If you've spotted damp around a chimney, dormer or flat roof edge in Soham, failing lead flashings are the most likely cause, and choosing the right contractor to fix them properly is the most important decision you'll make.
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Lead flashings are the strips and soakers fitted where a roof meets a vertical surface: around chimney stacks, along dormer cheeks, at parapet walls, and at the junction between a flat roof and a house wall. When they fail, rainwater tracks straight into the roof structure. The damage is often well advanced before a stain appears on a ceiling inside.
A proper lead work job means cutting and dressing the lead to the correct Code specification. Lead comes in different thicknesses, graded by Code number. Code 3 is used for soakers hidden under slates or tiles. Code 4 is the standard for stepped flashings, chimney aprons and back gutters. Code 5 is used on exposed sections and flat roof abutments. Using the wrong code is one of the most common shortcuts a cut-price contractor takes, and you won't see the difference from the ground.
The lead must be fixed with the correct clips and dressed into the mortar joint or brick joint to a proper depth. On chimneys, the back gutter behind the stack is the section most likely to be bodged or skipped entirely. A contractor who quotes without mentioning the back gutter should be asked why.
This is the section most service pages skip, because it makes comparing contractors more straightforward and some would rather you didn't. Here is what to actually ask.
On a chimney, a complete lead work job covers the two side flashings (stepped if the chimney is on a pitched roof), the front apron, and the back gutter. All four elements need to be in good condition for the chimney to be watertight. If a contractor only quotes to replace the front apron and step flashings without mentioning the back gutter, ask them to inspect and report on it before they start.
On a dormer, the cheeks (the vertical sides) are typically dressed in lead, and the junction at the top of each cheek where it meets the main roof slope needs particular care. Water tends to sit in these angles. A back-step detail dressed properly into the tiles or slates is what makes the difference between a job that lasts and one that leaks again within five years.
At flat roof abutments, the lead upstand needs to be turned up against the wall to a minimum height of 150mm above the roof surface. Lower than that, and standing water or blown rain gets behind it. The code and fixing detail matter here just as much as on a chimney.
Lead work prices vary, and a lower price is sometimes a sign that corners are being cut on materials or method rather than a sign of efficiency. Typical lead flashing work on a standard chimney in this part of Cambridgeshire runs from around £300 to £700 depending on the size of the stack, the number of flashings involved, and the ease of access. A full chimney re-lead including back gutter on a larger or taller stack will cost more. Be cautious of any quote significantly below this range without a clear explanation of why.
Also watch for contractors who offer to seal flashings with mastic or roof sealant as a substitute for properly dressed lead. Sealant works for a season at best; it cracks, shrinks, and lets water in, often making the eventual proper repair more difficult because the sealant has to be stripped off first.
Before agreeing to any lead work in Soham, run through these points:
A contractor who answers all of these clearly and without irritation is almost certainly a safer choice than one who treats the questions as an obstacle. Lead work done properly once is a long-term solution; done badly, it's a repeated expense.
Lead is used across slate roofs, plain clay tile roofs, and concrete tile roofs throughout Cambridgeshire, and the detailing differs slightly on each. On natural slate, soakers are fitted under each course to dress water away from the step. On concrete tiles with a deep profile, the soaker detailing changes to account for the larger gap between courses. If a contractor treats every roof the same regardless of tile type, that's worth probing.
Lead is also used on flat roof sections alongside felt and EPDM rubber systems, particularly at the upstand where a flat roof meets a wall or parapet. The lead work and the flat roof membrane need to be compatible and properly integrated; a leak at this junction is sometimes blamed on the flat roof when the cause is the lead upstand, and vice versa.
We carry out lead work on chimneys, dormers, flat roof abutments, and parapet walls for homeowners in Soham and across Cambridgeshire. If you need an honest inspection of your flashings and a clear explanation of what the job involves, call us to arrange a roof survey.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
