Our team installed this New Flat Roof Ennis project on a property in Ennis, County Clare, using a high-quality underlay followed by professionally applied hot torch-on felt.
Flat roofs have improved considerably from the basic felt systems many homeowners associate with older garages and extensions. A modern torch-on felt system, when properly prepared and installed, creates a strong waterproof covering suitable for the wet and changeable conditions we experience throughout Clare.
For this project, our focus wasn’t simply on laying new felt. The preparation underneath, bonding of the roofing layers, drainage and finishing around the edges and junctions all matter if the roof is going to perform properly over the long term.
The finished result gives the homeowner a clean, durable flat roofing system designed to provide dependable protection from the elements.
This project involved the installation of a complete new flat roofing system rather than carrying out another temporary repair to an ageing roof.
We used a quality roofing underlay followed by hot torch-on felt to create the finished waterproof covering.
Torch-on underlay forms part of the waterproofing system beneath the finishing layer. The upper membrane is then applied using heat, which melts its underside and bonds it to the prepared layer below. Irish roofing suppliers describe this process as effectively welding the felt layers together.
The work included:
It’s the combination of these details that creates the finished roofing system.
Torch-on felt remains a very practical option for flat roofs.
Modern systems use modified bituminous membranes rather than the simple traditional roofing felt homeowners may remember from older sheds and garages.
For the right property, there are several advantages:
But we’d make one important point to any homeowner considering a flat roof:
Don’t choose a roof based solely on the name of the membrane.
A good material installed badly is still a bad roof.
Preparation, drainage, roof falls, edges, outlets and junctions all need to be dealt with correctly.
Flat roofs are becoming an increasingly common feature on Irish homes, particularly as homeowners extend and renovate existing properties.
They can work particularly well on:
A flat roof allows you to cover an extension without necessarily introducing the additional height and structure required for a traditional pitched roof.
But despite the name, the roof still needs to manage rainwater effectively.
This is particularly important in County Clare, where rainfall can quickly expose poor workmanship or inadequate drainage.
One of the first things we’d tell a homeowner is that a flat roof shouldn’t simply be dead level.
It needs appropriate falls so rainwater can move towards the designed drainage point.
Water sitting temporarily on a roof following heavy rain isn’t necessarily evidence of a failed roof, but significant persistent ponding is something we’d want to investigate.
It can indicate:
Installing a new waterproof membrane without addressing an underlying drainage problem doesn’t make much sense.
That’s why we consider the roof as a complete system.
Most homeowners only ever see the finished surface of their roof.
But what’s underneath it matters.
The underlay provides an additional waterproofing layer and forms the base for the torch-applied membrane above. Roofing suppliers in Ireland specifically sell APP-modified bituminous underlays for use in conjunction with torch-on finishing layers.
This layered approach is one of the reasons modern felt systems are considerably more sophisticated than simply rolling a piece of traditional roofing felt across a roof.
When we’re installing a new roof, we’re interested in the complete build-up rather than just how the finished surface looks.
Torch-on felt is not a DIY roofing system we’d recommend homeowners attempt themselves.
The membrane is installed using controlled heat to bond it to the roofing layer underneath.
That means the installer needs to understand how much heat to apply, how the overlaps should be formed and how to correctly finish edges, corners, outlets and junctions.
Too little attention to these details can create potential weak points.
For us, the most important areas aren’t necessarily the large open sections in the middle of the roof. It’s often the edges, joints and transitions where good workmanship makes the biggest difference.
When you’re installing a roof in Clare, local weather matters.
Heavy rainfall and strong Atlantic weather mean a roofing system needs to deal effectively with water throughout the year.
Current Clare roofing contractors commonly identify blistering, cracking, ponding water and deteriorated edges as problems seen on older felt roofs in the county.
That’s why we pay attention to how water will actually behave once the job is finished.
Where does the water flow?
Are the falls correct?
How are the perimeter details finished?
Are roof-to-wall junctions properly protected?
Where does the roof discharge?
Those details matter more than simply making a flat roof look good on the day the work is finished.
Not every leaking flat roof needs replacing.
If the existing roof is generally sound and there’s one clearly identifiable defect, a targeted repair can often be the more sensible option.
We’d consider replacement more seriously where:
Our approach is straightforward.
Don’t replace a roof that can be properly repaired, but don’t keep spending money patching a roof that has fundamentally failed.
This New Flat Roof Ennis project has provided the property with a completely renewed waterproof roofing system.
Using quality underlay and professionally applied hot torch-on felt, we’ve created a durable finished roof designed around the demands of Irish weather.
For us, the quality of a flat roofing job isn’t judged solely by how it looks when we leave.
The real test is whether the roof continues to protect the property through Clare’s rain, wind and winter weather.
That’s why preparation and detailing are every bit as important as the visible finished membrane.
Complete Roofing Construction installs and repairs flat roofs throughout Ennis and County Clare.
Our roofing services include:
If you’re researching your options, read our detailed guide to flat roofs in Ennis.
For homeowners elsewhere in the county, you can also learn more about our roof repair services in Clare.
Our full range of roofing services covers repairs, replacements and new installations across Clare, Limerick and Galway.
If you have an ageing flat roof or you’re planning a new extension in Ennis, the first decision shouldn’t simply be which roofing material to buy.
The roof needs to be assessed as a complete system.
The structure, roof deck, drainage, falls, waterproofing and detailing all contribute to how well it will perform.
This project is another example of the flat roofing work we’re carrying out locally, using proven materials and professional installation to provide homeowners with long-term weather protection.
If you’re also improving the outside of your property, our sister company Complete Paving Works provides professional driveways, patios and paving services across Clare, Limerick and Galway.
Complete Roofing & Construction is a family-run business providing expert roofing, landscaping, renovations, plastering, and more—serving homes with quality craftsmanship and trusted service since 1990.
