Cambridge Roofers fits new roofs in Saffron Walden, and this page walks you through the full process so you know exactly what to expect at each stage.
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A new roof is not a quick job. From the first site visit to the day scaffolding comes down, a full re-roof on an average semi-detached house will typically span one to two weeks of active work, plus time before and after for surveys, ordering and waste removal. Knowing what happens at each stage helps you ask the right questions, spot when something has been skipped and understand why good work takes the time it does.
Below is a step-by-step account of how we approach every new roof installation in Saffron Walden and the surrounding area - from Cambridge and Royston through to Newmarket and Ely. The detail is the same regardless of the material being laid.
Before any price is agreed or material ordered, a proper survey is essential. This means a roofer physically getting up and inspecting the existing structure, not just looking from the ground or off a ladder from the gutterline.
At survey stage, the key things being assessed are: the condition and size of the existing roof timbers; the current covering and whether the structure beneath it can be seen to be sound; the state of the flashings at chimney stacks, valleys and abutments; the condition of the fascias, soffits and gutters; any signs of previous water ingress in the loft space; and the pitch and complexity of the roof, including hips, valleys and dormers, all of which affect both material choice and labour time.
A good survey takes 30 to 60 minutes on a typical house. If a contractor quotes you without getting on the roof, be cautious - the timbers are what determine a large part of the job cost, and they cannot be properly assessed from the ground.
Once the survey is done, the material discussion happens with real information behind it. On a straightforward modern property in Saffron Walden with no planning restrictions, you may have a genuine choice between concrete tile, clay tile and natural slate. On an older property, or one in or near a conservation area, your options may be narrowed - the local planning authority may expect specific materials, particularly on the front elevation.
The survey findings affect this directly. If the roof structure is light - common in properties built with an eye to cost rather than longevity - adding heavy natural slate without first upgrading the timbers would be wrong. A good contractor flags this at survey, not halfway through the job.
Materials are ordered once the scope is agreed. Lead for flashings, breathable membrane, battens, fixings and tiles or slates are all specified to the job, not ordered in bulk and whatever happens to be on the van.
Scaffolding goes up before any roofing work begins. There is no safe or acceptable way to re-roof a house without a proper scaffold - anyone suggesting otherwise should not be trusted with the job. For a standard two-storey semi, scaffolding typically takes a morning to erect and is left in place until the work is signed off.
The scaffold should provide a full perimeter platform at eaves level, with additional lifts where needed for ridge work on taller or steeper roofs. Toe boards prevent tiles sliding off and landing below. Nets or sheeting may be used where the property is close to a road or neighbouring boundary.
Scaffolding is hired by the week in most cases. If the job runs longer than planned - because hidden problems are found, or materials are delayed - there may be an additional hire cost. It is worth asking your contractor how scaffold cost is handled if the programme slips.
All existing tiles, slates, battens and underlay are stripped back to the bare rafters. This is not optional - laying a new covering over an old one is poor practice that hides problems, adds dead weight and shortens the life of the new roof.
Stripping generates a significant volume of waste. Old concrete tiles are heavy and cannot go in a standard skip without checking weight limits. A responsible contractor will have a skip or grab lorry booked before stripping starts, not leave broken tiles stacked on the scaffold for a week.
As the old covering comes off, the timbers are exposed and can be inspected properly for the first time. Common problems found at this stage include: rotten or split rafters near the eaves where water has been tracking under failed flashings; undersized or sagging purlins; previous bodged repairs with incompatible materials; and missing or inadequate bracing. Any of these need addressing before the new roof goes on. The cost of timber repairs should be discussed at survey as a likely range, even if the exact extent cannot be confirmed until the old covering is off.
Rotten or broken timbers are cut out and replaced with new treated timber of the correct size. This is skilled joinery work, not something to rush or minimise to save cost. A rafter bodged with a short splice or left rotten at the foot will move under load, and tiles fixed to moving timbers crack and slip.
Where the existing structure is sound, the rafters are cleaned down and any old fixings or debris removed. The ridge board, hip rafters and any valley timbers are checked and replaced if needed. At the end of this stage, you should have bare, sound, clean timbers ready to take the new roof build-up.
Breathable roofing membrane is laid horizontally across the rafters, starting at the eaves and working upwards, with each course lapping over the one below. Breathable membrane replaced the old-style impermeable felt in most new installations because it allows moisture vapour out of the roof space without letting liquid water in. This matters for roof longevity and for the health of the timbers long-term.
Battens are then fixed over the membrane, running horizontally across the rafters at a spacing calculated to give the correct gauge for the tile or slate being used. Batten size and fixing is specified to the roof pitch and the tile weight - undersized battens fixed with insufficient nails are a common cause of early failure. The battens should be treated timber, not green or untreated offcuts.
Tiling starts at the eaves and works upward. The first course is set out carefully to ensure it is straight and true - errors here compound as the roof rises. Tiles are fixed to the battens with nails or clips as specified by the manufacturer and the pitch of the roof. At pitches above 35 degrees, and in exposed positions, every tile should be nailed.
Hip and valley details are cut and fitted as the tiling progresses. Valley tiles or lead-lined valley troughs channel water off the roof without it penetrating the structure. Cut tile work at hips requires accurate marking and clean cutting to give a tight, waterproof fit.
Slates are fixed individually, typically with two nails each, and are laid with a consistent head-lap calculated to the pitch. The head-lap is the crucial dimension that determines how much water the roof can shed without allowing any in - too small a lap and the roof will leak in heavy rain.
Lead flashings are cut and dressed around every chimney stack, at every abutment where the roof meets a wall, and along any parapet. Lead is the standard material because it is soft enough to be worked into tight joints, durable and long-lasting when properly fixed. Code 4 lead is the minimum for most flashing applications; stepped and soaker flashings at chimney abutments should use Code 3 or 4 soakers with a Code 4 or 5 cover flashing over.
Flashings are one of the most important details on any roof. The majority of roof leaks trace back to failed or incorrectly installed flashings, not to the tiles themselves. Ask your contractor specifically what lead code they intend to use and how abutments will be detailed.
Ridge tiles cap the apex of the roof. They can be bedded in mortar (traditional) or fixed with a dry ridge system (increasingly standard on new roofs). Dry ridge systems use mechanically fixed clips and a ventilating underlay rather than mortar, which means they do not rely on pointing that can crack and allow water in as it ages. On a new roof, a dry ridge system is generally the better long-term choice.
The same logic applies to hip tiles. Dry hip systems are available and avoid the mortar maintenance issue.
Once the roof is complete, all tile offcuts, packaging, old materials and debris are removed from the scaffold and disposed of. The scaffold is checked and cleared before it is struck. A final walk-round checks that gutters are clear, that no broken tiles have been left and that all flashings are correctly dressed.
At this stage you should be able to see from the ground that the roof is true - no sagging lines, no misaligned courses, no pointing that has smeared down the tiles. If you have access to the loft, check that the membrane is lying flat with no tears, and that there is no daylight visible through the structure.
If you are planning a new roof in Saffron Walden or nearby, call Cambridge Roofers to arrange a thorough site survey. We work across the area including Cambridge, St Ives, Royston and Ely. A survey gives you a clear picture of the work involved before you commit to anything.
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