Bitumen membrane for hotels & serviced apartments in Qatif

Prepared by the technical team · editorial review · last updated 13 November 2026 · Sources

Bitumen membrane in Qatif: the local context

Team note on Qatif: Kashf teams serve this city and its nearby districts with the same documented inspection standard: device-based leak detection without demolition, a written report, and a clear scope before any work begins.. The centre of Qatif sits about 5 m above sea level (SRTM open elevation data).

Qatif is about 2.5 km from the sea coast (OpenStreetMap).

Qatif sits only about 5 m above sea level, and the town is roughly 2.5 km from the coast, so the first thing we check on a hotel or serviced apartment roof here is how water is draining and where it is collecting. Low-lying ground and a short distance to the sea mean that rainwater and any groundwater pressure can build up quickly around a roof edge, parapet, or plant room. Before any bitumen membrane is quoted, the technician looks at the fall of the roof, the condition of existing outlets, and any ponding that has left staining on the parapet. A bitumen membrane is priced at SAR 15–35 per m², and the figure that matters most on site is the total area that needs covering, because that is what the price depends on.

Several things can only be settled at the site visit. The technician needs to confirm the actual condition of the existing surface, whether old layers can stay in place or must be stripped, and whether the upstand and flashings around rooftop units are sound. He or she will also check for cracks, blisters, and any sign that water has reached the floors below, since a leak in a occupied hotel room is a different job from a dry roof. If the roof is shared with a water tank, the tank's internal condition is assessed separately, with tank internal coating priced at SAR 25–60 per m². Access arrangements, working hours around guests, and any restrictions on noise and fumes from torch-applied work are also agreed during the visit rather than in advance.

To help the technician prepare, it is useful to have the roof plan or building drawings, the number of floors, and the date of the last roof repair if one is known. Note any areas where water has entered rooms, and whether the leak appears after rain or only after heavy wind. Photographs taken from the roof and from the room ceilings below, with the time they were taken, save a great deal of time. Let us know whether the roof is walkable, whether there is a lift or stair access for materials, and whether the building is occupied during the work, because these details shape the method and the schedule. A clear picture of the roof before the visit makes the eventual quote more accurate.

For hotels and serviced apartments, rooms are handled in batches to keep units available.

When do you need bitumen membrane?

The following signs are worth checking before they grow:

• A flat concrete roof that needs waterproofing
• Old rolls that are cracking

Where the problem usually comes from

• No protection layer — we check this before anything else.
• A common cause: seams that were not welded properly.

How we choose the tool in Qatif

How the work is done, step by step

1. Preparation: Cleaning, priming and repairs.
2. Torch welding: Overlaps are welded and checked.
3. Details: Upstands, drains and bases.
4. Protection and flood test: Protection is laid after a successful flood test.

Qatif in facts and sources

Short answers for Qatif

What we advise against

• Leaving the membrane exposed without protection

The written outputs

The written output: photos of the welds and the flood-test result. The report is numbered and can be checked with its verification code.