Cambridge Roofers installs new roofs in Burwell, covering everything from the initial survey and structural check to the final tile, ridge, and flashing.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
Knowing whether you need a repair or a full new roof is the first real question every homeowner faces. A repair is appropriate when the structure is sound and the problem is localised - a handful of slipped tiles, a failed flashing, a cracked ridge. A new roof is the right answer when multiple problems are occurring at once, when repairs are coming back within a few years of each other, or when the roof covering has reached the end of its serviceable life.
Concrete tiles typically last 40 to 60 years. Clay tiles last longer, often 80 years or more. Natural slate can last well over a century if the nails hold. If your roof is approaching or past those ages, or if repairs have become a recurring cost, it is worth getting it assessed for full replacement.
Some of these signs are visible from the ground or from inside the loft. Others only become clear during a proper inspection. Here are the things that matter most:
Understanding why these things happen helps you assess the urgency. Most roof problems have one of three root causes: age and material fatigue, poor original installation, or water having got in somewhere and worked its way into the structure over time.
Age and material fatigue. All roofing materials have a finite life. Nails corrode. The nibs that hook tiles onto battens become brittle. Felt underlays dry out and crack. These are not failures of workmanship - they are simply what happens over decades. A roof that has served 60 or 70 years has done its job.
Poor original installation. Under-nailed slates are a very common problem on older properties. If slates were fixed with a single nail rather than two, or if the headlap (the overlap between courses) was insufficient, problems appear well before the material itself wears out. Similarly, concrete tiles laid without adequate batten gauging move in wind and allow rain to drive in under the laps.
Water tracking and structural damage. Water that enters at one point - a failed valley, a cracked flashing, a missing tile - does not stay at that point. It runs along rafters, collects in low spots, and soaks insulation and timber over a wide area. By the time a stain appears on a ceiling, the water may have been tracking for months or years. The damage is nearly always more extensive than the visible drip suggests.
A thorough roof assessment covers more than a look at the tiles from the ground. A proper survey should include a check of the loft space, looking at the condition of the rafters, the underlay, and the battens where visible. It should also examine the ridge line, the verge and eaves details, all valleys and hips, and any chimney or pipe flashings.
When we visit a property in Burwell or the surrounding area, we check all of this before quoting. We will tell you honestly whether a repair will serve you well, or whether replacement is the more sensible investment.
Once you decide to go ahead, the process is straightforward but needs to be done in the right sequence. We strip the old covering and underlay completely. We inspect every rafter and all the structural timbers. Any rotten or damaged sections are cut out and replaced at this stage - it is the right time to do it, when everything is accessible.
New breathable membrane is fitted over the rafters. New treated timber battens are fixed over the membrane. Tiles or slates are then laid from eaves to ridge, with the correct headlap and side lap for the pitch of your roof. Ridge tiles are bedded or mechanically fixed, valleys are lined with lead or purpose-made valley troughs, and all flashings at abutments and chimneys are replaced with new lead.
On a day when rain is expected, we will always ensure the roof deck is protected by the end of the working day.
New pitched roof costs in this part of Cambridgeshire generally run from around £5,000 for a small, simple terraced property up to £15,000 and beyond for larger or more complex roofs. Natural slate sits at the top of the price range. Concrete interlocking tiles sit at the lower end. Clay plain tiles sit between the two.
These figures cover the main structure - stripping, felt, battens, tiles, ridge, and standard flashings. Chimney repointing, skylight upstands, and specialist leadwork are usually quoted separately when the scope is clear. Always ask for a written, itemised quotation so you know exactly what is and is not included.
Roofs in Burwell and across the wider Cambridgeshire area show the same warning signs described above. If you are seeing any of them, call us to arrange a proper survey of your roof. Early assessment means more options and lower costs.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
