BRE BR302 PDF

Introduction

The majority of roofs, of whatever kind of structure or covering, perform well. However, there is evidence from BRE sources of all kinds that avoidable defects in roofing occur too often (Figure 0.1). These sources include surveys of housing, of both new construction and rehabilitation, evidence from the United Kingdom house condition surveys (undertaken every five years), and also, particularly for building types other than housing, from the past and current commissions of the BRE Advisory Service. Indeed the workload has been such that several BRE advisory officers have dealt with defects or failures in roofs and roofing which had been referred to BRE for specialist advice. The National House Building Council reported in 1993(1) that pitched roof problems were growing in number, with one of the main problem areas being the traditional ‘cut' roof; that is to say, one built on site, not prefabricated.