Ely Roofers installs new roofs in Littleport, covering pitched roofs in slate, clay, and concrete tiles as well as flat roof systems.
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Having a new roof fitted is one of the biggest jobs a homeowner will ever commission. The materials and workmanship matter enormously, but so does what happens in the years after the roofers leave. A new roof that is neglected can develop problems that take years off its life. The good news is that a straightforward maintenance routine costs very little and prevents the vast majority of issues before they become expensive.
On this page we explain what a new roof installation involves, what your options are, what it typically costs, and - crucially - what you should do in the years after the work is done to keep the roof performing as it should.
A full new roof means stripping the old covering back to the structure, inspecting and repairing the timber framework (rafters, ridge board, wall plates), laying new breathable roofing membrane, fitting new battens, and then installing the tile or slate covering. On a pitched roof that also includes a new ridge, new lead or alternative flashings at any abutments, and usually new fascias, soffits, and guttering at the same time since scaffolding is already up.
Flat roof installations follow a different process. The deck (usually plywood or OSB) is checked or replaced, and then a waterproofing system is applied. The two systems we fit most commonly are built-up mineral felt and EPDM rubber membrane. EPDM in particular has become popular for extensions and garage roofs because it bonds as a single seamless sheet with no joins for water to track through, and properly fitted it lasts several decades.
If you are building a new extension in Littleport, the roof needs to tie into the existing building properly - this almost always involves new lead soakers and flashings where the new roof meets the house wall, and careful attention to the way rainwater drains off both roof planes without pooling.
Concrete tiles are the most cost-effective option and cover the majority of new pitched roofs in the UK. They are heavier than natural slate but durable, widely available in a range of profiles and colours, and straightforward to replace if an individual tile is damaged later. On a standard semi-detached house you might expect to pay roughly £5,000 to £9,000 for a full re-roof in concrete tiles, depending on the size of the roof and the condition of the timbers underneath.
Clay tiles give a warmer, more traditional appearance and are often preferred on older-style properties or where the local character calls for it. They are lighter than concrete and can outlast them by a significant margin if the specification is right. Budget roughly £7,000 to £12,000 for clay tiles on a typical semi.
Natural slate is the premium choice. Welsh or Spanish slate properly bedded and fixed to a good batten layout can last 80 to 100 years. It is heavier, so the roof structure needs to be sound, and it costs more: a natural slate re-roof on a standard house typically runs from £9,000 to £15,000 or more for larger properties. Reclaimed slate can be an option where matching an existing roof is important, though quality varies and every slate should be checked for delamination before fitting.
These are typical UK price ranges. The actual cost for your property in Littleport will depend on roof area, pitch, number of hips or valleys, chimney work, and the state of the existing structure.
A common problem is that older flat roofs were laid without adequate fall, so water sits and accelerates the breakdown of the membrane. When we lay a new flat roof we set the falls into the deck before the waterproofing goes on.
Mineral felt laid in three bonded layers is the traditional approach and still widely used. A properly installed three-layer felt roof with a mineral cap sheet will typically perform well for 15 to 20 years before it needs attention. EPDM rubber membrane is a step up in longevity and flexibility - it handles temperature changes without cracking in the way felt can, and manufacturers typically rate it for 50 years or more. The material cost is higher but so is the service life. For a garage or small extension flat roof, expect to pay roughly £1,000 to £2,500 for felt or £1,500 to £3,500 for EPDM, depending on area.
This is the section most roofers skip. Once the scaffolding comes down and the invoice is paid, most homeowners give the roof very little thought until something goes wrong. That is understandable - a new roof should be the last thing on your mind. But a small amount of attention each year costs almost nothing and can genuinely prevent expensive problems.
Blocked gutters are one of the most common causes of water damage to roofs and walls. When a gutter overflows, water runs behind the fascia board and saturates the wall plate and rafter ends - the structural timbers you cannot see. By the time you notice the damage inside the house, there is usually rot in the timber that requires more than just clearing the gutter to fix. Leaves and debris from nearby trees collect quickly in autumn. A gutter clean in October or November is worth doing every year.
Check the downpipes too. A blocked downpipe can cause a gutter to back up even when the gutter itself looks clear. Run a hose down from the top - water should flow freely at the bottom.
You do not need to climb on the roof to check it - a pair of binoculars from ground level is enough to spot the main warning signs. Do this in spring after the winter weather and again in autumn before it returns. Look for:
If you spot something that looks wrong, call a roofer to have a proper look before it develops. A single slipped tile takes 20 minutes to re-fix. Left over a winter, the gap it leaves can allow enough water in to rot the batten and damage several surrounding tiles.
Moss is a persistent problem on pitched roofs in damp conditions. A light covering is mainly cosmetic, but thick growth holds water against the tile and can push up at the edges, lifting tiles slightly and breaking the weather seal between them. The right approach is to treat with a biocide and then allow the dead moss to weather off naturally over several months - scraping or pressure-washing a tiled roof while the moss is alive tears off the mineral granules from felt-backed tiles and can crack older slates.
Zinc or copper strip fitted along the ridge is a preventative measure worth considering on a new roof. Rain washing over the metal releases ions that inhibit moss and algae growth without any chemical treatment needed. It will not eliminate moss entirely but it significantly slows the rate of regrowth on the upper slopes.
Lead flashings around chimneys and at wall abutments are bedded and dressed into masonry joints. The mortar that holds them can crack over time as the building moves slightly with temperature changes. A cracked or open flashing joint is one of the most common entry points for water into a roof void. Check the mortar pointing around chimney stacks and at any step flashings every few years - re-pointing is a small job if caught in time, and a significant repair if water has been getting in for a season or two.
Ridge and hip mortar should be checked at the same time. Dry-fix ridge systems (mechanically fixed rather than mortared) have become more common on new roofs and they do not need re-pointing, but older mortared ridges need attention whenever the mortar shows hairline cracks or open gaps.
A roof void needs to breathe. Condensation in the loft is not just a loft problem - persistent moisture in a roof space raises the timber moisture content, and over years that can lead to rot in rafters and sarking boards. If you are adding loft insulation at the same time as a new roof, make sure the insulation does not block the eaves gap that allows air to circulate under the tiles. Current building regulations require a minimum 25mm clear airway at the eaves for a cold roof and 50mm for a warm roof. A roofer fitting a new roof should install eaves vents as a matter of course.
If you are planning to sell your home in or around Littleport in the next few years, a roof inspection and any small remedial work done in advance is far less disruptive than a buyer's surveyor flagging it during conveyancing. A surveyor will note even minor defects and buyers often use them to negotiate reductions that bear no relation to the actual cost of the work. It is worth getting a roofer to check the roof and carry out any remedial work before the property goes on the market.
Whether you need a new roof on a Littleport property, an extension, or a garage, or you want someone to carry out an honest inspection of an existing roof before you spend money, call Ely Roofers. We will tell you what the roof actually needs - not what generates the most work. A roof survey at your property is a sensible first step before you commit to any work.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
