Roofing in Batumi: pitched and flat roofs, turnkey

Roofing in Batumi: what the work covers

We build the whole roof, from the rafters or the finished slab to the last downpipe. On a new house the roof follows straight after the structural shell, and the sooner it is closed, the less water the slabs and masonry soak up. On an existing house the work means replacing the covering, insulating the attic, fixing leaks and rebuilding details that have leaked for years.

Roofing in Batumi almost always comes down to water. Downpours here are short and dense, wind off the sea drives rain under flashings and ridges, and humid air condenses under the covering. So we do not start with the colour of the sheet. We start with where and how fast the roof will shed water and how the space under it is ventilated.

Pitched or flat roof

A pitched roof sheds water on its own and forgives a missed inspection. A flat roof gives you a terrace and space for equipment and solar panels, but it needs accurate falls, working outlets and emergency overflows. We compare the two in detail in flat roof vs pitched roof. Often one house has both: pitched roofs over the living part and a flat roof over the garage or a ground-floor living room.

What a roof build-up consists of

You see the covering, but the whole build-up beneath it keeps water out and heat in. On a pitched roof that means rafters fixed to the seismic ring beam, a breathable membrane, counter-battens with a ventilation gap, battens and the covering itself. If the roof is warm, insulation goes between the rafters with a vapour barrier underneath, so humid air from the rooms does not reach the insulation. On a flat roof the slab gets a vapour barrier, a screed to falls, insulation and a membrane, and a roof terrace also gets a protective layer on top.

The most common mistake we find on other contractors' roofs in Batumi is a build-up with no ventilation. There is no gap under the sheet, the ridge is sealed, and after a couple of winters the insulation is wet and the attic ceiling is stained. Vents at the eaves and a ventilated ridge cost little, and fixing them later means taking the roof apart. How rafters and fixings are put together is described on the roof framing page.

The details that leak

• valleys, where two slopes gather water into one stream;
• junctions with walls, chimneys, vent outlets and roof windows;
• eaves and gables, where wind off the sea drives rain under the trims;
• parapets and outlets on flat roofs;
• places where brackets for aerials, panels and outdoor units went through the covering.

We photograph these details before the next layer covers them, and the photos stay in the property file. Equipment on the roof is agreed in advance: every bracket fixed after handover is a new hole in the covering.

Sequence of work and weather

On a new house we start the roof once the top slab has gained strength and the seismic ring beam with its fixings is ready. What should be finished by then is described on the house shell page. Rafters and membrane go up quickly so the house is closed against rain, and the covering can then be laid under the protection of the membrane.

From October to December rain comes in long spells, so we try to finish large roofs before then. If the work falls into the wet weeks, open areas are covered with sheeting every evening, and shingles and membranes are laid only on a dry base, even if that moves the date by a few days.

Roofs in the Adjara mountains

Higher in the mountains snow and frost join the downpours. Snow load changes the rafter sizes and batten spacing, and snow guards are needed over entrances, paths and the parking spot, otherwise a whole slab of snow slides off the roof. In gutters there we often lay heating cable so ice does not tear off the hooks. If you are building in Khulo, Shuakhevi or near the passes, see also the page on mountain houses for foundations, heating and delivery of materials.

How much roofing costs

A metal tile roof with materials on existing rafters costs from 200 ₾ per m²: membrane, battens, sheet, ridges and junctions. Asphalt shingles start from 270 ₾ per m², standing seam from 300 ₾, clay tile from 310 ₾, and a turnkey flat roof with insulation and membrane from 245 ₾ per m². A rafter system with materials starts from 135 ₾ per m² of roof slope, pitched roof insulation from 100 ₾, and a steel gutter system from 110 ₾ per linear metre of eaves.

The price depends on the roof shape, the number of valleys and junctions, the height of the house and access for a lift, and by the sea also on the corrosion class of the metal. If the roof already leaks, start with an inspection: often roof repair at the details is enough, without full replacement. The final price is set after measuring the roof or from the design, once the estimate is agreed.