While discussing flat roof construction it is only fair to talk about both the pros and cons of it, so the new homeowner chooses a roof that will suit his needs. Flat roofs are as the name suggests flat and built with a small incline to allow the rain water to drain easily. As to which roof to select it depends on the local weather conditions. If you live in a climate that sees a lot of snow fall then a flat roof may not be the best option as the heavy snow fall will cause the failure of the roof due to the heavy load. If this roof is built with structural elements to take care of the extra load during heavy snow fall then there should not be a problem, but this will cost extra money and most people will not see that as an advantage.
These on the other hand are suitable for a number of uses. They provide extra lung space for city dwellers to feel close to nature. On sunny day with nice cool weather the flat roof makes an ideal getaway for employees to take short coffee breaks. The flat roof is also ideal for having a terrace garden. There are companies that specialize in doing this job. They will take care to avoid seepage and leakages from the garden run-off from getting onto the roof membrane. It is important to add a layer of protection between the roof and garden soil to prevent water from damaging the roof. A containing layer will be also be added to keep the garden contained within the space and prevent it from spreading its roots into the roof.
The flat roof is suitable in other ways. HVAC equipment can be placed on the roof and this frees up valuable ground area for other activities like gardening and extra parking space. Sloping roofs are not suitable for such a purpose. Another plus point of is that they provide easy access to homeowners. You can walk on your roof without fear of falling-off. They can also be fixed if there are any minor problems by the homeowner themselves.
On the other hand this construction is prone to leaks and water seepage. It is flat so it collects water. Even if constructed with slight incline water will pond in depressions and if there is any damage to the roof the water will seep through and cause a lot of damage to not only the roof itself but also the structure of the house.