EPDM Rubber Roofing in Reading
Roof repairs, re-roofing and flat roofs across Reading and the Thames valley. Free surveys, fixed written quotes, tidy workmanship.
Reading Roofing Company fits EPDM rubber roofs on extensions, garages, dormers, porches and bay tops across Reading. EPDM is a synthetic rubber membrane cut from a roll to fit your roof in one piece, bonded down cold with adhesive, and finished with aluminium or uPVC trims at the edges.
On most domestic roofs it goes on with no seams anywhere on the flat, which removes the thing that fails first on felt. Systems such as Firestone RubberCover are the ones we fit most often.
Why it suits Reading's flat roofs
No naked flame on site
Nothing is torched. On a terraced street, with dry timber, old felt and a neighbour's wall a metre away, that alone is a good argument against torch-on.
One sheet, no joints
A single membrane covers a typical garage or extension. Laps only appear on large or awkward roofs, and where they do they are seam-taped and rolled.
It moves with the building
EPDM stretches by several hundred percent. Timber decks expand and contract through a Thames valley summer, and a membrane that flexes does not split at the corners.
Long, dull service life
30 to 50 years is realistic, with no coating, no re-dressing and nothing to do but keep the outlet clear.
EPDM prices by roof size
| Roof | Approximate size | EPDM installed | With warm roof insulation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porch or bay top | 3 – 6 m² | £650 – £1,100 | Rarely needed |
| Single garage | 14 – 18 m² | £1,500 – £2,400 | £1,900 – £3,100 |
| Rear extension | 18 – 28 m² | £1,900 – £3,200 | £2,600 – £4,400 |
| Dormer top and cheeks | 6 – 12 m² | £900 – £1,800 | £1,300 – £2,400 |
| Large extension or garage block section | 30 – 45 m² | £3,000 – £5,000 | £4,000 – £6,800 |
2026 installed prices including strip-out, trims, outlet and waste. Deck boards replaced in 18mm OSB3 are charged per sheet at a rate shown on the quote. Free survey first, then a fixed written price.
How the job runs
The old covering is stripped off completely — overlaying is how a damp deck gets sealed in for another decade. The deck is then checked board by board, with soft sheets swapped for 18mm OSB3, and the falls corrected with firrings or tapered insulation so water actually reaches the outlet rather than sitting in the middle of the roof.
Where the roof is being upgraded to a warm roof, PIR insulation goes above the deck over a vapour control layer, which satisfies Part L on a full replacement and stops condensation forming under the membrane. The EPDM is then relaxed, bonded, dressed into the upstands and trimmed, and the outlet and any rooflight kerb detailed in the same sheet. Work follows BS 6229 for flat roof design and the membrane manufacturer's own installation detail.
The edges are what separate a twenty-year roof from a forty-year one. Where the roof meets a house wall the membrane is carried up at least 150mm and terminated under a lead cover flashing chased into the brickwork, not stopped at a bead of mastic. External corners are formed with pre-moulded pieces rather than folded and hoped for. Trims are screwed to the deck and the membrane bonded over them so nothing relies on adhesive alone at the one point wind gets under a flat roof.
Most jobs are done in a day or two, and a garage or extension roof rarely needs scaffold — a tower and edge protection is usually enough, which keeps several hundred pounds out of the price.
EPDM against GRP and felt
The full comparison, including where GRP wins.
Garage roofs
Sectional concrete garages and estate garage blocks.
Frequently asked questions
Ready for a free, no-obligation quote?
Call 0118 230 9278