Roofing Guide

We want you to understand everything we quote for, and why.

Here are some helpful bits of information but always feel free to ask anything.

Your Project

Once you are happy with your quotation and we have agreed payment terms, we can start work on your roof. We will agree dates with you and stick to them as far as we possibly can. The main uncertainty is the weather. Naturally you will not want your roof stripped off during heavy rain or high winds. Our prime concern is the health and safety of yourself and our team. If bad weather delays work, we will talk to you and agree revised dates as soon as possible.

Please be assured that, once we start work, your roof will be protected at all times. If we have stripped the roof covering but not finished the replacement, we will put fully weatherproof tarpaulins and other measures in place to prevent any leakage. In worst-case scenario, such as a severe storm, we provide a 24-hour emergency callout service. We can generally give a start date of within a few weeks. Homeowners and small business are our main customers, so we will not have to ‘fit you in’ around other projects. We can do emergency remedial work quickly if this is needed.

Job Completion

When the job is finished we will remove all refuse from the site and leave your property in a neat and tidy condition.

Guarantee

All of our workmanship carries at least a full 10-year guarantee. In the unlikely event of any problems we will put it right at no cost to you. If you choose synthetic slates or tiles, these also carry a manufacturer’s guarantee valid for a much longer term provided the appropriate installation guidelines have been used.

Aftercare

If you have any concerns at all about your new or repaired roof, please call us for immediate attention. We value our local reputation above all else and will deal with any problems straight away. We deliberately provide you with a detailed quote so that you can see exactly what you are getting. Inevitably we have to use some ‘technical’ terms to describe the work and materials, although some items are self-explanatory.

Existing Roof Covering

We will strip this off in a safe manner and remove all refuse from the site.

Felt

This is a layer that sits underneath the slates or tiles to provide additional protection. It keeps out wind-driven rain and dust and acts as a temporary barrier in the event of any broken tiles or slates letting water through the main covering. Breathable or non-breathable felt can be used; on new builds, this is usually specified by the architect and in the quotation. We only use felt certified to British Standards.

This can also be the term for flat roof covering materials usually installed in a 3-layer process, using torch-on roofing felt. We only use felt certified to British Standards.

Tanalised Roof Battens

We use only imported ‘John Brash’ wooden battens which are pressure treated to prevent damage from water, fungus or insects.

Under-Cloak

Where tiles/slates overhang a gable, the underside is bedded in mortar and finished with special slates/tiles or an inert board.

Lead Work

Over time, lead work and flashing’s can deteriorate, allowing water ingress. The solution is to remove existing lead and replace it with new appropriately coded lead, re-pointing and re-tiling as required. Old flashings are generally not changed during re-roofs leading to future problems with the roof. All leadwork is replaced with a HQ roof.

Code 3 Lead Soakers

This is a sheet of lead placed between the slate and an abutment, such as a chimney or wall, for weathering at junctions.

Code 4 Lead Flashings

These are lead sheets cut into the brickwork and then dressed over a surface below. Used to deflect water from a joint between two adjacent materials, such as chimney brickwork and tiles. Traditional ‘Cockney’ flashings are generally installed as opposed to single flashings. ‘Cockney’ flashings are a complete piece of lead 1.5m max length and offer a much more secure, professional and aesthetically pleasing finish to a roof.

Code 5 or 6 Lead

Used as a flat roofing material on bays or behind chimneys etc.

Code 7 or 8 Lead

Used as a flat roofing material and for box gutters and parapets.

Valley Liners

Where two sloping roofs meet, as with two mountains, the valley is the line between. This can be lined with code 4 lead or a glass fibre material to make it watertight.

Bonding Gutter

This is used to make a clean/unseen join between your roof and any neighbouring roofs where required and is made of a glassfibre material. There will be no cheap flashing tape bonding methods used either at neighbouring joins or for any leadwork. (Flashing tape is the silver bitumen tape commonly seen on poor quality re-roofs.)

Other Services

While the scaffolding is in place you might also take the opportunity to have the following looked at:

• Leadwork.
• Loft insulation.
• Roof-lights/velux windows replaced/installed.
• Solar Panels.
• Fascia board, soffitt and bargeboard maintenance/replacement.
• Gutter and downpipe maintenance/replacement.
• Chimneystacks, pots and ventilation.
• Brickwork.