Here's exactly what happens when Diss Roofers carries out a full roof replacement at your Elmswell home, from the first look to the final clean-up.
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A full roof replacement is one of the larger jobs you'll have done on your home. Knowing what to expect at each stage means you won't be surprised by noise, dust or temporary disruption, and you'll be better placed to judge whether the work is being done properly. This page walks through every step of a full pitched roof replacement so you understand what's involved from start to finish.
Before any price can be given, the roof needs to be looked at properly. A visual inspection from the ground with binoculars tells part of the story, but the condition of the underlay, the battens and the timber structure beneath can only be assessed from close up, either from scaffolding or by lifting tiles in a few places.
At this stage we're looking at the overall condition of the tiles or slates, the state of the ridge and hip mortar, any flashings around chimneys or abutments, the visible condition of the underlay where it can be seen, and the roofline including fascias, soffits and guttering. We'll also check the loft if access is available, since water staining on rafters or battens often tells you where ingress has been happening even when the ceiling below looks dry.
From this inspection, we can give you a clear price for the replacement and flag anything that's likely to affect the job once stripping starts, such as suspect rafters or previous repair work that wasn't done correctly.
A full re-roof cannot be done safely from ladders. A scaffold needs to go up before any tiles are touched. For a standard semi-detached or detached house, a basic scaffold system typically takes one day to erect and will stay in place for the duration of the job. It needs to extend to eaves level and have a safe platform the full width of the elevation being worked on.
Scaffolding costs are included in a properly itemised quote. If a quote doesn't mention scaffolding, ask whether it's included or whether it will be billed separately. Scaffold hire on a job that runs longer than expected can add to the final cost, so it's worth asking what happens if work overruns.
Once scaffolding is in place, stripping begins. Tiles or slates are removed carefully and lowered to ground level. Ridge tiles, hip tiles and any mortar bedding come off too. The old felt and battens are stripped back to the bare timber rafters.
This stage generates a significant amount of material that needs to go somewhere. Old concrete tiles are heavy and broken ones can't be reused. A skip or a load-and-go arrangement is part of the job. Check that your quote includes the cost of disposing of stripped materials, as this is sometimes left out of lower quotes.
Once stripped, the timber structure is fully visible for the first time. This is when you find out what's actually going on underneath. Rotten battens are very common. Rotten or broken rafters are less common but not rare, particularly if water has been tracking in for several years. Any necessary timber repairs are carried out at this point before anything new goes on.
Batten rot is almost expected on a roof being replaced after 30 or more years. The battens are relatively cheap to replace and this is a straightforward part of the job. Rafter repairs are more involved. A rafter that's partially rotten at the foot (where it meets the wall plate) can often be sistered, meaning a new length of timber is fixed alongside it to restore strength. In more severe cases, a full rafter replacement may be needed.
Any timber repair should use treated softwood, and the cause of the rot should be addressed at the same time. If water was tracking in at a flashing or valley, making good the timber isn't enough unless the entry point is properly resolved in the new covering.
With the structure in sound condition, new breathable membrane (underlay) goes down from eaves to ridge, lapped correctly at every join so there are no gaps. Modern breathable membranes are a significant improvement on older bitumen felt. They allow moisture vapour from the loft to escape while keeping wind-driven rain out, which reduces condensation problems and protects the battens and timbers below.
New treated timber battens are then fixed over the membrane at the correct gauge for the tile being used. The batten gauge is set by the tile manufacturer based on the pitch of the roof and determines how much of each tile is exposed to the weather. Getting this wrong affects drainage and wind resistance, so it's not something to rush or guess at.
Current building regulations also require that loft ventilation is addressed when a full re-roof is carried out. This usually means fitting ventilation at eaves level and at the ridge to give cross-ventilation through the loft space. Your roofer should be able to confirm how they're meeting this requirement.
Tiling starts at the eaves and works up the roof. The starter course at the bottom is often a cut tile or a specific eaves tile designed to give the right angle. Each course above overlaps the one below according to the batten gauge. Tiles are fixed with the correct number of nails or clips per tile, not spot-fixed. On higher pitches or more exposed roofs, every tile may need fixing. On shallower pitches, every other tile in a course may be sufficient, depending on the tile and its fixing specification.
Hips and valleys require additional care. A hip is the external angle where two roof slopes meet, and it needs either a purpose-made hip tile or a lead-soaker system depending on the tile type. A valley is the internal angle where slopes meet, and it's one of the areas most prone to failure if it's not done correctly. Cut-and-mitre valleys are popular for their clean look but require precise cutting. Lead-lined valleys are more forgiving in bad weather and more durable over time.
Ridge tiles and hip tiles can be bedded in mortar or fixed using a dry-fix system. Mortar bedding is traditional and familiar, but it cracks over time as the roof moves with temperature changes, and repointing ridges is one of the most common maintenance jobs on older roofs. Dry-fix systems use mechanical fixings and flexible components that move with the roof. They're more expensive upfront but eliminate the maintenance issue. Most roofers now offer both, and it's worth asking which is being quoted.
Any chimney, dormer, soil pipe or abutment with a wall needs flashing to seal the joint between the roof covering and the vertical surface. Lead is the standard material for flashings in the UK and is the most durable option. Code 3 lead is typically used for soakers and step flashings; Code 4 for cover flashings and valleys. Flashings should be set into the mortar joint of a wall rather than just surface-fixed, and any old flashing should not be reused when a full replacement is being carried out.
With the main roof covering complete, it's worth dealing with the fascias, soffits and guttering while the scaffold is still in place. Replacing these separately later means paying for scaffold access again. uPVC fascias and soffits are low-maintenance and come in a range of colours. If the existing ones are sound, they can be left, but a full replacement is a natural time to check and replace anything that's cracked, rotten or poorly fitted.
Guttering should also be checked. A new roof that drains into a cracked or blocked gutter will cause damp at the wall below. New half-round or ogee guttering in uPVC is relatively affordable and makes sense to do at the same time.
Once the roof is complete, the scaffold comes down and all waste is cleared from site. A properly finished job leaves nothing behind. Before the scaffold goes, a final walk-round check of all flashings, ridges, hips and valleys is standard practice. Any debris that has fallen into the gutters during the job should be cleared at this point.
If you have a loft, it's worth going up and checking the underside of the new felt a few days after rain to confirm nothing is tracking in. A properly laid roof should be completely dry inside after any rainfall.
A full re-roof on a standard three-bedroom house typically takes three to five working days once scaffolding is up. Larger or more complex roofs with dormers, multiple chimneys or steeper pitches take longer. Costs depend on the size of the roof and the materials chosen. These are guide figures; an accurate price requires an inspection.
If your Elmswell home needs a new roof, call us to arrange a proper inspection. We'll walk you through what we find, explain what the job involves for your specific property, and give you a clear written price before any work starts.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
