A guide to low pitched roofing - what you need to consider!

You may already be aware, but thanks to a permanent relaxation in planning rules homeowners now have the freedom to add an extra space to their home in the form of a single storey extension without the need for planning permission. Due to this change, many builders and roofers are overflowing with requests to create such extensions. After all, given the current climate, it’s much more favourable to ‘improve’ as opposed to ‘move’! Interest rates and mortgages are fluctuating and are becoming increasingly unpredictable, which may make you feel a little uneasy about making any drastic decisions. So, if you don’t want to be caught up in the headache of selling your home and uprooting, perhaps an extension might be a better option for you?

One of the major factors to consider when planning an extension is the type of roofing as single storey home extensions typically have a lower roof pitch. Let’s take a closer look at the considerations for low pitched roofing…

Whilst the rules have been relaxed, there are still some considerations that need to be thought of when planning your extension…

Now this could be tricky if the material in question is no longer available and it might mean you need to seek an alternative solution to replace your existing roof and cover the new extension too. So make sure you check this before you go ahead and purchase the new roofing for your home extension. The last thing you’ll want to do is have an unexpected cost and buy two lots of roofing, blowing your project’s budget.

Don’t get caught out here! You might think ‘will one degree make a difference?’ and the answer is, yes, absolutely. You need to tread carefully and ensure you aren’t tempted to tile below the manufacturer's recommended pitch as this could end up causing you a major headache in the future. Not only can this totally invalidate any guarantee you have with the supplier, it may also result in a roofing system that doesn’t offer full weather protection, and who wants to be dealing with leaks during the winter months? Another costly price to pay when you have only just paid out for the extension itself - especially if the leaks reach through to the inside of your newly, beautifully decorated space!

Another key consideration when it comes to extending with a low pitched roof is water run-off. It’s quite common that a low pitched roof will have to deal with the inconvenience of water running off from a higher, larger roof. Therefore, an adequate system must be in place to ensure it is able to effectively run off into a sufficient drainage system, which will also need to be able to to cope with the amount of water coming from both the immediate roofing and the higher, larger roof above. Without these in place…you guessed it, more costly leaks and water damage. As you can see, low pitched roofing does come with various obstacles, headaches, and the high risk of costly water damage, but the GOOD news is, here at Onduline, we’ve made life a bit easier for you, or perhaps, your roofing contractor with our ISOLINE LOW LINE roofing system.

Our ISOLINE LOW LINE system provides a simple and stress-free answer to low-pitched roofing! Essentially acting as a waterproof barrier underneath any type of roof tiles, it ensures water is kept at bay and prevents roof leaks.

The ISOLINE LOW LINE sheet benefits from having 24mm deep corrugations and the low height corrugations make it the ideal sheet for use on low-pitched roofs, with rigorous testing for ALL tiles able to be used at a 10-degree pitch! The LOW LINE sheet is also made up of 21 corrugations, which gives the sheet its maximum rigidity.

The system is also BRE-tested and BBA-accredited, complying with stringent UK regulations.

An added bonus…it is commonly used on heritage sites, enhancing the performance of the aesthetically pleasing roofing tiles. It is also made up of a minimum 50% recycled cellulose fibres, contains no asbestos and does not release any hazardous substances.

There are so many benefits to using our ISOLINE LOW LINE sheets. View our product page to find out more, or why not read our recent “Low pitched roofing: your FAQs answered” blog where we break down the benefits in more detail.

Ready to get started on planning your home extension? Speak to your builder, architect, roofing contractor or other professional about our ISOLINE LOW LINE roofing system. Or get in touch with us directly by calling 0207 727 0533 or emailing [email protected]. One of our team will be more than happy to discuss your project with you and how our roofing system can help you achieve your desired performance.