If your roof in Burwell is giving you cause for concern, knowing the warning signs early can save you from a much bigger bill later.
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Most homeowners notice something is wrong with their roof long before they call a roofer. The question is whether to act on it straight away or wait. A small problem left alone rarely stays small. Water finds its way through the smallest gap, frost widens cracks over winter, and by spring what was a loose tile has become a damp patch on the bedroom ceiling.
A new roof is not always the answer to every problem, but when the structure is ageing, repairs are piling up year after year, and the materials are at the end of their useful life, a full replacement is often more cost-effective than patching indefinitely. Understanding what the warning signs actually mean is the first step.
Tiled roofs - whether clay, concrete or natural slate - give you several visible clues when they are failing. The most obvious is tiles that have slipped, cracked or disappeared altogether. A tile missing from the middle of a roof plane does not just let in rain directly; it throws the loading pattern out and puts stress on the tiles around it.
Cracked or spalling concrete tiles are another tell. Concrete tiles absorb water over many years, and once the surface breaks down, frost gets into the body of the tile and the deterioration accelerates quickly. Clay tiles are more durable but can still crack if they were made to a lower standard, if the roof was walked on carelessly during maintenance work, or if the battens beneath have rotted and the tiles have shifted.
Moss and algae growth are not simply cosmetic. Heavy moss holds moisture against the tile surface and pushes up under the laps, allowing water to track back and reach the felt or membrane beneath. If the moss is thick and widespread, the tiles underneath are likely already weakened.
Age is the most straightforward cause. Most concrete tile roofs have a practical lifespan of around 30 to 50 years, natural slate considerably longer when properly maintained, and clay tiles longer still under good conditions. When a roof approaches the end of that span, individual repairs become a temporary fix rather than a lasting solution.
Poorly installed flashings are a leading cause of early failure. Flashings are the lead or other metal strips that seal the junction between the roof covering and any vertical surface - a chimney stack, a dormer wall, a parapet. When they are not properly bedded or have been sealed with mortar rather than proper stepped lead, they crack with thermal movement and allow water to track down behind the roof covering. You may see no damage on the tiles at all, yet still have a wet chimney breast inside.
Underlay deterioration is less obvious from the outside but just as serious. The felt or membrane beneath the tiles is there to catch any water that gets past the covering. Older bitumen felt becomes brittle and splits, particularly at the eaves where it is most exposed to temperature swings. Once the underlay fails, any tile gap sends water straight to the timber.
Inadequate ventilation causes its own set of problems. Warm, moist air from the living space rises into the roof void. Without sufficient airflow, it condenses on the cold rafters and underside of the roof covering. Over time this leads to rot in the timber structure, and you may see damp patches or mould in the loft long before there is any visible external damage.
External inspection tells only part of the story. Inside the loft you can often see the roof's condition more clearly. Look for:
If you see any of these, have the roof looked at by a roofer who will go up onto the covering as well as into the loft. A visual inspection from the ground or from inside the loft alone gives an incomplete picture.
Chimney stacks are among the most common sources of roof leaks, and the problem is almost always in the leadwork rather than the brickwork itself. Lead flashings around the base of a chimney need to be properly dressed into the mortar joints and lapped correctly. When they are not, or when old mortar pointing has cracked and fallen away, water runs down between the stack and the roof covering.
On a new roof installation, all flashings are replaced as a matter of course. Lead is still the preferred material for chimney flashings and valley gutters because it is durable and easy to dress into complex shapes. A roofer who proposes to reuse the old lead on a new installation should explain clearly why that is appropriate - in most cases, new lead is the right call.
Valley gutters, the internal angles where two roof planes meet, are another vulnerable point. An open valley lined with lead or code 4 lead-effect materials needs to be free of debris, correctly lapped, and wide enough to handle heavy rain without backing up. A mortar-bedded valley can crack and lift with thermal movement, making it a frequent leak source on older properties.
Single-storey extensions and outbuildings often have flat or shallow-pitch roofs. Traditional built-up felt systems on flat roofs have a practical lifespan of around 10 to 15 years. Once the felt begins to bubble, crack or delaminate at the edges, water ingress follows quickly.
EPDM rubber membrane is the most common modern replacement for felt on flat roofs. A properly installed EPDM system uses large sheets bonded to the deck, with very few seams where water can enter. It is flexible at low temperatures, which matters when frost hits, and the material itself is rated to last considerably longer than traditional felt when correctly installed.
Before any flat roof covering is installed, the decking - usually plywood or OSB boards - must be checked for rot and replaced where necessary. A new membrane laid over damaged decking will not perform as it should, and the problem will return sooner than it ought to.
A new roof installation is the right time to address the roofline as well. Fascia boards carry the guttering and form the finished edge of the roof. Soffit boards close off the gap between the eaves and the wall. When these are rotting or damaged, water can track back behind the gutter and into the wall or roof structure.
UPVC fascias and soffits are now standard on most replacement jobs. They do not rot, need no painting and are available in a range of colours to suit the property. Guttering should be checked for falls, joints and condition at the same time - blocked or sagging gutters are one of the most straightforward causes of damp in external walls.
Not every call leads to a full new roof. Sometimes the work needed is ridge tile repointing, a handful of replacement slates, or re-bedding a chimney flaunching. These are all legitimate repairs that can extend the life of a sound roof. The distinction to make is whether the underlying structure and covering materials are genuinely in good condition, or whether repairs are simply deferring the inevitable.
A thorough inspection will tell you which situation you are in. Ask the roofer to walk you through what they have found, show you any photographs taken on the roof, and give you a clear view of whether repair or replacement is the better course. Any roofer unwilling to explain the reasoning in plain terms is not someone you want on your roof.
New roof costs vary considerably depending on the size of the property, the pitch of the roof, the materials chosen and whether scaffolding is needed. As a rough guide, a new tiled roof on a standard three-bedroom semi-detached property typically costs between £5,000 and £12,000. Natural slate tends to sit at the higher end of that range. Larger or more complex roofs cost more. These figures are for the roof covering and associated work; structural timber repairs, if needed, are priced separately.
Always get a written, itemised quote before work begins. Check what is included - stripping the old covering, disposal, any timber repairs, replacement of underlay and battens, new flashings, and making good at the eaves. A quote that does not specify these items leaves room for unexpected additions later.
How long does a new tiled roof last? Concrete tiles typically last 30 to 50 years. Natural slate, when properly sourced and installed, can last 80 to 100 years or more. Clay tiles fall somewhere between the two under normal conditions.
Do I need planning permission for a new roof? In most cases, like-for-like replacement does not require planning permission. If you are changing the materials significantly or the property is listed or in a conservation area, you should check with your local planning authority first.
Can I stay in my house while the roof is replaced? In most cases, yes. The work is noisy and dusty but does not usually require you to leave, unless significant structural work is needed.
What time of year is best for roof replacement? Roofing can be carried out year-round, but extended wet or frosty periods can cause delays. Spring and summer tend to give the most reliable working conditions.
If you are concerned about your roof in Burwell or a neighbouring village, call us for a roof survey so we can give you a clear picture of what is needed.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
