Home maintenance
Waterproofing in Dubai
Water always takes the easiest route. We find where it is getting in, choose a system that suits the surface, and test it before the finishes go back on top.
Dubai has little rain, but when it comes it is heavy, and it finds every weakness in a roof, terrace or balcony that has spent years expanding and contracting in the heat. Inside the home, bathrooms and kitchens put water on floors and walls every day. In both cases a small failure in the waterproofing shows up somewhere else — a stained ceiling, peeling paint, or damp at the base of a wall.
Effective waterproofing starts with diagnosis. We trace the entry point first, because replacing a membrane in the wrong place solves nothing.
Where we waterproof
Flat roofs
Membrane and liquid-applied systems, with attention to upstands, outlets, parapets and equipment plinths.
Terraces and balconies
Waterproofing beneath tiles, with correct falls to drains and details at door thresholds.
Bathrooms and kitchens
Wet-area membranes taken up walls and around every pipe penetration, flood-tested before tiling.
Planters
Lining planters so irrigation water stays in the soil and out of the structure.
Water tanks and plinths
Sealing tank bases and surrounding surfaces on roofs.
Leak investigation
Tracing the source of damp and ceiling stains before any waterproofing is replaced.
Why waterproofing fails
Details, not fields
Most failures are at edges, drains, thresholds and penetrations — the places that take the most care to detail.
Ponding
Water that sits on a roof or terrace because the fall is wrong will eventually find a way through.
Damage after installation
New equipment, fixings and satellite dishes drilled through a membrane are a common cause of new leaks.
Questions we are often asked
Can a leaking terrace be fixed without removing the tiles?
Sometimes a defective drain or threshold detail can be repaired locally. If the membrane under the tiles has failed across the area, the tiles have to come up to replace it.
How do you find where the water is coming in?
By looking at where the damage shows, the surfaces above it, and testing suspect areas with controlled water before opening anything up.
When should a roof be waterproofed?
Before the winter rain. Membranes also go down more reliably when surfaces are not at their hottest, so planning ahead pays off.
Related services
Ask about waterproofing
Tell us the property, where it is in Dubai and what you have in mind. Photographs help.
Phone
+971 56 181 0106Good for talking a job through and arranging a visit.
WhatsApp
Send a messageUseful for photographs, floor plans and measurements.
Next step
Planning work on your property?
We survey first, then give you a written, itemised scope so you can decide with the full picture in front of you.