Pitched Roofing in London

Pitched roofing · London

Pitched roofing in London: repair, re-roof or maintain?

A pitched roof is a sloping roof with tiles or slates on timber battens, which sit over a breathable membrane on the rafters. If only a few tiles have slipped or cracked, a repair is usually enough. If tiles or slates are slipping across the roof, the old underlay has perished, or the roof is sagging, a full re-roof is normally better value. Regular maintenance catches small faults before they become leaks.

Repair, re-roof or maintenance: which do you need?

Tiles or slate: choosing a covering

• Concrete interlocking tiles: cost-effective and quick to lay. As a result, they are common on post-war houses across London.
• Clay plain tiles: the traditional small tile found on many Edwardian and 1930s homes. They are also long-lasting, and a good match for period streets.
• Natural slate: thin, lightweight and very long-lived, especially on Victorian terraces. See our slate roofing service.

Changing the covering? Swapping lightweight slate for heavier concrete tiles adds load to the roof structure. Therefore, Building Regulations require a check and approval. In conservation areas, changing the roof material may also need planning consent. We check this before we quote.

Built to the current British Standard (BS 5534)

BS 5534 is the code of practice for slating and tiling in the UK. Since the 2015 revision, roofers can no longer rely on mortar alone to hold ridge and hip tiles, so these also need mechanical fixings. In addition, tile fixings must resist wind uplift, with extra fixings at the edges of the roof. Underlays also need testing and a wind-resistance classification. As a result, we fix every pitched roof we install or re-roof to this standard.

Pitched roof maintenance checklist

You can spot most early warning signs without climbing a ladder:

• From the ground: slipped or missing tiles, cracked ridge mortar, heavy moss, lifted lead flashing around chimneys and walls, and blocked valleys or gutters.
• From the loft: daylight through the roof, damp or stained timbers, wet insulation, or torn felt.

We recommend a roof check after major storms, as well as every few years as routine. After all, it costs far less than repairing water damage inside.

Building Regulations and planning for re-roofing

Re-covering 50% or more of a roof counts as renovating a "thermal element" in England, so Building Regulations apply. In general, this means upgrading insulation where practical. However, like-for-like re-roofing does not normally need planning permission. Listed buildings, conservation areas and Article 4 areas are the main exceptions, and parts of Hammersmith, Ealing and Richmond fall into these. For more detail, see the LABC guidance on roofs and Building Regulations.

How we work

1. Free surveyFirst, call or message us and we arrange a visit to inspect the roof and talk through your options.
2. Written quoteThen you get a clear, itemised quote in writing, with no hidden extras.
3. The workAfter that, our own team carries out the job, keeps the property watertight and clears up each day.
4. Guaranteed finishFinally, we walk you through the finished work, and our workmanship guarantee covers it.

Pitched roofing across London

We cover West London and the surrounding towns, including these areas:

Ealing Hanwell Hammersmith Richmond Twickenham Hayes Hillingdon Uxbridge Southall Harrow Watford Slough Windsor

Local pages: New roofs in Ealing · New roofs in Harrow · New roof installation in West London

Related services: New Roof Installation · Slate Roofing · Roof Repairs · Chimney Repairs · Guttering

Pitched roofing in London: FAQs