Roof repairs
Leaks, slipped tiles, storm damage and ridge work across Flintshire, Deeside, Chester and Wrexham. Diagnosed properly before anything is quoted.
Finding the cause, not the symptom
Most roof leaks aren't where the water appears. Water runs along battens, down rafters and across ceilings before it drops, so a damp patch in a back bedroom regularly turns out to be a problem several metres away — often at a chimney, a valley or a bit of failed lead.
That's why we don't quote a repair over the phone. We come and look, work out where the water is actually getting in, and then tell you what it needs. Sometimes that's a bigger job than you hoped. Fairly often it's smaller.
Sealing over the place where the water shows up is how a small problem becomes an expensive one.
What we repair
- Leaks — traced and repaired at source.
- Slipped, cracked and missing tiles and slates, including matching in with existing coverings where we can.
- Storm damage — tiles off, ridges lifted, guttering pulled away.
- Ridge and verge repairs, including re-bedding or replacing with a dry system.
- Valleys — mortar, lead and GRP valleys that have cracked or failed.
- Lead flashings and soakers around chimneys, abutments and dormers.
- Felt and batten repairs at the eaves where the underlay has perished and water is getting behind the gutter.
- Guttering — blockages, sagging runs, joints and downpipes.
- Flat roof repairs where a full re-cover isn't yet needed.
Repair or replace?
This is the question worth being honest about, because there's money in getting it wrong in either direction.
A repair usually makes sense when the covering is generally sound, the problem is localised, the battens and underlay underneath are still doing their job, and matching tiles are available. A well-executed repair on a roof with life left in it is good value.
A replacement usually makes more sense when you're repairing the same roof repeatedly, when the underlay has perished across the whole roof, when tiles are delaminating or crumbling generally rather than in one spot, or when the cost of scaffolding for repeated visits starts approaching the cost of doing it once properly.
We'll tell you which category we think you're in and why. If it's borderline, we'll say that too rather than pretending there's a clear answer.
After high winds, resist the urge to go up and look yourself. Damaged tiles are loose tiles, and a roof that's just lost covering is not a safe place to stand. Have a look from the ground with a phone camera zoomed in, and take photographs — they're useful for us and useful if you're claiming on insurance.
How repairs are priced
Small repairs are quoted as a job, not by the hour. What moves the price is access more than anything else — whether the work can be reached safely from a ladder or tower, or whether scaffolding is needed. On a two-storey property with a repair at the ridge, the access can cost more than the repair itself.
Where that's the case we'll say so, and it's often the moment to think about whether anything else at that level is worth doing at the same time. You only pay for the scaffold once.
What you get from us
- A proper look at the roof, not a guess from the pavement.
- An explanation of what's actually wrong, in plain English.
- A written quotation showing what's included and what isn't.
- Photographs of what we found, if you can't get up there yourself.
- A written workmanship guarantee on the repair.
What people ask about roof repairs.
Can you tell me the cost over the phone?+
Not honestly, no. Until someone has seen where the water is getting in, any figure would be a guess — and guesses have a habit of going up once work starts. We'd rather come and look and give you a figure you can rely on.
How quickly can you come out?+
It depends what else is running, but active leaks get priority. Call and tell us what's happening and we'll be straight with you about when we can get there.
Will you match my existing tiles?+
Where possible, yes. Older concrete and clay tiles can usually be matched closely, though colour will differ from weathered tiles for a while. If a tile is genuinely obsolete we'll tell you what the options are, including reclaimed.
Do I need scaffolding for a small repair?+
Not always. It depends on the height, where on the roof the work is, and whether there's safe ladder or tower access. Where scaffolding is needed it's priced separately so you can see exactly what it's costing.
My roof only leaks in heavy rain. Is that still worth fixing?+
Yes. A leak that only shows in driving rain is still letting water into the structure every time it happens, and it will get worse. It's also usually cheaper to deal with while it's intermittent.
Is the repair guaranteed?+
Yes — our work carries a written workmanship guarantee. That covers the work we've done. It doesn't cover unrelated parts of an old roof failing later, and we'll be clear about the difference before we start.
Got a leak, or something that doesn't look right?
Call and describe it, or send a photograph from the ground. We'll tell you what it sounds like and what it's likely to involve.