I totally get what you mean about the basics getting skipped. I watched a neighbor’s green roof turn into a leaky mess just because they didn’t bother with proper edge flashing—looked great for a year, then... not so much. I’m still figuring out plant combos myself, but sedum seems like the MVP for our hot summers. The paperwork is a pain, but honestly, I kind of like the puzzle of making it all fit together.
I watched a neighbor’s green roof turn into a leaky mess just because they didn’t bother with proper edge flashing—looked great for a year, then... not so much.
Yeah, skipping edge flashing is just asking for trouble. I’ve seen people try to save a few bucks there and it always backfires. When I helped install one last summer, we started by double-checking the membrane overlaps and made sure the drainage layer was continuous right to the edge. Even then, it’s easy to miss something small that turns into a headache later.
Sedum’s definitely tough, but if you get a lot of wind, mix in some low grasses—they help hold things down, especially at the corners. The paperwork’s a pain for sure... but once you get through it the first time, it gets way easier.
Edge flashing really is one of those things people overlook until it’s too late. I’ve seen a handful of “budget” installs where folks skipped it, and sooner or later water finds a way in—especially around the corners. Even with the best membrane, if the edges aren’t sealed up tight, you’re just rolling the dice. I’d add that checking for ponding water after the first few big rains is worth the hassle too. Sometimes the drainage layer looks fine on install, but settles weird and starts pooling. Caught that once during an inspection—saved the owner a bunch of headaches down the line.
Edge flashing is one of those things I didn’t even know existed until I started poking around the roof myself. The first time I tried to patch up a leaky spot, I figured the membrane was doing all the work—boy, was I wrong. Couple months later, after a big rain, water started seeping in right at the edge where I’d skipped the flashing (trying to save a few bucks and time). Lesson learned.
I totally agree about checking for ponding too. My green roof looked picture-perfect right after install, but then we had a crazy downpour and suddenly there was a mini swimming pool up there. Turns out, some of the soil settled unevenly and blocked one of my drains. Had to haul up buckets to bail it out before it got worse. Now every spring, I get up there with a level and just eyeball everything after the first big rain.
Honestly, sometimes it feels like roofs have a sixth sense for finding your shortcuts...
Funny how the little details like flashing end up being the biggest headaches later on. I’ve noticed a lot of folks overlook edge protection when they’re focused on the main waterproofing layers, but in my experience, water always finds a way if there’s even a tiny gap. Out of curiosity, did you run into any issues with local codes or inspectors when you went back and fixed the flashing? Some municipalities around here are super strict about what materials you can use at the roof edges, especially with green roofs. I wonder if that’s universal or just a local quirk.
