Technical Insights
Practical advice, specification guidance and technical articles for architects, contractors and developers designing roof terraces and balconies.
Roof Terrace Snow Load: What You Need to Know Before Installation
Wind loading on a roof terrace balustrade gets checked, because it is the obvious and visible force acting on a large glazed surface. Snow loading on the deck [...]
How Certified Fixing Methods Reduce Specification Risk for Roof Terrace Systems
Professional indemnity exposure sits behind almost every specification decision an architect makes on a project, even when it is rarely discussed openly in a design team meeting. A [...]
Roof Terrace Drainage: Coordinating Falls, Outlets and Freestanding Decking
Drainage strategy on a flat roof is normally worked out before anyone thinks seriously about the balustrade system and decking that will eventually sit on top of it, [...]
What a Loss Adjuster Checks First in a Roof Terrace Water Ingress Claim
A water ingress claim on a property with a roof terrace follows a different investigation path from most other buildings insurance claims, because the question a loss adjuster [...]
Why Penetrative Fixing Details Are Still Common in Roof Terrace Specifications
Ask most architects why a roof terrace balustrade gets specified with a penetrative fixing and the honest answer is rarely because it is the best technical solution available. [...]
Can a Roof Terrace Affect Flat Roof Drainage?
Yes. Any roof terrace system should be designed with the existing roof drainage strategy in mind. The position of drainage outlets, the roof falls and the way water moves [...]
The Roof Terrace Specification Clause That Helps Prevent Product Substitution
A roof terrace specification does more than identify products. It communicates the design intent, defines the required performance and helps ensure every party involved understands what the finished installation [...]
Can a Contractor Substitute a Penetrative Balustrade System if You’ve Specified Non-Penetrative?
No. Not without formal approval and evidence that the proposed alternative achieves the same specified performance. If a non-penetrative roof terrace system has been specified as part of the design [...]
Retrofit Roof Terraces: The Questions to Answer Before You Specify
Retrofitting a roof terrace onto an existing building is very different from designing one into a new-build project. The roof already exists. The waterproofing system may be years old. [...]
