Roofing and Re-roofing

Roofs rarely fail all at once. Concrete tiles and natural slate often outlast the felt underneath them by a long way, so a roof can look perfectly respectable from the pavement while the layer actually keeping water out has reached the end of its life. Mortar at the ridge and verge goes, nails fatigue and let tiles slip, and the underlay becomes brittle and tears. None of that is visible from the ground.

The best place to form your own view is inside the loft on a bright day. Daylight showing through the felt, tears and sagging between the rafters, staining or damp on the timber, or debris and grit collecting on the loft floor all point the same way. If the felt is brittle enough to crumble when touched, no amount of work on the outside will fix it for long.

Repair or replace

The honest test is not how bad the current leak is, it is how much of the roof is near the end of its life. A slipped tile, a failed flashing or one bad verge on an otherwise sound roof is a repair, and anyone telling you otherwise is selling. Where the underlay has perished across the whole roof, where battens break as soon as they are handled, or where you have paid for the same roof three times in five years, replacing it is usually the cheaper option over any sensible timescale.

What goes on top

Covering choice changes the price, the weight and the look for the next few decades. Concrete tiles are the common default and generally the least expensive. Natural slate costs more and takes more labour, and tends to last longer. Clay sits between them and holds its colour. Weight matters as well as cost, because changing to a heavier covering can need the roof structure checked first, so this is a conversation to have before the quote rather than after.

What the work involves

A typical re-roof means scaffold up, covering stripped, battens and underlay removed, the timbers inspected and anything rotten replaced, new breathable membrane and treated battens fitted, then the new covering laid with ridges, verges and any leadwork made good, and the site cleared. Most domestic roofs are measured in days rather than weeks, with the weather the main variable. Replacing a significant part of a roof covering is normally notifiable building control work, while like for like repairs usually are not, and a straight replacement does not generally need planning permission unless the property is listed or in a conservation area.