Roof Repair: For UK property owners, a significant worry is finding out that their roof has sustained damage. Various weather conditions, such as rain and wind, can adversely affect an exposed roof, leading to potentially expensive roof replacement costs. However, if you manage to repair the roof prior to the onset of structural damage, it's possible to avoid the need for a complete roof replacement, thereby preventing a hefty expense. Being proactive in roof maintenance can result in substantial savings and ensure the longevity of your roof.
Roof Repair or Replacement?
It's only in extreme circumstances that your roof should need a full replacement. Fire damage, impacts from large debris, poor installation or major storms are the main cases where a replacement roof may be necessary.
The age of your roof should also be taken into consideration when deciding between replacement or repair. Older properties of more than 25 years old may require a full roof replacement due to wear and tear on the materials used in the initial construction.
To correctly address the safe condition of your roof in the UK, a structural survey may need to take place in order to identify the correct method of remedial work.
In many cases a roof repair will be the option presented. Once any repairs have been completed by a reliable roofing company your roof should continue to offer many more years of weatherproof protection for your home.
Types of Roofing Materials
There are many types of materials which are used in the construction of both commercial and residential roofing. Some are more suited to certain environmental conditions than others, and there can be a large price difference between types.
Flat roofed structures have to deal with standing water and as such the materials used have a high level of waterproofing; i.e. bitumen felt, rubber, fibreglass or a green roof over a waterproof layer. Pitched roofs are generally tiled (concrete or clay), slate or thatched.
Reasons for Roof Repair
(Just a Few of the Reasons Why You May Need a Roofer in the UK)
Some of the more commonplace problems associated with needing a roof repair include:
- Granular loss (The shedding of minute particles from the surface of asphalt shingles)
- Holes or cracks
- Internal leaks
- Missing tiles or shingles
- Sagging
- Unsound pointing
- Slipped ridge or hip tiles
- Blistering
Once water begins to penetrate through your roof coverings it can cause structural damage to support beams and roof trusses.
DIY Roof Repairs UK
Non-professionals are advised not to try any do-it-yourself repairs to a damaged roof. Even on one storey buildings any accidents which can occur during a DIY repair can prove serious, even fatal. Specialist roofers are frequently called out after an attempted DIY repair has been unsuccessful or made the original issue worse than it was.
The roof of your property should be routinely observed for any signs of damage. This should not mean clambering around on your roof, but a walk around the house after a storm to look for broken or loose tiles is an easy preventative step to take. A roof should last for many years, but it does need cleaning every few years to guarantee its continued lifespan.This can help avoid more costly roofing repairs down the road. The accumulation of mould, moss and algae can damage or lift tiles and create areas where water can infiltrate.
Choosing a Roof Repair Contractor in the UK
There are lots of horror stories about untrustworthy workers, so how do you find a decent roofing contractor in the UK? There are a few steps you can take to ensure you get a specialist to work on your property and it's not that difficult to do:
- Avoid scammers and cold callers! A typical trick is to have someone knock on your door after they have noticed a small issue with your roof and offer to help.
- It is recommended that payment in full is done after work has been finished. Paying the balance on completion makes sure that the repair work has been carried out correctly and your home is left clear of building or construction waste.
- Browse a company's website. Look for before and after images of recent work and reviews by clients, particularly on social media.
- A quote shouldn't come with additional pressure of having to sign into an agreement then and there. Always state you'll need to think about any roof repair work required before entering into any agreement and ask if there is a "cooling off" period after signing any contract. If you are spending more than £42 on goods or services in the UK, it is law that there be a fourteen day cooling off period where you can stop any work or return items. It is an offence which can be investigated by Trading Standards if you're not provided with this option.
- Ask friends and family for any advice if they've used a local roof repair specialist and their experience of the people and work completed - bad and good.
- Call at least 3 different roof repair firms for a quotation. You should not need to pay for a quote and you should not feel pressured into signing a contract by a experienced contractor.
Qualifications and Professional Bodies
Any roofing contractor in the UK should be able to produce a current Roofer CSCS Card (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) which incorporates Specialist Working at Heights. Identifying the individual on the card and their qualification, along with their area of expertise, the CSCS Card is the basic certification of any employee in the building industry. The colour of the card indicates the supervisory experience and qualifications, with the red CSCS Card being for apprentices into the trade.
Before accepting a quotation it's recommended that you check whether the company is a member of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC), the CORC (Confederation of Roofing Contractors) or the Institute of Roofing.
Members of the NFRC are vetted before joining and must follow a strict code of practice regarding the standard of their products, customer service and work. All professional roofing bodies have free online access to their database of members in the United Kingdom for a potential customer to check an individual's or company details.
A guarantee for the quality of work of any member is also supplied by the CORC. Clients can contact the CORC and ask for a conflict and resolution mediator to help resolve any problems.
Companies who are members of the Institute of Roofing have the backing of a professional body which strives for excellence in the roofing industry through a structured plan of training, from apprentices up to senior management.
Roofing Information
To do a search for accredited and recommended roofers in the UK you could head to Rated People or the government endorsed Trustmark. Wikipedia is an excellent place to go to if you want to read more about roofing, their dedicated page discusses roof insulation, roof drainage, roof design, roofing types, the parts of a roof, solar roofing and roofing support. To read a lot more about choosing a roofing company check this out. To learn the social media reaction to roofing developments and trends, check this out. Roofing information and advice is easily accessible from online forums, therefore to make the most of this fact you should head over to the popular Buildhub Roofing Forum, topics comprise Flat Roofs, Roof Windows, Roofing, Tiling, Skylights, Slating, Dormers and Loft Conversions.
Roof Repair and Roofing Services UK
Most decent UK roof repair specialists can normally help you with cracked leadwork repairs in the UK, roof shingles in the UK, lean-to roof repair UK, tile roof repair, roof refurbishment in the UK, ridge tiles, glass roofs, metal roofs, emergency repairs, roof maintenance, dislodged slates repaired, soffits in the UK, pitched roofing, fibreglass roofing UK, roof insulation, roof cleaning, roof scaffolding in the UK, residential roof repair, copper roofs in the UK, bitumen roof repair, roof vents, cladding UK, thatched roof repair, barge board repair, plastic roofing, flat roofing, roof windows, extension roof repair in the UK, roof repair quotes, hipped roofing UK and other roofing related work in the UK, UK. Listed are just a few of the duties that are handled by local roofers. UK companies will be delighted to keep you abreast of their whole range of roofing services.
Skip Hire UK
Managing the waste that's produced when doing home renovations in the UK, is one of the major downsides to conducting this kind of project. Although roofing isn't one of those projects that normally generates lots of waste, that's not invariably the case, and the amount will depend on the scale of your installation. Although some tradespeople in the UK will be quite happy to take away any waste, some will leave it for you to deal with.
The easiest way to dispose of this waste is to hire a skip. Skips come in different sizes according to your requirements, and deciding what kind of skip to hire is important. Mini-skips generally hold approximately 2 cubic yards of waste, midi-skips hold approximately 4 cubic yards of waste, builders skips hold approximately 6 cubic yards of waste and roll-on-roll-off skips hold approximately 20 cubic yards of waste. Skip bags normally hold about 1 - 1.5 cubic yards of waste.
To find out the current prices of skip hire in the UK CLICK HERE.
UK Roof Repair and Roofing Services
- UK Roof Cleaning
- UK Metal Roof Repair
- UK Roof Repair Estimates
- UK Roof Refurbishment
- UK Roof Inspections
- UK Roof Replacement
- UK Tiled Roofing
- UK Roofing Companies
- UK Roof Tiling
- UK Gutter Cleaning
- UK Roof Installation
- UK Roof Repairs
- UK Domestic Roof Repair
- UK Roof Construction
More UK Tradespeople: When your UK property is in need of improvements or refurbishing, numerous different tradesmen may be required to successfully complete the work, and despite the fact that your present search is for roofers in the UK, you might also need the skills of loft conversion experts in the UK, SKIP HIRE in the UK, asbestos removal in the UK, electricians in the UK, aerial specialists in the UK, guttering installers in the UK, building contractors in the UK, external painters in the UK, SCAFFOLDING in the UK, chimney builders in the UK, carpenters in the UK, bricklayers in the UK, plumbers in the UK, roof cleaning in the UK, and quite possibly others.
Qualified Roofers - Roof Maintenance - Roofers - Roof Repair - Flat Roof Repair - Roof Repair Near Me - Roofing Contractors - Roof Guttering - Roofer