So, You Need a New Felt Roof. What’s the Real Cost?

Let’s cut to the chase. You’re looking at a tired, possibly leaking felt roof on your Brighton home, and you want to know the damage. As a roofer who’s been replacing these across Sussex for over 18 years, I can tell you there’s no single magic number, but I can give you the honest truth about the costs.

As a rough starting point, you should budget for around £70 – £120 per square metre (m²) for a professional, 3-layer torch-on felt roof replacement. This typically includes the labour, all the core materials, and disposal of the old roofing waste. But this is just a ballpark figure. The final price on your fixed quote depends entirely on what I find when I get up there.

What Actually Influences the Final Price? It’s More Than Just Size.

Every roof is different. When I put together a quote, I’m not just measuring the square footage. I’m looking at several key factors that can significantly change the cost:

  • The State of Your Decking: This is the big one. The felt is just the waterproof layer; it sits on timber boards (usually OSB). If water has been getting through, those boards will be rotten and spongy. I will not lay a new roof on rotten decking. Replacing these boards is an extra cost for materials and labour that can’t be skipped.
  • Insulation Upgrades: Current building regulations often require you to upgrade your insulation when replacing a flat roof. A ‘warm roof’ system with rigid insulation boards costs more upfront but will save you a fortune on your heating bills. I’ll always advise you on this.
  • Access and Complexity: A simple garage roof in Worthing with easy access is quicker and therefore cheaper than a third-floor roof terrace in a narrow Hove street. Skylights, pipes, vents, and complex angles all add time and material cost.
  • The ‘Extras’: Often, a failing roof means other components are also on their last legs. You might need new lead flashing, or it could be the perfect time to replace old timber fascias and soffits. Doing it all at once is far more cost-effective. If your fascias are looking tired, ask me about the cost for a full uPVC fascia board replacement.

“Can I Just Patch It Myself to Save a Few Quid?”

I get asked this all the time. The honest answer is yes, you *can* go and buy a tin of acrylic repair paint or roofing sealant and slap it over a crack. It might even stop the drip for a few months. But you are just storing up trouble.

These DIY patches are temporary band-aids. They often fail quickly and, worse, they trap moisture underneath, accelerating rot in the timber deck without you even knowing it. I’ve seen countless jobs where a quick DIY fix has turned a simple re-felt into a full structural rebuild, costing the homeowner far more in the long run. If you have a serious, active leak causing damage right now, your priority should be getting it watertight immediately. You can book an urgent roof leak repair with me and I’ll sort it properly.

What My Professional Replacement Quote Includes

When I give you a fixed-price quote, it’s for a proper, long-lasting job. There are no shortcuts. This means:

  • A full strip-off of all existing felt layers, right back to the timber deck.
  • A thorough inspection of the deck, with photographic evidence of any rot that needs replacing.
  • Installation of a high-performance, 3-layer torch-on bitumen felt system with a solid guarantee.
  • All detail work to edges, upstands, and penetrations finished correctly to prevent future leaks.
  • A clean and tidy site, with all waste removed.
  • Access to my client portal, where you get daily photo updates of the job’s progress. No mystery, no hidden problems.

How to Get a Real, Fixed Price for Your Roof in Sussex

Stop guessing. The only way to know the true cost is for a professional to assess the roof in person. Whether you have a failing garage flat roof or a leaking rear extension roof, I can provide a detailed, no-obligation, fixed-price quote.

You can get an instant online estimate on my website to see the ballpark figures for your specific roof size, but for a guaranteed price, you need a proper inspection. You can learn more about my detailed process and the high-quality materials I use on my main flat roof replacement service page. Don’t let a small problem turn into a big, expensive one.