New Roofs in Dickleburgh

Expert New Roofs
in Dickleburgh

The Real Question: Repair or Replace?

When a roof starts to fail, most homeowners want to know one thing - do I have to replace the whole thing? The honest answer is: sometimes yes, sometimes no, and the right answer depends on the age of the roof, the extent of the damage, and what the underlying structure looks like. Getting this decision right saves you money either way. Repairing a roof that is actually at the end of its life wastes money on work that will not last. Replacing a roof that could have been repaired for another ten years wastes even more.

A good roofer should be able to explain clearly which situation you are in, show you the evidence, and give you an honest opinion. If a roofer cannot tell you why they are recommending one option over the other, ask them to go through it with you on the roof or from the scaffold.

When Repair Makes Sense

Repairs are the right choice when the roof covering is fundamentally sound but has a localised failure. Common repairable problems include:

• A small number of slipped, cracked or missing tiles or slates - if the surrounding tiles are still in good condition and properly bedded, replacing the damaged ones and repointing nearby mortar is often enough.
• Failed lead flashings around a chimney, dormer or where a roof meets a wall - lead can be re-dressed, extended or replaced as a standalone job without touching the rest of the roof.
• Blocked or overflowing gutters that have caused water to back up under the tiles at the eaves - once the gutters are cleared and the affected tiles are lifted and re-laid, the problem is solved.
• A single section of a flat roof that has blistered or split, while the rest of the membrane is intact - a patch or section replacement on felt or EPDM can extend the life of the overall flat roof by several years.
• A ridge that has lost its mortar pointing - repointing ridge tiles is a straightforward job that prevents water getting into the ridge line without any need to touch the main roof covering.

As a guide, if the roof covering is less than 15 to 20 years old and the damage is localised, repair is likely to be the better financial decision. A repair on a roof in reasonable condition could cost anywhere from £150 for a handful of tile replacements to £600 to £1,200 for leadwork or a section of flat roof - far less than a full replacement.

When Replacement Is the Right Answer

There are situations where repair is not the economically sensible choice, even if it is technically possible. A roof covering that is failing in multiple places simultaneously is telling you it has reached the end of its service life. Concrete tiles typically last 30 to 50 years before the surface starts to degrade and moss and lichen penetration becomes a structural issue, not just a cosmetic one. Natural slate, if it was good quality to begin with, can last considerably longer - but the sand-and-cement bedding for ridge tiles and verge mortar will need attention well before the slate itself fails.

Replacement makes sense when:

• The roof is over 40 years old and has had no significant work in that time.
• The underlay (if visible from the loft) is degraded, torn or absent in places. The underlay is your secondary waterproofing layer and cannot be replaced without stripping the tiles.
• Multiple tiles or slates are slipping regularly each winter, suggesting the nibs or fixing nails have corroded or failed across the whole roof.
• There is evidence of widespread damp in the loft space that cannot be traced to a single source - this often points to underlay failure or widespread mortar deterioration.
• The battens are soft or rotten when checked. Rotten battens cannot hold tiles securely, and they cannot be replaced without stripping the roof covering first.
• You have had repeated repairs to the same roof and the problems keep returning in new places - at that point, you are spending repair money on a roof that will need replacing anyway.

A new roof on a standard semi-detached house typically costs £5,000 to £10,000 using concrete interlocking tiles. Natural slate costs more - typically £8,000 to £15,000 for the same size - because material and fixing time are both higher. These figures can increase if structural timber needs replacing once the covering is stripped.

The Problem with Roof Coatings

Some contractors offer to spray or paint an existing roof covering with a liquid coating rather than replace it. This is sometimes marketed as a cheaper alternative to re-roofing. The problem is that a coating applied to a roof that is already failing does not fix the underlying cause - it covers it temporarily. Water can still get behind failed mortar or under slipped tiles, and the coating may trap moisture that then causes timber decay. It also makes future proper repairs harder, because the coating can seal tiles in place and make them difficult to lift without breaking them.

If a contractor recommends a coating as an alternative to re-roofing, ask them to explain exactly what the coating will do and for how long. A genuine repair or replacement will always outlast a coating applied to a struggling roof.

What a New Roof in Dickleburgh Involves

If replacement is the right answer, the process starts with scaffold erection around the perimeter of the roof. The old covering - tiles, slates, battens and underlay - is stripped off and removed. The exposed timber structure is checked carefully. Any rotten or damaged rafters, wall plates or decking are replaced at this stage, because once the new roof goes on it will be many years before anyone sees those timbers again.

New breathable underlay is fixed across the rafters, followed by tanalised (pressure-treated) timber battens at the correct gauge for the tile being used. The tiles or slates are then fixed from the eaves upwards, with cut tiles at verges and hips bedded and pointed in mortar or secured with dry-fix systems. Ridge tiles are the last element, bedded and pointed or fitted with a dry-fix ventilated ridge system, which avoids the mortar cracking and lifting that is a common maintenance issue on older roofs.

Leadwork at chimneys, valleys and abutments is renewed at the same time. Replacing leadwork while the scaffold is already up is far cheaper than a separate mobilisation later.

Flat Roofs: Felt or EPDM?

For flat sections on extensions or outbuildings, the repair-versus-replace question is just as relevant. Mineral felt has a service life of around 10 to 15 years, and once it starts blistering or splitting in multiple places, replacement is more cost-effective than repeated patching. EPDM rubber membrane is the more practical long-term option: it is a single-ply sheet that bonds to the deck, handles temperature movement without cracking, and does not blister in warm weather the way felt does. EPDM flat roofs typically cost £70 to £110 per square metre installed.

If you have a flat roof that is leaking in a single spot and the surrounding membrane is still sound and bonded to the deck, a repair may be entirely appropriate. If the membrane has lost adhesion, is blistering broadly or has visible splits across multiple areas, replacement is the better choice.

Soffits, Fascias and Guttering

Whether you are repairing or replacing the main roof covering, a roofer on site is also well placed to assess the condition of your fascias, soffits and guttering. Timber fascias rot from the back where water tracks down behind the gutter. UPVC replacements, fitted while scaffold is in place, need no ongoing painting and do not rot. Soffit and fascia replacement on a standard semi-detached house typically costs £800 to £1,800 - less if combined with other roofwork already needing scaffold.

Talk to Us About Your Roof in Dickleburgh

We work across Dickleburgh and the surrounding villages from our base in Diss. If you are not sure whether your roof needs a repair or a full replacement, call us to arrange a survey - we will come up and look at the roof properly and give you a straight answer with the reasons behind it.