Problem With Roofers and a Felt Roof London N7

Hi Steven,

I came across your YouTube and website, really like it, and I thought you might be able to help.

I need to tell you upfront that I have already contracted a “roofer” for the job in question and I am hoping that he will be able to complete the work, so a part from a fee for coming round to give me you expert advice, my profound gratitude for your help and the assurance that I will use your services for any roof matters in the future, this email might not bring you an immediate substantial revenue.

I am a part owner of a Victorian property in Lower Holloway, N7. This property has been extended with an adjoining building which has a flat concrete roof of about 40 square meters. It was laid with felt about 10 years ago and started to leak, it also had bubbles under the felt with most probably water inside.

We appointed builders to refurbish the entire building, you will have noticed that I put roofers in inverted commas previously because these workers are good with bricks and mortar but I came to realise too late that roofers they weren’t!

Our contract stipulated that on this flat roof they were going to take out the old felt and lay new one. I came to realise that they didn’t take the old felt away, put plywood on top of it, then laid a very thin felt on top of that. And I came to realise that this felt was not to be used on lived in buildings (good only for sheds).

So I asked them to take away the unsuitable felt, the plywood and the old felt, then level the roof and put on a good torch on Underlay followed by  a good quality torch on Capsheet.

Today we are at the stage where they took off the new unsuitable felt but they want to put the good quality torch on underlay and capsheet straight on (without removing the plywood and the old original felt – please see picture attached).

My problem is that they don’t know what they are doing, they want me to pay them the rest of the money we agreed and I won’t unless things are done properly.

So my question to you is: what should I tell them to do so that the roof is safe and sound? Should I still tell them to take everything off? And if they do that, what should I expect them to do after that? I am asking that because, like them, I don’t have a clue.

I would be most grateful for an answer, or a call – I could call you at a convenient time  or you could come round?

Cheers,

Jack