, or holds standing water across large areas, repairs tend to be money spent on a roof that is near the end of its life.

Felt: torch-on and modern built-up felt

Modern felt roofs use reinforced bitumen membranes, usually laid as a two- or three-layer system with a mineral-finished cap sheet on top. They are far better than the old felt-and-chippings roofs many Leeds garages still have. Felt is generally the cheapest system to install, it copes well with foot traffic for maintenance, and it is easy to repair.

Most felt is torched on with a gas burner, which is hot work and needs care next to timber, fascias and windows. Where the risk is too high, cold-applied or self-adhesive membranes are used instead. A well-laid modern felt roof is commonly quoted to last around 15–20 years or more, though cheaper single-layer jobs last much less.

EPDM rubber

EPDM is a synthetic rubber sheet. On a garage or small extension it can usually be laid as one single piece, bonded to a new timber deck with adhesive, so there are no seams across the roof. It stays flexible in cold weather, does not mind the freeze–thaw cycles we get in West Yorkshire, and needs very little maintenance. Lifespans of 20 years and well beyond are commonly quoted for good installations, and manufacturers claim more.

Its weak points are detailing and damage. Corners, outlets and upstands need the right preformed pieces and tapes, and a poorly made detail is where EPDM roofs usually leak. It can also be punctured by sharp objects or careless foot traffic, although repairs are straightforward. Most EPDM is black, which some people do not like on a roof they look down on.

GRP fibreglass

GRP is glass-reinforced polyester: layers of resin and glass matting laid onto a new board deck and finished with a coloured topcoat. The finished roof is a single seamless, hard surface, which is good for roofs with lots of upstands, awkward shapes or roof lights, and it can be made in a colour such as grey. Good GRP roofs are commonly quoted to last 25 years or more.

GRP needs dry weather and reasonable temperatures to cure properly, so it is more weather-dependent than EPDM. It is rigid, so the deck must be solid and well fixed, and edges and joints need proper detailing to stop cracking where the timber moves. Quality depends heavily on how well the resin is mixed and laid.

A fair comparison

None of these is the best choice for every roof. Any of them will fail early if laid badly, and the quality of the deck, the fall and the edge details matters as much as the membrane on top.

Deck, falls and insulation

A new flat roof usually means a new deck of moisture-resistant boards over the joists. Flat roofs are not truly flat: they need a fall so water runs off. UK design guidance aims for a finished fall of at least 1 in 80, which normally means designing at about 1 in 40. Where the joists are level, tapered timber firrings create the fall.

If the room below is heated, such as a kitchen extension, and you are replacing most of the roof, Building Regulations normally require the insulation to be brought up to current standards where that is practical. This is usually done as a warm roof, with insulation boards laid above the deck under the waterproof layer. It raises the roof level slightly, which can affect door thresholds, windows and flashings, and the work may need to be notified to building control. An unheated detached garage does not need insulating.

What changes the price

• Size and shape — roof lights, chimneys, soil pipes and awkward corners all add detail work.
• Condition of the deck — rotten boards or joists add to the cost, and you only know for sure once the old covering is off.
• Insulation — upgrading to a warm roof adds material and labour, and may raise the roof level.
• Access — a single-storey roof reached from the garden is straightforward; one over a passage or above first floor may need scaffolding.
• Removing the old roof — several layers of old felt, or an asbestos cement garage roof, cost more to strip and dispose of.
• Edges and drainage — new trims, a new gutter or a new outlet add to the job.

Repair or replace?

• Repair if the leak is in one place, the roof is firm underfoot and the covering is otherwise in fair condition.
• Replace if the deck is soft, water pools across large areas, there are several old patches, or the covering is cracked and brittle all over.
• Choose felt for the lowest upfront cost on a simple roof, EPDM for a low-maintenance one-piece roof on a garage or plain extension, and GRP for complex shapes or where you want a hard, seamless finish in a colour.

Your written quote can show more than one system side by side, so you can compare cost and lifespan for your roof. See our flat roofing service for what we do and how we work.