Roof Refurbishment and Upgrades for Existing Housing Stock

Roof refurbishment on existing housing stock

Roofs on existing housing stock deteriorate over time, and many were built long before current expectations on energy performance. Refurbishment gives housing associations, local authorities and principal contractors a way to address that deterioration, improve thermal performance and extend roof life, often without the cost of full replacement. Globe Roofing delivers roof refurbishment and upgrade work on occupied homes as part of regeneration schemes and planned investment programmes.

This service sits within our regeneration, repair and maintenance division. Where a roof has reached the end of its serviceable life, full replacement is covered by our social housing re-roofing service. Where the structure and much of the covering are sound, refurbishment is often the better use of the budget.

What refurbishment and upgrade work involves

Roofs are under constant stress from rain, wind, UV and temperature change. Over time felt degrades, flashings fail and fixings corrode, and the roof's performance falls away. Our refurbishment work is scoped to the specific property and can combine several elements. Overlay systems add a new waterproofing layer to an existing flat roof, addressing leaks and extending life without a full strip. Thermal upgrades improve energy performance with modern insulation. Material upgrades replace outdated or failing tiles and slates. Structural enhancements reinforce areas of the roof where the existing structure needs attention before new coverings or insulation go on.

Because refurbishment is carried out on homes that stay occupied, the programme has to respect the residents underneath. We plan the sequence so properties stay weathertight as work progresses, keep sites tidy and considerate, and keep both residents and the client informed. The work is documented so your asset team has a clear record of what was done and where.

Energy efficiency at refurbishment

The roof is a significant part of the building envelope, and refurbishment is often the best opportunity to improve its thermal performance. The underlying principles are the same as on a new build, which we set out in our article on achieving high energy efficiency with new build roofing. What changes on existing stock is that the upgrade has to work with a structure, a ventilation arrangement and a set of junctions that were designed to an earlier standard.

Adding insulation is not enough on its own. Insulation has to be continuous and free from gaps, because even small voids or compression reduce its effectiveness. Underlay selection matters too: breathable membranes allow moisture vapour to escape while keeping water out, reducing the risk of interstitial condensation that can undermine insulation performance. Insulation and ventilation have to be balanced, because a better-insulated roof void that is not properly ventilated is at greater risk of condensation, timber decay and mould. Our roof ventilation and condensation control page covers that balance in more detail.

Cold bridging needs particular attention on older homes. Eaves junctions, wall plate connections, roof-to-wall interfaces and the areas around rooflights and dormers are all points where heat can bypass the insulation. On schemes where external wall insulation is installed alongside the roof works, the eaves is where the two packages meet, and the detail needs to be agreed and checked jointly so that insulation stays continuous. The target performance for each scheme is confirmed with the client's designer at specification stage, as the requirements for work on existing homes are not identical to those for new build.

Why housing providers and principal contractors use Globe Roofing

We bring the same compliance discipline to refurbishment that we apply on new build developments, with systems installed in accordance with manufacturer guidance and work documented for the client's records. Globe Roofing holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, CHAS and SMAS Worksafe accreditation. As part of the Globe Group, we can coordinate scaffold through Globe Cambridge on the same scheme, which simplifies the supply chain on a regeneration contract.

To discuss roof refurbishment and upgrade work on your stock, call 01223 890727, email enquiries@theglobegroup.co.uk or contact the Globe Roofing team.