Roof on new extension not up to par

[skotl]

Hi all

we've had a new extension put on which, all in all, has gone pretty smoothly.

Except for the roof.

The original roofer (who was sub-contracted through the building firm) was incredibly unreliable, not meeting dates, leaving the job half-finished, etc. At one point rain came through the roof and ruined the new plaster and paint.
Not entirely surprising on a new build, possibly, but the prime contractors ran the roofer off and got in a second guy to complete the work.

This work (and I'm a layman here, so please forgive the inaccuracies) is a rubber-type coating on a flat roof with raised (~10") sides.

A roofer friend of ours went up and had a look last week and said that it was, basically, crap. The edges had no adhesion and the flat rubber was bubbling all over.
We raised this as a snagging and the prime contractor's roofer came out today. He said "Don't quote me, but you need a new roof. The bubbling is because the (?)rubber(?) was laid too soon and it is never going to take".

The builders want to make good.

We want the roof replaced. My current thinking is to get an independent roofer to give a written report on the state of the roof.

So (and thanks for reading this far);
1) Are we being unreasonable in not letting the builders try to make good?
2) If we are to get a written report, what kind of qualification / certification would (to be blunt) be most likely to stand up in court?
3) Any other suggested approaches?

I would add that the builders, all the way through the process, have been great. I don't want to shaft them but then I also don't want to get landed with a £x,000 bill to replace the roof in two years.


Thanks,
Scott

 

[catlad]

If you have a friend who is a roofer why would you let anybody else do your roof? and then let them tell you why it is rubbish.

 

[skotl]

If you have a friend who is a roofer why would you let anybody else do your roof? and then let them tell you why it is rubbish.

Well, that was a helpful response

As I said in the OP, this is a new extension and the roof, as is usual, was part of the original spec. So the prime contractors laid on the roofers.
My mate, who just happens to be a roofer, offered an opinion.

Now that you understand that, do you have any useful commentary on my question?

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

Sounds like the rubber hasn't been fitted correctly, they should be able to completely remove the rubber sheet, leaving existing boards intact.

You need a roofer that has experience in laying the materials, there shouldn't be any bubbles, using water based glue for the field area, and contact to edges and upstands.

 

[tony1851]

There is a recent thread on the problem of EPDM roofs bubbling up.

//www.diynot.com/forums/roofin...er-based-adhesive-problem-anyone-else.374704/

 

[skotl]

Thanks guys - useful stuff.

I think this helps convince me that we're going to push the builders to have the roof re-covered, rather than let them try to repair.