Roof repairs
Roof repairs, leaks and storm damage
Leaks traced to where the water gets in, slipped and cracked slates replaced to match, ridges re-bedded and storm damage made safe. Where there's room to set up, we do the repair from a cherry picker, so there's no scaffold on the bill.
Leaks
Finding where the water gets in
The stain on the ceiling is rarely right under the leak. Water runs along the felt, rafters and joists before it shows, so we start on the roof and in the loft and work back to the cause.
- Flashings
- Lead round chimneys and walls that has split, slipped or come out of its joint
- Valleys
- Worn or cracked linings where two roof slopes meet
- Slates
- Slipped, cracked or missing slates letting rain onto the felt underneath
- Ridge and hips
- Mortar washed out, or ridge tiles loose or missing
- Gutters
- Blocked gutters overflowing at the eaves and soaking the top of the wall
- Condensation
- Not a leak at all, but a loft without enough ventilation. From below it can look the same.
Common repairs
What usually goes wrong
The faults we see most often, how to spot them from the ground or the loft, and how each one is put right.
Slipped slate
A gap in a course, or a slate sitting lower than the ones beside it.
Refixed, or replaced with matching slate held by a copper tingle.
Cracked or missing slate
Broken pieces in the gutter or on the path after a windy night.
Matching slate cut in, new or reclaimed.
Loose ridge
Ridge tiles rocking, or gaps where the mortar has washed out.
Lifted and re-bedded, or changed to a dry-fix ridge with no mortar to wash out.
Failed flashing
Damp on a chimney breast, or a stain where the roof meets a wall.
Lead refixed and repointed, or replaced in the right code.
Worn valley
Damp in the corner of a ceiling below where two roofs meet.
Valley relined in new lead, with the slates either side refixed.
Storm damage
Slates or ridge tiles blown off, or lead lifted by the wind.
Made safe, then repaired to match the rest of the roof.
Making it safe
If water is coming in now
The first job is to stop the water. The proper repair comes after, once we've found the cause and you've agreed the price.
- Step 1
Call
Tell us where the water is showing and what the weather is doing. Photos on WhatsApp help.
- Step 2
Make safe
A temporary repair to stop the water, such as a refixed slate, a sealed flashing or a sheet over the damage.
- Step 3
Photos and price
Photos of the cause, and a fixed price for the proper repair.
- Step 4
Repair
The permanent repair, done to match, as soon as the weather allows.
Until we get there, move anything you can from under the drip. If a ceiling is bulging with water, keep everyone out of the room below it, and if water is near a light fitting, switch that circuit off at the fuse box.
Access
Repairs from a cherry picker
A few slates, a flashing or a ridge is a few hours' work, and scaffold for a job that size can cost more than the repair. Where there's room to set up, we work from a cherry picker instead and take it away when we leave.
- Good for
- Slates, ridges, flashings, valleys, gutters and chimney checks
- Needs
- Firm ground and room to park close to the house, with no overhead cables in the way
- Not for
- Re-roofs, chimney rebuilds and jobs that run for days
Repair or replace
When a repair stops being worth it
Most roofs only need a repair. Some have reached the point where the repairs keep coming back. We'll tell you which yours is, and show you the photos.
Repair
One problem in one place, such as a few slipped slates, a failed flashing or a loose ridge. The rest of the roof is sound.
Strip one area
One slope, bay or valley keeps failing while the rest of the roof is in good order. That part can be stripped and redone on its own.
Re-roof
Slates slipping all over the roof, rusted nails or rotten felt along the eaves. Repairs would only keep coming back. Re-roofing
Questions
Roof repair questions
Why does it only leak in heavy rain?
Wind drives rain into places a light shower never reaches, such as under a lifted flashing or through a slate with a hairline crack. It helps, because it narrows down where to look.
Will my home insurance cover it?
It depends on the policy. Most cover sudden storm damage but not wear and tear. We can give you photos and a written note of what we found to send to your insurer.
Do you need to go in the loft?
Usually, yes. From inside, especially in daylight, you can often see exactly where the water is coming through.
Will the repair stand out?
We match the size and colour of the slate. New slate can look cleaner than the slates round it at first, so on an old roof reclaimed slate is often the closer match.
Can it be done without scaffolding?
Often. Small repairs can be done from a cherry picker if there's room to set up near the house. When a cherry picker can be used.
Leak, slipped slate or storm damage?
Book a survey and we'll find the cause and show you the photos. If water is coming in now, call.