Guides
Flat Roofing Training Courses in the UK: How to Choose One
What makes a flat roofing course worth booking, how beginners and experienced roofers should choose, and where to find hands-on training near you.
The best flat roofing courses in the UK are the ones that put you on a real roof deck for most of the day. You learn more from mixing, priming and detailing an upstand yourself than from a slide deck about it. For beginners that usually means a college course or apprenticeship first, followed by a short hands-on course on a specific flat roofing system. For roofers who already have site experience, a one-day manufacturer course is the quickest way to add a system you can guarantee.
We run hands-on flat roofing training at RESTEC Academy, so here's what we'd look for if we were booking a course ourselves.
Which flat roofing courses give you the most practical experience?
Look at how the day is split. A good practical course spends most of its time on training rigs: decks, upstands, outlets and edge details built so you can make the mistakes there rather than on a customer's roof. Ask these questions before you book:
- How big is the group? Smaller groups mean more time with your hands on the product. Our training days take a maximum of 12 people.
- Who runs it? You want a trainer who has installed the system, not just presented it.
- Do you apply the product yourself? Watching a demonstration is useful, but it isn't the same as getting the catalyst ratio right on a cold morning.
- What do you leave with? A certificate is fine. Certification that lets you offer a manufacturer guarantee is worth more on a quote.
What does a hands-on flat roofing course cover?
Courses vary by system, but on our Flexitec flat roofing course you work through the whole job in the order you'd do it on site:
- Preparing new build and overlay roofs, including choosing the right primer.
- Mixing catalyst correctly for the product and the air temperature.
- Fitting RESTRIM trims for clean, professional edge detailing.
- Detailing around outlets, upstands and other awkward areas.
- Applying base and topcoats, with optional surface finishes.
- Registering the roof for RESTEC's 20-year materials guarantee.
Most of the problems we're called out to on liquid flat roofs come back to steps one, two and four: poor preparation, a bad mix or a rushed detail. That's why the day spends so long on them.
What's the best flat roofing course for beginners?
If you've never worked on a roof, a one-day system course shouldn't be your first step. You'll get far more from it once you know your way around a site, can work safely at height and have seen a few flat roofs stripped back. The usual routes in are:
- A roofing apprenticeship, which typically takes two years or more and is mostly on site.
- A college course in roofing or general construction.
- Labouring for a roofing firm while you learn, then working towards an NVQ.
Once you're on the tools, a manufacturer course adds a specific system you can price and guarantee. Our guide to roofing qualifications in the UK explains how NVQs, CSCS cards and manufacturer certification fit together.
Plenty of people on our training days are early in their careers: a labourer whose boss wants a second pair of trained hands, or a general builder who keeps getting asked to sort out garage and extension roofs. If that's you, the Flexitec course is the place to start. It's the course most of our installers begin with.
Flat roofing courses compared
| Course | Length | Best for | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flexitec MPEC liquid roofing | 1 day | Roofers adding a liquid flat roof system | Β£120 + VAT |
| RESTEC & VELUX specialist flat roof training | 1 day | Roofers who also fit rooflights and flat roof windows | Β£150 + VAT |
| Flexitec Platinum upgrade | 1 day | Experienced Flexitec installers moving into specification and commercial work | Β£200 + VAT |
Prices are per delegate before VAT, and each training day shows its exact price when you open it.
How do you buy a flat roofing course?
You book online. Open the list of upcoming training days, filter by system, date or location, then click Register and add your delegates. Payment is taken by card when you book, and you'll get a confirmation email with anything specific to your course. Before the day you'll be sent a short safety disclaimer to sign.
If you'd rather book over the phone, or you want to train a whole team, the training team can sort it on 01352 748 600.
Where can you find a flat roofing course near you?
We run training days at 22 centres across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, from Plymouth and Sussex to Belfast and Glasgow. Our busiest centres are St Albans, near London, and our head office in Flint, North Wales. Use the postcode search on the training centre locations page to find your nearest one and its dates. Each day takes 12 people at most and popular dates fill up, so it's worth booking early.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a flat roofing course?+
Our flat roofing courses run for one full day. That's enough to work through preparation, mixing, detailing and topcoats on training rigs, with a trainer on hand throughout.
Do I need roofing experience to book?+
No, but you'll get more out of the day if you've already worked on a few roofs. If you're completely new, an apprenticeship or college course is usually the better first step, with a system course added once you're on the tools.
How much does a flat roofing course cost?+
Our flat roofing training starts from Β£120 + VAT per delegate (Β£144 including VAT) for the Flexitec course. The exact price is shown on each training day before you book.
What will I be able to do after the course?+
You'll be able to prepare, apply and detail a Flexitec liquid flat roof on new build and overlay jobs. You also receive an attendance certificate and a personal Trainer ID, which lets you offer RESTEC's 20-year materials guarantee on qualifying roofs you install and register.
Can I book a flat roofing course for my team?+
Yes. You can book up to 12 delegates on one training day online, or call the training team on 01352 748 600 to arrange group, merchant or on-site training.