When your roof in Fulbourn has reached the end of its life, a full replacement carried out properly gives you a watertight, structurally sound home for decades to come.
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Most roofs can be patched, re-pointed or re-felted many times over their working life. But there comes a point where the tiles are brittle and porous, the felt beneath has completely broken down, the battens are rotten and the lead or mortar on every ridge and hip is failing. At that stage, spending money on repairs is throwing good money after bad. A full replacement strips everything back to the rafters, addresses whatever the timbers need, and rebuilds the roof correctly from the deck up.
The signs that a replacement is overdue include widespread moss growth forcing tiles apart, persistent leaks that keep returning even after repairs, sagging sections of the roof plane, cracked or slipped tiles across large areas, and daylight visible from inside the loft. If two or more of those apply, a replacement is almost certainly cheaper over five years than continued patching.
The job starts with a full strip. Every tile, slate, batten and underlay comes off. Once the timbers are exposed, a thorough check follows: any rotten or structurally compromised rafters, joists or purlins are cut out and replaced with treated timber before anything else happens. Skipping this step is one of the most common failures on cheap replacement jobs, and it is the first thing you should ask any roofer about before they start.
New roofing felt or a breathable membrane is fixed across the rafters. Modern breathable underlays allow moisture vapour to escape from the loft space, which reduces condensation and extends the life of the timbers. Treated timber battens are then fixed at the correct gauge for whichever tile or slate is being used - the gauge has to match the material precisely or the roof will not drain correctly. Tiles or slates are then laid from the eaves up, with each course lapping the one below.
Ridge tiles, hip tiles, valleys, flashings and any leadwork around chimneys, dormers or rooflights are all completed last. These junction points are where most roof leaks originate, so the quality of the finishing work matters as much as the main field of tiles.
Choosing the right material for your replacement roof is one of the most important decisions you will make. Price, weight, lifespan, appearance and maintenance requirements all vary considerably between materials. Here is an honest account of the main options available to homeowners in Fulbourn and nearby villages.
Concrete interlocking tiles are the most common choice for replacement roofs on post-war houses and they remain popular for good reason. They are manufactured to tight tolerances, they interlock along both edges to resist wind uplift and driving rain, and they are among the least expensive roofing materials you can specify.
A typical supply-and-fix price for a concrete interlocking tile replacement on a standard semi-detached house in this part of Cambridgeshire runs from around £5,000 to £9,000 depending on roof area, pitch and complexity. Concrete tiles are heavier than most alternatives, so the rafters need to be in sound condition - but most houses built after 1945 were designed with concrete tiles in mind.
Pros: low material cost, widely available, straightforward to replace individual tiles if damaged later, good colour range, manufactured consistently.
Cons: heavier than clay or slate, can look utilitarian on older properties, colour can fade over decades, algae and lichen growth is common and may need periodic treatment.
A plain tile roof has a finer, closer texture than an interlocking tile roof and tends to look more in keeping on older and period properties. Clay tiles are fired rather than cast, which gives them a natural variation in tone and a surface that weathers attractively over time.
Clay is more expensive than concrete at the outset. A replacement using good-quality clay plain tiles will typically cost £8,000 to £14,000 or more on a standard semi-detached house, depending on roof complexity. The tiles themselves are lighter than concrete interlocking tiles, which can be an advantage on older properties where the roof structure may be lighter.
Pros: long service life (often 60 to 100 years for good-quality clay), excellent appearance on period and traditional properties, lightweight relative to concrete, does not lose its colour in the same way as concrete.
Cons: higher material cost, plain tile roofs use more tiles per square metre than interlocking types so labour costs are also higher, individual tiles can be brittle if walked on carelessly during maintenance.
Natural slate is the premium option and was the standard roofing material in Britain before concrete tiles became common after the Second World War. Welsh slate in particular has an exceptional record for longevity - roofs laid with good Welsh slate in the Victorian era are still watertight today. Spanish and Chinese slate are also widely used; they cost less but the quality varies and some imported slates have a shorter working life.
A natural slate replacement on a typical semi-detached house in this area is likely to cost from around £9,000 to £16,000 or more, with Welsh slate at the upper end. The weight of slate is similar to clay plain tiles, and the fixing method (each slate is individually nailed) means a skilled and patient roofer is needed to get the coursing and margin right.
Pros: outstanding longevity when good-quality slate is used, excellent appearance, thin and elegant profile, can be sourced in reclaimed form for conservation or period properties.
Cons: highest material cost of the common options, requires skilled fitting, not all imported slate is equal in quality (ask specifically about origin and grade), individual slates can crack if walked on without proper roof boards.
Artificial slates are made from fibre cement or a composite mix and are designed to replicate the appearance of natural slate at a lower price. They have improved considerably over the past twenty years and some now carry long manufacturer durability ratings.
Typical cost for a fibre cement slate replacement sits between concrete interlocking tiles and natural slate, making it an option worth considering if budget is a constraint but you want the appearance of slate. The weight is usually lower than natural slate, which suits older roof structures.
Pros: lower cost than natural slate, lighter weight, uniform appearance, good resistance to frost.
Cons: does not weather in the same way as natural slate, some planning authorities in conservation areas will not accept artificial slate as a like-for-like replacement, manufacturer durability claims vary and should be checked against independent sources rather than taken at face value.
Many houses have a flat or very low-pitch roof section covering a rear extension, bay window, porch or garage. If this is being replaced at the same time as the main pitched roof, it is sensible to specify a quality system rather than the cheapest option.
Torch-on mineral felt is a step up from traditional built-up felt and is suitable for most domestic flat roof sections. EPDM rubber membrane (a single-ply system bonded to the deck) has a good track record for longevity and flexibility, remaining intact through the expansion and contraction caused by seasonal temperature changes. Typical flat roof replacement costs in this area run from around £70 to £120 per square metre depending on system and access, though complex jobs with upstands, outlets and flashings will be at the higher end.
Before you commit to a material, it is worth thinking through the following points rather than simply accepting whatever a roofer prices first.
A replacement roof is only as good as the structure beneath it. Rotten rafters, undersized purlins and damaged wall plates are common on older properties, and they must be addressed before the new covering goes on. On some jobs, the structural timber work can add £1,000 to £3,000 or more to the overall cost, which is why any initial quote should either include an allowance for timber repairs or spell out clearly what happens if problems are found once the old roof is stripped.
Always ask a roofer to confirm in writing what their quote includes and excludes with regard to timber. A quote that does not mention timbers at all is a warning sign.
A roof replacement is the natural time to replace fascias, soffits and guttering if they need attention. The scaffolding is already up and the eaves are already accessible, which makes the additional cost of replacing these components at the same time far lower than returning for a separate job. UPVC fascia and soffit boards are the most common choice today: they do not rot, do not need painting and are straightforward to clean. Aluminium and painted timber are also available if you prefer a different finish.
New guttering should be checked for correct fall toward the downpipes and sealed at all joints. Blocked or poorly falling gutters allow water to back up against the fascia and soffit, which is a common cause of premature rot even on otherwise sound roofs. If the existing downpipes are sound and the correct size, they can often be retained.
A full roof replacement requires scaffolding. Roofing from ladders alone is not safe for a job of this scale and a reputable roofer will not attempt it. The scaffolding is typically in place for the duration of the job and then struck once the work is signed off. Bear this in mind if parking or access to your property is limited, and discuss it with the roofer before the scaffold goes up.
On a standard semi-detached house with a straightforward pitched roof, a replacement typically takes three to five working days once the scaffold is up and materials are on site. Larger detached properties, complex roof shapes with multiple hips and valleys, or jobs with significant timber repair work will take longer. Weather will also play a part: heavy rain or high wind will stop work for safety reasons.
Cambridge Roofers carry out roof replacements in Fulbourn and across the surrounding area, including Histon, Girton, Cherry Hinton, Trumpington, Waterbeach, Milton, Fen Ditton, Impington, Chesterton and Ely. If your village is not listed, get in touch and we will let you know.
A proper roof replacement quote should break down the cost of stripping, disposing of the old material, any timber repairs, the new underlay and battens, the tiles or slates, all leadwork and flashings, ridges and hips, and reinstating or replacing fascias and guttering. If a quote simply gives you a single lump sum with no breakdown, ask for the detail before you sign anything.
To arrange a roof survey and written quote for your Fulbourn property, call Cambridge Roofers directly. We will visit the property, assess the condition of the existing roof and structure, and give you an honest account of what is needed and what it will cost.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
