Overcladding vs. Roof Replacement: Finding a Roofing Solution That Fits Your Commercial Building and Budget

Ensuring your commercial or industrial building is a safe place to work is essential and whilst the deterioration of metal roofs over time is unavoidable, there are a number of refurbishment routes you can explore to reinstate quality and safety back to your roof. The two main types of refurbishment are overcladding and cladding, also known as roof replacement, but which process best suits you and your business?

Strip and Resheet

Roof removal and replacement is a viable option for industrial, factory, asbestos, office and other commercial roofs, however, the full stripping and resheeting of a roof can affect daily business with the process taking anywhere from a few days, to a few weeks, depending on size of building.

However, despite its time delays, full replacement provides the ultimate remedy for damaged roofs that are prone to moss and leaks, and offers a product that will last 20 years or more. Roof replacement also improves the overall look of the building and enhances its thermal efficiency, ensuring that your commercial building is cool in summer and warm in winter. In addition to this, there is the opportunity to introduce natural light into the building with the option to incorporate roof lights into your new roof.

Overcladding

Overcladding on the other hand offers a more cost effective solution compared to roof replacement as well as the long-term benefits that come with a full roof refurbishment. Instead of replacing the entire roof, overcladding is added to the existing structure to safeguard against leaks and repair damage.

Overcladding causes no or very little disruption to your everyday operations, making it a time effective as well as low-cost solution for busy businesses. The building’s thermal efficiency is also improved with insulation added between the existing structure and new overclads, offering a polished and energy efficient finish that provides protection all year round.

Replace or Overclad?

Whether you opt for a full roof replacement or overcladding depends on the amount of damage the roof has sustained over time and your overall budget. Overcladding provides a low-cost alternative due to the cost of stripping and disposing of damaged material, whilst roofs that are heavily corroded or at the end of their lifespan may benefit more from full resheeting. Overcladding can also be particularly useful to businesses that wish to remain active throughout roof refurbishment works.

Both processes however give damaged roofs on any building a new lease of life with improved energy efficiency providing benefits for employees throughout the cooler and warmer months. To find out which roofing solution is the right option for you, consult a qualified commercial roofing contractor, Crown Construction Solutions Ltd

The Crown Team have been set a challenge recently. We needed to make an old farm portal framed building look more in keeping with the adjoined house. The only way was to take off the roof and build a new frame on top to effectively provide a steeper pitch for the roof. This took some time to draw and specify but the results are fantastic and provide a new and improved platform on which a new roof can be fitted. We have pursuded the client to go with the TATA Steel Roof (Colourcoat Urban) which will look amazing once complete. We will update the project portfolio at a later date but we just wanted to show off some of our well known engineering skills before they are covered over. Do you have an interesting project we can help you with?

.

Fibreglass Covered Coping Stones and Parapets

A Cheltenham house, split into flats and a shop, that has suffered years of damp in the upper flat

Construction: Crown Construction Solutions

Introduction: The client was very specific about the damp issues within the upper flat and it was easy to see why when we climbed out on to the roof. The coping stones were badly fitted; they had also been fitted flush with the wall allowing for zero overhang; the weather had slowly caused the parapet walls render to fail; cracks had appeared along the entire length of the coping stones; finally, behind the chimney the narrow coping stone had cracked and had been allowing water in for years. You probably now understand why there was an issue

Solution: Fibreglass Roofing – the solution was to cover all the coping stones with Fibreglass which would provide many years protection for the exposed coping stones. Also, Fibreglass would cover the exposed parapet walls so that further weather protection was provided. The system used was the Scott Bader fibreglass system which is the market leader in terms of the resins it provides and the quality of the trims supplied. The local roofing outlet did try and provide us with the standard fibreglass system which we refused because it consists of only blended resins; Scott Bader manufactures virgin resins only which means the quality is far superior and will last many more years.

Please see the pictures provided. As you can see we provided full roof protection so that no slates were damaged during fitting.

Scott Bader Fibreglass Roof

All new Scott Bader fibreglass roof systems come with a full 25 year manufacturer
guarantee which provides piece of mind for all parties concerned. This particular
roof was covered in the usual felt material which had over the years started to leak
causing the plywood to delaminate. Plus as more water penetrated the roof structure
this led to visible signs within the property which was the point at which we were
called to rectify the problem.

The team are trained by Scott Bader at the manufacturing facility in Northampton
from which their fibreglass resins are produced. High profile clients who also use
Scott Bader for fibreglass are the three large yacht builders:
Sunseeker, Fairline and Princess. 

Call us today to discuss your roofing options.