Cambridge Roofers installs new roofs in Grantchester, using clay tiles, concrete tiles, and natural slate matched to your property and any planning requirements that apply.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
Not every roof needs replacing today. Sometimes you notice a problem - a damp patch, a slipped tile, a persistent drip - and you need a new roof, but the work cannot start immediately. A roofer may not be able to come for a week or two. Materials may need to be ordered. Planning permission may be required. This page covers what a new roof installation actually involves, what your options are, and - crucially - what you can safely do while you are waiting, and what you should leave alone.
A full re-roof begins with stripping every tile, slate, batten, and piece of underlay back to the bare rafters. The exposed timber is inspected for rot, damage, and insect activity. Any timber that has failed is repaired or replaced - this is not optional; it is the foundation the new roof sits on. Ridge boards, hip rafters, and valley boards are all checked at this stage.
New breathable underlay is then laid across the rafters. This replaces the old sarking felt and allows moisture vapour from the roof space to escape without letting rainwater in. Treated timber battens are fixed at the correct gauge for the chosen tile or slate, and the tiles are hung from eaves to ridge. Lead or aluminium flashing is dressed into chimneys, abutments, and the junctions between roof planes. Ridge tiles are bedded or mechanically fixed, and any verge detail - mortar, dry-fix, or plain bedded - is completed to finish.
The material choice affects cost, appearance, longevity, and in some cases whether you need planning permission. The main options for pitched roofs are:
Properties within or near a conservation area may have planning conditions that affect material choice. Check with your local planning office before ordering anything, or ask us to advise when we survey the roof.
New roof costs in this part of Cambridgeshire typically range from around £5,000 to £9,000 for a standard semi-detached house, rising to £12,000 to £15,000 or more for a larger detached property with multiple hips, valleys, or chimney stacks. Welsh slate sits at the top of that range; concrete interlocking tiles at the lower end. Any quote should itemise lead flashing, new underlay, batten replacement, timber repairs, and waste removal - these are not extras; they are part of a complete job.
If you have identified a leak or a problem and are waiting for a roofer to start, there are a few practical things you can do yourself without making matters worse.
If water is coming in, put a container down and protect any furniture, carpets, or electrics that might be affected. Do not ignore a drip near a ceiling light fitting - water and electricity are dangerous together, and if there is any sign of moisture near a fitting, switch off the circuit at the consumer unit until the leak is stopped.
Take photographs of the damp patch or ceiling staining now, before any drying out occurs. This is useful for understanding where the water is entering and it creates a record before work starts. Photographs taken at different times also help identify whether the leak is active only during rain or is a result of condensation.
Check your loft space if you can do so safely. Look for wet or darkened timber, wet insulation, or daylight visible through the roof covering. If you can see where water is running in, photograph it. Do not move or disturb slipping tiles from inside the loft - the tile above may fall.
If a tile or slate has slipped or fallen and you can see a gap from the ground, resist the urge to go up and fix it yourself. Working at height without the right equipment and training is a leading cause of serious injury. Even a single-storey roof is dangerous without scaffolding or a safe working platform.
If a slate has fallen into a gutter and is blocking the outlet, and you can reach the gutter safely from a ladder at ground level, removing the debris is sensible - a blocked gutter overflows and sends water into the fascia and eaves. But do not lean a ladder against guttering and do not step onto the roof surface.
Temporary waterproofing - tarpaulins tied over the affected area - can reduce water ingress while you wait, but only if it can be done safely without going onto the roof itself. A tarpaulin attached to chimney pots or ridge from the ground using ropes is sometimes practical on a simple gable end. If it cannot be done safely from the ground, leave it and use containers inside instead.
Several common DIY attempts make the roofer's job harder and sometimes cause more damage than the original problem.
When a roofer comes to survey the roof before starting, there are specific questions worth asking. These help you understand the scope of the job and compare quotes accurately.
A complete quote should answer all of these. If a quote is unusually low, it usually means one or more of these elements has been omitted.
We cover Grantchester and the surrounding area from our Cambridge base. We work with clay tiles, concrete tiles, and natural slate, and we discuss planning requirements with you before any material is ordered. We strip fully, repair timber, fit breathable underlay and properly treated battens, and finish with correct lead work at every junction.
If you are waiting for work to start and want practical advice on what to do in the meantime, call us. We can often advise over the phone and, where there is active water ingress that cannot wait, we will tell you honestly what the options are. To arrange a roof survey and written quote, call Cambridge Roofers directly.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
