Choosing a provider for your flat roof project – whether you are looking to install a brand-new roof, replace an existing roof, or are simply planning some repairs – involves more than simply looking at the cost of their products and services.
System reliability, service quality, sustainability practices, levels of customer support, guarantees, and access to accredited installers are all key factors to consider.
Making the wrong choice can leave you vulnerable to the risks of poor-quality materials and workmanship; here are five crucial aspects to consider when selecting a design and manufacture provider for your roofing project.
Level of customer support and service
With so many flat roofing products and systems to choose from – from bitumen, single ply, hot melt, solar, and liquid, to name a few – you want to be sure you are selecting the right solution, and working from an accurate and effective design, to avoid costly mistakes and project delays.
Choosing a provider that gives you access to a technical and design team can provide you with the knowledge and service you need to ensure you choose the right system.
At Axter, we provide clients with a full service, from concept and technical design to completion and handover. Our approach to each project is personalised; we listen carefully to both specifiers and clients, gaining valuable insights into their requirements, which allow us to create clear and accurate specifications for projects. And, as our specification, survey and design services come included in the price, we offer an excellent value solution compared to other providers who do not offer the same level of support.
Inadequate customer service can lead to poor communication, misunderstandings, mismanagement of expectations, and frustration, making it difficult to address project changes and challenges promptly and efficiently. At Axter, each of our clients has access to our team of experts throughout the process – spanning technical, design, sales and logistics, to name a few areas – but all coordinated through a dedicated technical sales manager, who becomes the single point of contact for the full project cycle, enabling consistent and reliable communication.
We take the quality installation of our waterproofing systems very seriously, and as such, each project is looked at and inspected regularly with the higher-end guarantee projects – gold and platinum – inspected on a fortnightly rota.
The team are also on hand post-project to answer any queries and provide support throughout the entire guarantee period.
These assurances are key, offering long term protection if issues arise post-installation.
Read more about our service to you here.
Quality of materials and manufacturing
High-quality materials and robust systems contribute to the longevity of your roof and its ability to withstand various weather conditions; in the end, it can be a long-term cost saving to invest in materials that offer durability and will last the lifespan of the roof, requiring less frequent repairs and replacements.
Axter’s system expertise and portfolio spans waterproofing, blue roofs, green roofs, and solar, and are all Tested Certified Systems designed and produced in manufacturing facilities which are ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accredited.
Read more about our systems here.
Access to expert workmanship
Selecting a skilled and reliable roofing contractor is key to any successful installation, so it is vital to choose wisely. It is imperative to only work with contractors who have proven trade skills and technical competence, who have the relevant insurances in place, and their company is financially stable.
You must be confident that they will comply with all health and safety legislation and will install the roofing system in full compliance with the manufacturer's specification and British and European standards and codes of practice.
Finding recommended installers is the gold standard – as it provides peace of mind that the workmanship will be of a high quality, helping you avoid potential issues such as leaks, inadequate insulation, and overall structural deficiencies. This is a serious consideration as these issues can result in the need for costly repairs or premature replacement, not to mention the financial and legal risks associated with non-compliant construction.
Working with experienced and organised contractors means you can have more certainty about agreed-upon timelines, and avoid project delays. Axter’s customers benefit from access to our accredited installer network, granting peace of mind that you are using a roofing contractor that has been appropriately vetted, has successfully attained membership of one of Axter's two accreditation schemes and will deliver the highest standards of workmanship, backed up by one of Axter's comprehensive system guarantees.
To find out more about the accredited installers network and the installers local to your area, please contact the Axter team.
Alternatively, if you are a contractor interested in joining the network, please click here.
Guarantees that give peace of mind
Axter provides guarantees on workmanship, design, and products; working with a provider that does not offer this level of security, leaves you vulnerable to future costs and stresses.
We have been supplying long-term, comprehensive insured guarantees for more than 30 years. We offer four levels of guarantee and a range of guarantee periods depending on the system specification and client requirement.
Platinum is our most comprehensive guarantee covering materials, workmanship, and design for up to 35 years, and independent insurance backed insolvency protection for Axter's materials, and the workmanship of an Axter accredited installer roofing contractor for a period of 10 years.
Axter total system guarantees are comprehensive and genuinely market leading, this is why we chose to partner with Axter. Axter guarantees are transparent in their offering and are focussed upon de-risking the project and indemnifying all associated waterproofing risks of the client and developer, this is quite unique, and we value their commitment and honesty.
Luis Menezes, Operations Director, Regal London
Read more about our guarantees, including our Platinum Insurance Backed Guarantee (IBG), here.
Sustainability credentials
There is an urgent need to decarbonise all facets of our society and economy to secure the future of our planet and its species. As businesses, we have a responsibility to transition our operations to net zero as much and as quickly as possible.
When choosing a roofing design and manufacturer, we recommend you review their approach to sustainability to ensure you are working with a company that is actively contributing to the net zero strategy.
Axter’s sustainability commitment is embedded into our whole business strategy; from reducing waste and increasing the use of responsible materials in our offering, the charities and community projects we support, the carbon literacy training we give our staff; and our range of systems offered, including flat roofs that encourage biodiversity and improve local air quality (see our green roofs), and roofs able to create sustainable energy (see our Solar PV roofs). We are also a Silver Carbon Literate Organisation (read more here).
Read more about our sustainability commitments here and check out case study page here for examples of projects we have worked on.
The Axter approach
Choosing a provider for your flat roof project based on cost alone is a risky decision, leaving you vulnerable to the risks of poor-quality materials and workmanship.
Our approach is driven by a passion for technical detail and design. Axter offers a comprehensive service package and a system portfolio renowned for its quality; our customers also benefit from access to our accredited installers network.
Once you factor in the suite of services offered by Axter, it becomes evident the cost is representative of the quality of materials, valuable design, survey and specification expertise, superior customer service, workmanship and the peace of mind our quality assurance and guarantees offer.
If you are interested in speaking with our expert team at Axter to find out how we help you with your flat roofing project, please contact us on 01473 724056 or email [email protected]; a member of our team would be happy to speak to you.
