A failing or end-of-life roof needs more than a patch. We carry out full roof replacements across Cambridge and the surrounding villages, stripping back to the structure and laying new materials that will last. Honest advice on whether repair or replacement is the right call for your property.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
Most roofs can be repaired, but there comes a point where repairs cost more than they save. If your roof is losing slates or tiles repeatedly, if felt underlays have cracked and let water into the timbers, or if the structure beneath is soft and rotten, a full replacement is the more cost-effective choice. A replacement also makes sense when you are planning a loft conversion or an extension, or when a survey reveals widespread batten decay that would mean stripping the roof anyway.
We work on all common roof types found across Cambridge and the surrounding towns and villages: pitched slate roofs on Victorian and Edwardian terraces, plain clay tile roofs on older properties, concrete interlocking tile roofs on post-war housing, and flat roofs on extensions, garages and outbuildings. Each type has its own failure pattern and its own replacement process.
A replacement starts with stripping the existing covering right back to the rafters or deck. Once the structure is exposed, every timber is inspected for rot and beetle damage. Soft or cracked rafters are cut out and replaced, and any sections of damaged boarding are renewed before anything else goes on.
New breathable felt membrane is fixed to the rafters before battens are installed. The battens set the gauge at which tiles or slates are laid, and getting this right is critical - a wrong gauge means tiles that do not overlap correctly and a roof that leaks within a few years. Lead or code 4 zinc flashing is dressed in around chimney stacks, abutments and valleys, and new ridge tiles are bedded or dry-fixed depending on the specification.
On flat roofs to extensions and garages, older bitumen felt is stripped back to the deck. Where the deck boards are sound they are overboarded with new OSB or marine ply to give a clean, level base. A modern EPDM rubber system or a torch-on SBS modified bitumen system is then applied. Both outperform the three-layer pour-and-roll felt systems they replace, resisting standing water far better and coping with the expansion and contraction that comes with temperature change.
Lead valleys, parapet gutters and box gutters are replaced at the same time as the main covering where they are accessible. Replacing these separately later means a second mobilisation cost and a second period of disruption. Good planning at the replacement stage saves money over the life of the roof.
The choice of material matters both practically and for planning purposes, particularly on older properties in conservation areas. Cambridge has a mix of listed and unlisted buildings, and properties in the older central areas may need to match an existing natural slate or plain clay tile. Like-for-like replacement preserves both the look and the value of the property.
Frost lifts mortar bedding over time, particularly on ridge tiles and hip tiles, which is one of the most common reasons a pitched roof deteriorates to the point of needing full replacement.
A pitched roof replacement in Cambridge typically costs between £5,000 and £14,000 for a standard semi-detached or terraced property, depending on the roof size, the chosen tile or slate, the condition of the timbers and the complexity of any chimney, valley or parapet work. Larger detached properties with complex roof plans can run to £20,000 or more. These are typical UK ranges and the figure for your roof will depend on what is found once the old covering is stripped.
Every replacement should be quoted once the roof has been properly inspected, not from the ground.
Flat roofs on garages and single-storey extensions have a finite life regardless of the system used. A common problem is that the original specification used a minimal single-layer felt that was never adequate for the exposure the roof receives. Once it fails it tends to fail in multiple places and repeated patching becomes ineffective. The only lasting solution is to strip it back and start again with a proper system.
Garage roof replacements using EPDM on a standard single or double garage deck typically cost between £800 and £2,500 depending on the size of the roof and whether the deck needs replacing underneath. Extension flat roofs are priced in a similar range but may cost more where the existing deck is in poor condition or where edge trims and drainage outlets need attention.
A common problem on older flat roofs is inadequate falls. The roof looks flat but is actually dipping in the wrong direction, causing water to pond at a point where the membrane is not jointed or drained. A proper replacement should address the falls, not just the covering. Tapered insulation or counter-battening can correct a poor fall without rebuilding the entire structure.
Flat-to-pitch conversions are an increasingly popular choice for garages and outbuildings in Cambridge and the surrounding villages. Converting a flat garage roof to a pitch improves drainage, removes the recurring maintenance cost, and can add usable storage above. The work involves erecting a new timber frame over the existing flat deck, felting, battening and tiling, and often includes new ridge, hip and verge details to match the main house.
Similar work is carried out where a loft conversion changes the existing roof structure. New dormers, rooflights and gable ends all require new weathering details, and where the conversion is at the rear of a property the existing rear slope often needs to be re-covered to accommodate the new openings.
Porch and bay window roofs are a smaller version of the same logic. Lead-lined or felt-covered timber frames above bays and porches deteriorate faster than the main roof and are a frequent source of internal damp. Replacing them properly with either a lead-dressed timber roof or a small-scale EPDM flat means the problem does not recur.
A roof replacement is the most practical time to replace fascias, soffits and guttering. The scaffold is already up, the roof edge is fully accessible, and the condition of the underlying timbers is visible once the old covering is stripped. Replacing roofline components at the same time avoids re-erecting scaffold for a separate job later.
uPVC fascias and soffits are increasingly used on older properties where the original timber is failing. On older properties where the original timber mouldings matter - Victorian and Edwardian terraces in the inner city and nearby villages - timber replacement or repair is the appropriate choice. New guttering should be sized to match the actual roof area it serves; undersized gutters overflow at the joint with the downpipe and cause damp at the foot of the wall over time.
Before any replacement is agreed, a close inspection of the roof structure is necessary - either from within the loft or from scaffold. Any contractor who quotes a full replacement from the ground alone cannot know the true scope of the work. Ask specifically about the condition of the rafters and wall plates, the specification of the underlayer, and how valleys and abutments will be flashed. Get clarity on what is included in the price and what might be added once the structure is exposed.
Scaffold is a significant part of the cost on many Cambridge properties. The cost and configuration depend on the roof height, proximity to the pavement or a neighbouring property, and whether a licence is needed for scaffold on a public highway. This is worth discussing at the quoting stage.
A full roof replacement in Cambridge for a standard three-bedroom semi-detached house typically costs between £5,500 and £10,000 for a concrete or clay tile finish, or between £8,000 and £15,000 for natural slate. These figures include stripping the old covering, replacing damaged timbers, new felt underlay and battens, new tiles or slates, lead or zinc flashing, ridge and hip work, and scaffold. The actual cost for any property depends on roof size, pitch, material choice and what is found in the structure once the old covering is removed.
Flat roof replacements on a garage or small extension typically run from £800 to £3,000. Valley replacements in lead, a job commonly needed on older Cambridge properties with intersecting pitches, typically cost between £600 and £2,000 depending on the length and access required.
If your roof is leaking in multiple places, if tiles are coming off repeatedly, or if an independent survey has recommended replacement, call us to arrange a proper inspection. We work across Cambridge city and the nearby towns and villages including Ely, Royston, Waterbeach, Histon, Impington, Girton, Fulbourn, Cherry Hinton, Trumpington, Milton, Over and Barton. A proper look at the structure is the only way to give you a figure you can rely on.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
A new roof is one of the most significant investments you can make in a property. We install new pitched and flat roofs
Active leaks, storm damage, slipped tiles and failed flashings need attention before the damage spreads.
Slipped tiles, cracked flashing, persistent leaks - roof repairs in Cambridge carried out properly, with the right mater
Flat roofs need careful installation and the right membrane to stay watertight for years. We work on extensions, garages
