The emergency
The practice contacted ER Group London late at night after water entered through an ageing asphalt roof. The immediate priority was to limit further damage and allow the occupants to understand what would happen next. A temporary patch was completed that night, followed by a more substantial temporary roof the next day so the permanent work could be planned safely.
From failed asphalt to a complete roof build-up
The old asphalt covering was stripped and the falls were altered to improve drainage. The new build-up included a vapour control layer, 100 mm PIR insulation and an EPDM waterproofing system over a suitable deck. New lead flashings were formed at the junctions, while the parapets were repaired and repointed to address the surrounding fabric rather than relying on the membrane alone.
The team also prepared the internal areas affected by water for the subsequent reinstatement works. That joined-up approach reduced the gap between emergency response, permanent roofing and recovery inside the property.
The result
The building moved from a short-term emergency repair to an insulated, properly drained flat-roof system with renewed perimeter details. The case demonstrates why a persistent leak should lead to diagnosis and a coherent specification—not an indefinite sequence of patches.
Project imagery
Camden High Street flat-roof replacement
