If your roof in Stowmarket has been condemned or a roofer has told you it needs replacing, here is what to do while you wait for the work to start - and what not to attempt yourself.
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Being told your roof needs a full replacement is not what any homeowner wants to hear. It is, however, a clearer situation than spending years on a cycle of costly repairs that never quite solve the problem. A full replacement - stripping the old tiles, felt and battens, checking the timber structure and starting fresh - addresses everything in one go. On a typical semi-detached house in this part of Suffolk and South Norfolk, the cost runs roughly £5,000-£10,000 depending on size, pitch and materials. Once you have accepted a quote and work is booked in, there will usually be a period of waiting before the job starts.
A proper re-roofing job strips everything back to the rafters. The timber structure is inspected for rot, movement or damage before anything goes back on. New breathable membrane or roofing felt is laid, followed by treated timber battens, then the new tiles or slates. Ridge tiles are mechanically fixed - clipped or nailed - rather than just bedded in mortar. Lead flashings at the chimney, valleys and any wall abutments are renewed. Nothing from the old roof that could cause a problem later is left in place. A good contractor works section by section to keep the open area of roof as small as possible at any one time, and has tarpaulins ready in case the weather turns during the strip.
If your roof has an active leak or is losing tiles, you cannot simply leave it unattended until the replacement date arrives. Water getting into the roof structure causes rot in the timbers. Rot found at replacement time turns a straightforward job into a structural repair job as well, adding cost. There are sensible, practical steps you can take to limit damage in the period before work begins.
Inside the loft, place buckets or containers under any active drip points. Put down plastic sheeting or old towels around them to protect the loft insulation and ceiling below. Check the containers regularly and empty them before they overflow. Wet loft insulation loses most of its effectiveness and can promote mould growth, so if insulation is getting wet, move it away from the drip point if you can reach it safely.
If the wait before your replacement is more than a few weeks and the roof has a significant failure - several missing tiles, a large area of failed felt - ask your contractor whether temporary weatherproofing is feasible as an interim measure. This usually means fitting a heavy-duty tarpaulin secured to the roof structure, or carrying out minimal emergency tile work to stop the worst of the ingress. This is not always possible on every roof profile, but it is worth asking about. Some contractors will carry out a temporary patch as part of the overall job; get any agreement about this in writing.
This is important. Homeowners sometimes feel the urge to get up on the roof to slide a tile back or cover a gap, particularly if rain is forecast. Do not do this. Roof tiles are not designed to carry foot traffic and will crack or shift under your weight. Loose tiles on an already compromised roof can dislodge easily. A fall from a roof - even at single-storey height - causes serious injury. The risk is not proportionate to any benefit you might gain from the temporary fix.
Similarly, avoid using expanding foam, roof patch tape or sealant products to try to seal a leak from inside the loft. These products are not designed for structural use and can mask the extent of a problem without solving it. When the roofer arrives to strip the roof, hidden foam or sealant can complicate the strip and make assessing the damage accurately harder. If water is coming in, contain and manage it from the inside rather than attempting to fix the entry point yourself.
While you are waiting, take time to assess what water may already have done inside the roof space. Look at the ceiling below any damp area for staining or soft plasterboard. Check the top floor ceilings and walls closest to the roofline. Water does not always travel straight down - it can run along rafters or ceiling joists and appear several feet from where it entered. Make a note of everywhere you can see staining or softness and let the roofer know before they start. This helps them prioritise which sections of structure need closest inspection.
A blocked gutter on a failing roof makes things worse. Water that cannot drain freely backs up against the fascia and sometimes behind it, tracking into the roof structure at exactly the point where it is already compromised. If leaves or debris are blocking the gutter, clear them from ground level using a step ladder and a gutter scoop - do not lean out of a window or climb onto the roof to reach them. Keep downpipes clear so water can exit freely.
A roof replacement generates noise, vibration, debris and foot traffic around your property for several days. There are practical steps that make the job run more smoothly. Move any vehicles off the drive or directly under the working area - falling debris is unlikely but tiles are heavy and gutters do occasionally come away during a strip. Clear the garden below the working elevation of anything that could be damaged or that would make it harder for the crew to work. If you have a loft ladder, make sure it is accessible for the roofer's initial inspection. Let immediate neighbours know work is starting so the scaffold going up and the noise of stripping are not a surprise.
If you haven't already settled on a tile type with your contractor, do this before work begins rather than on the day. The right tile depends on the pitch of your roof - some interlocking tiles have a minimum pitch below which they should not be used. Your roofer should advise on this, but it is worth asking specifically if it hasn't come up. Colour and profile are also decisions best made in advance, ideally with a sample in hand, rather than from a brochure on the day stripping starts.
If your roof in Stowmarket or the surrounding area needs replacing and you want an honest assessment of what the work involves and what it will cost, call Diss Roofers and ask for a roof survey. We'll tell you what we find, what needs doing, and what you can do in the meantime to protect your home before work begins.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
