Ely Roofers carries out lead flashing repairs and installation for homeowners in Histon, with honest pricing based on what the job actually needs.
Lead work is one of those roof repairs where prices vary widely and it is not always obvious why. The quote you get from one roofer can be double the figure from another, and without knowing what drives the cost it is hard to judge whether either is fair. This page sets out the main cost factors honestly so you can make a better-informed decision.
These are realistic UK price ranges for domestic lead work based on current material and labour costs. They are guide figures; actual prices depend on the specific job and access required.
These figures are for the lead work itself. If scaffold or a tower is required, that is usually a separate cost - a scaffold tower hire and erection for a single chimney stack can add £150 to £400 depending on height and duration.
Several factors can move a lead work quote significantly above the base range, and most of them are legitimate.
Access difficulty. A chimney on a two-storey rear extension is harder to reach than one on a single-storey outrigger. A valley on a steeply pitched roof takes longer to work on safely than the same valley on a shallower slope. Both add to labour time and may require more substantial scaffold.
The code of lead specified. Code 5 lead (2.24 mm) costs more per square metre than code 4 (1.80 mm), but it is the right specification for back gutters and wide valley linings. A quote using code 3 (1.32 mm) may look attractive but the thinner sheet will fail sooner. Check what code is being quoted before comparing prices.
The condition of what is underneath. If the old flashing has been leaking for some time, the roof deck or battens beneath it may be soft or rotted. A roofer who opens up the area and finds damaged timber needs to price for that repair as well. This is not a price hike; it is necessary. A new flashing installed over rotting boards will fail again.
Tile stripping and relaying. A closed valley - where tiles are cut over the lead - requires all those tiles to come off before the old lead can be removed and new lead dressed. That tile-stripping and relaying time is real labour that has to be priced in.
Chimney stack size and complexity. A standard single Victorian chimney is a different job from a wide modern stack with multiple flashings, or a period property stack with a shaped profile. Complex geometries take longer to dress neatly and require more lead.
Additional masonry work. If the brickwork the flashing fixes into is crumbling or spalled, it needs repointing or repair before new lead can be properly secured. Some roofers include minor pointing as part of the job; others price it separately. Ask which applies.
Cheaper quotes are not always wrong, but it is worth understanding what might be behind them.
A lower quote might reflect less access cost if the stack is low and easy to reach, a smaller area of lead, or a roofer with lower overheads. Those are all fine. But a significantly lower quote sometimes reflects thinner lead (code 3 instead of code 4), skipped soakers at step flashings, no expansion bays in the lead, or a repair-over-repair approach that leaves old deteriorated lead behind. These are shortcuts that will cost you more in a few years.
Ask every roofer quoting the job to specify: the code of lead being used, whether soakers are included at step flashings, and whether expansion bays will be formed. A roofer doing the job properly will answer all three without hesitation.
A repair is cheaper on the day but only makes sense if the majority of the existing lead is sound. If step flashings are cracked in multiple places, if the back gutter has split, or if the lead is thin and aged throughout, a full replacement costs more upfront but avoids paying for a second repair within a few years.
A good rule of thumb: if more than a third of the lead at a junction is failing or suspect, a full replacement is usually the better value. If the problem is one isolated section - a cracked apron, a single lifted flashing bay - a targeted repair is reasonable.
For most homeowners having repair or replacement work carried out on their existing roof, the labour element of the job is subject to the standard VAT rate of 20%. Some roofers quote inclusive of VAT; others quote net. Confirm which applies before accepting a quote so you are comparing like with like.
A clear, itemised quote that sets out what is included - materials, labour, access method and any additional work - is reasonable to ask for before any lead job starts. That lets you check what code of lead is being used, whether soakers and clips are included, and what access is planned. If a quote is presented verbally with no written breakdown, ask for it in writing before you commit.
We carry out lead flashing repairs and full installations for homeowners in Histon and nearby, including work across the area and back to our base in Ely. Call us for a roof survey and a straight answer on what your lead work needs and what it will cost.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
