Warning other Irish Homeowners
Roofing Project by Thomas of International Roofing & Guttering & flat roofs Dublin
We are writing this review after a year-long nightmare with Thomas of International Roofing. We hired him for a major roofing project on our home, and the experience has been devastating, both financially and emotionally. We want to share the facts of our case to warn other homeowners.
The project involved replacing one slate roof and two flat roofs for €14,000. We paid this entire sum before the work was completed, at the contractor's insistence. Today, the work is not only defective, but it has actively damaged our home.
Here are the key issues, based on our direct observation, photographic evidence, and the legally required Irish Building Regulations:
Omission of Essential Waterproofing: At the critical junctions where the new slate roof meets the house walls, essential lead soakers and flashings were completely omitted. Photographic evidence confirms this. Published industry standards, such as the Cedral Slates Fixing Guide which references the Irish Code of Practice SR 82, mandate these components for waterproofing.
Lack of Regulatory-Required Ventilation: Both the main slate roof and the flat roofs were constructed as sealed voids with no provision for ventilation. This is contrary to the requirements of the Irish Building Regulations Technical Guidance Document (TGD) Part F, which exists to prevent condensation and structural rot. Our specific request for an abutment vent on one of the roofs was ignored.
Installation During Rain: The membrane for the second flat roof was installed during a period of active rainfall, trapping moisture inside the new structure.
Trapped Water Saturation: A moisture meter reading, taken after the membrane was laid on the new OSB roof deck, showed a moisture content of 35.3%, proving that moisture was trapped within the new roof structure. Timber is considered at high risk of fungal decay when moisture content is sustained above 20%.
Leaking "Completed" Flat Roof: The other "completed" flat roof is also actively leaking, as the waterproofing membrane was not properly connected and sealed to the concrete parapet wall, allowing water to get in underneath.
Project Abandonment: After our carpenters prepared the final roof deck, the contractor did not return for months, leaving the new, untreated timber structure fully exposed to the weather.
Site Management: Two large skip bags of construction debris were left on our property for the entire duration of the project.
Based on these facts, it is our honestly held opinion that the standard of work is not just poor, it's negligent. The sheer number of basic, fundamental errors, from leaving out essential waterproofing to ignoring legally required ventilation, is shocking. In our view, it shows a complete disregard for the basic rules of the trade and for our home's safety.
The result of this is devastating. We are not only out the €14,000 we paid him, but we are now facing thousands more in costs to tear off his defective work, repair the water damage he caused, and pay a competent roofer to do the job properly from scratch. The stress and disruption to our renovation and our lives have been immense.
