Cambridge Roofers provides roof repair services in Fulbourn and the surrounding area, covering everything from single tile replacements and ridge repointing to flat roof membranes and failed flashings.
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Every roof repair involves a choice of materials, and that choice matters more than many homeowners realise. The material you use to replace a tile, relay a flat roof or dress a flashing will determine how long the repair lasts, how it looks against the existing roof and whether you are back on the scaffold in five years or twenty. This page works through the main materials and options honestly, so you can make an informed decision rather than simply accepting whatever a roofer recommends without understanding why.
We repair leaking roofs, replace broken or slipped tiles, repoint ridges and fix failed flashings in Fulbourn, the nearby villages, the city of Cambridge, Fen Ditton, Trumpington, Girton and beyond. We quote for what the job actually needs - if a targeted fix will solve the problem, that is what we recommend.
When a tile needs replacing, the priority is matching the existing roof as closely as possible in material, profile and colour. A mismatch is not just cosmetic - tiles of different profiles do not always overlap correctly, which can leave gaps.
Plain clay tiles are the traditional material and still the best choice for a like-for-like replacement on older properties. They are durable, shed water well and age gracefully. Second-hand reclaimed clay tiles are available and often a good match for older roofs. The disadvantage is cost - clay tiles are more expensive than concrete, and sourcing an exact match for an unusual colour or profile can take time. New clay tiles can also look noticeably brighter than weathered originals for a year or two.
Concrete tiles are the standard material on most homes built from the 1960s onwards. They are cheaper than clay, available in a wide range of profiles and colours, and hold up well mechanically. The downside is that concrete tiles absorb more moisture than clay as they age, becoming heavier and more porous over time. The surface coating also fades, so a new concrete tile can be a different shade to the surrounding originals. For a small repair, this is often unavoidable - you are matching a 30-year-old tile with a new one, and they will not be identical.
Natural slate is an excellent roofing material where it is already in use. It is thin, light and extremely long-lasting - well-laid Welsh or Westmorland slate can last well over a century. The challenge with repairs is matching the existing slate. Natural slate varies in colour, thickness and texture, and a poor match is visible. Salvaged slate is the best option for matching. Synthetic or fibre-cement slates are sometimes suggested as a cheaper alternative for individual replacements, but they do not always sit at the same angle as the originals, which can affect how the repair looks from the ground.
Fibre cement slates are a manufactured alternative to natural slate. They are cheaper, consistent in size and available in several colours. For a full re-roof they are a practical option. For an individual replacement on a natural slate roof, they are rarely a good match - the texture and thickness differ. Any roofer suggesting fibre cement as a like-for-like replacement on a natural slate roof should be asked to explain why.
Ridge tiles sit along the apex of a pitched roof and are traditionally bedded and pointed in mortar. When the mortar fails - which it does after 20 to 30 years in most cases - the ridge tiles loosen and the junction between the two roof slopes is no longer properly sealed.
Mortar repointing is the traditional repair. Old mortar is raked out, the tile bedding surfaces are cleaned and new mortar is applied. It is the most straightforward and least expensive option. Done properly with the right mortar mix and careful preparation, it lasts well. The key phrase is done properly - pointing over old loose mortar without removing it is a common shortcut that will fail within a few years.
Dry-fix ridge systems use mechanical fixings and a flexible gasket rather than mortar to secure ridge tiles. The tiles are clipped into a continuous batten system which allows for movement without cracking. Dry-fix systems have become the standard on new roofs and are increasingly used for repairs. They do not require skilled pointing work on-site, they do not suffer mortar shrinkage, and the ridge is ventilated which helps with loft humidity. The cost is higher than mortar pointing - typically £20 to £40 more per linear metre - but the fixing is more secure and less likely to need attention again in 10 years. For a full ridge or on a roof that has had repeated mortar failures, dry-fix is worth the additional cost. For a small localised repair on an otherwise sound mortar ridge, repointing may be entirely adequate.
Flat roofs - on extensions, bay windows, garages and outbuildings - require a different approach to pitched roofs. The material choice for a flat roof repair or replacement is significant because flat roofs are more vulnerable than pitched roofs and the cost of getting it wrong is high.
Torch-on felt (mineral cap sheet) is a two or three-layer system bonded with heat. It has been the standard flat roof material for decades. A properly laid three-layer felt system performs well for 10 to 15 years. The weakness is that the top layer can crack in frost and the mineral surface degrades with UV exposure over time. When the surface begins to blister or crack, the repair question is whether patching will hold or whether the whole surface needs to be stripped and relaid. Patching torch-on felt is possible but the patch is often visible and the surrounding area may be near the end of its life anyway. On a felt roof over 12 years old that is showing surface problems, the economics of patching versus replacement are worth discussing honestly.
Typical cost for a felt flat roof replacement in the UK: £45 - £75 per square metre, depending on the number of layers and access. A 20 square metre extension roof replacement therefore costs roughly £900 - £1,500 for the covering itself, before any structural work or fascia repairs.
EPDM rubber membrane is now widely used as a replacement for felt on flat roofs. EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) is a single-ply rubber sheet that is bonded or mechanically fixed to the roof deck. It is highly flexible, handles temperature extremes better than felt, and is not prone to the surface cracking that affects felt systems. A well-installed EPDM roof typically lasts 25 to 40 years. It can be repaired with specialist tape and adhesive if a joint opens or a penetration fails, and those repairs hold well when done correctly.
The cost is higher than felt - typically £70 - £100 per square metre installed - but the longer service life means the cost per year is often lower. EPDM is now the more common recommendation for full flat roof replacements, and for good reason. It does have a distinctive appearance - the dark rubber surface looks different to mineral felt - which is worth knowing if the roof is visible from the street or a neighbouring property.
One note on flat roof membranes: the quality of the installation matters as much as the material choice. An EPDM roof that is poorly bonded at the edges or incorrectly detailed around upstands and outlets will fail early regardless of what the manufacturer specifies. Ask any roofer how they intend to detail the edges and outlets - the answer tells you a lot about their experience with the system.
Flashings seal the junctions between the roof and vertical surfaces - chimney stacks, parapet walls, dormers and abutments. The material choice here is straightforward for most situations.
Lead remains the best material for flashings in most circumstances. It is malleable, durable, easy to dress into complex shapes and bonds well to both masonry and roofing materials. A correctly installed lead flashing, properly weighted (Code 4 or Code 5 lead depending on the application), will outlast the roof it is protecting. The most common problems with lead flashings are not the lead itself but the fixing - lead that was tucked into a chase but never properly pointed, or lead held with a bead of silicone rather than being mechanically secured. Silicone eventually cracks and opens the joint.
Lead substitute flashings - aluminium-faced or polyester-based - are sometimes offered as a cheaper alternative. They are quicker to install and cheaper to buy. They do not match lead for longevity and are harder to dress into tight angles. For a simple abutment flashing on a small extension they may be adequate. For a chimney with multiple soakers and a stepped or cover flashing, lead is the right material and the cost difference is not large enough to justify a compromise that may need attention in ten years.
Prices for roof repairs in and around Fulbourn are broadly in line with the wider Cambridge area. Typical UK ranges to guide your budget:
Not every repair needs scaffolding. Many tile and flashing repairs on single-storey or accessible roofs can be carried out safely from a ladder with roof hooks. Where scaffolding is necessary for safe access, we will say so at the point of quoting.
The material decision and the repair-versus-replace decision are linked. A roof with one failed tile and sound everything else around it is straightforward to repair. A roof where multiple tiles are slipping, the ridge mortar has failed in several sections and the flashing has been patched with sealant twice already is telling you that the cumulative cost of individual repairs will likely exceed a more comprehensive job within a few years.
For flat roofs, the age of the existing system and the extent of surface deterioration are the key factors. A flat roof under ten years old with a localised failure at a joint or outlet is a repair. A felt roof that is 18 years old and blistering across most of its surface is a replacement.
We will give you an honest assessment of where your roof sits on that scale. If a targeted repair will serve you for another five to ten years, that is what we recommend. If the evidence points to ongoing problems, we will tell you that too and explain why.
We cover Fulbourn and the surrounding area including Cambridge, Fen Ditton, Trumpington, Girton, Histon, Impington, Milton and Comberton. We also travel to Cambourne, Papworth Everard, Royston and Over. If you are not sure whether we cover your location, call us and we will confirm.
If you have a leak, visible tile damage, a failed flat roof or a flashing that has lifted, the first step is to have the roof looked at properly. We will identify the cause, explain the material options that apply to your specific roof and give you a clear quote for the work.
Call us to arrange a survey in Fulbourn or the nearby area.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
