Ely Roofers installs new roofs in Waterbeach, covering pitched roofs in slate, clay and concrete tiles as well as flat roof systems for extensions and outbuildings.
At some point every homeowner has to decide whether to repair a failing roof or replace it entirely. Get it wrong in either direction and it costs you. Patch a roof that needed replacing and you will be calling someone back within a few years. Replace a roof that needed only targeted repairs and you have spent money unnecessarily. Understanding what drives that decision is the most useful thing we can do for you on this page.
A useful practical question is: is what is failing the roof covering, or is it the roof itself?
Before weighing repair against replacement, it helps to know what a new roof involves. A full re-roof on a pitched house means stripping the existing tiles or slates back to the timber, checking the rafters, joists and wall plates for rot or movement, replacing any compromised timber, fitting new breathable underlay, new treated battens at the correct gauge, and then laying the new tile or slate course by course. Ridges, verges, valleys and flashings are all dealt with as part of the job. Nothing is patched over; the roof starts clean.
On a flat roof - typically over an extension, a bay or a ground-floor addition - the deck is inspected and any soft boards replaced, then the new waterproof system is applied. The two systems we install are torch-on modified bitumen felt and EPDM rubber membrane. EPDM is a single-piece membrane with very few joins, which is significant because joins are where flat roofs fail.
Not every roofing problem needs a new roof. The following situations usually point to targeted repair work rather than full replacement:
A common problem is that a leak inside the house looks worse than the actual roof damage. Water travels. A hairline crack in a valley or a loose flashing at a soil pipe can produce a stain on a bedroom ceiling that looks like the whole roof is going. Always have the source of a leak properly traced before agreeing to any work.
There is a point where repair becomes false economy. These are the indicators that a full replacement is the more sensible option:
Understanding the rough cost of each option helps you make the decision with your eyes open.
A targeted repair - replacing a handful of tiles, repointing a ridge, reflashing a chimney - typically costs between £200 and £800 depending on the scope and access required. Scaffolding for a small repair adds to that figure, and is sometimes the largest element of a minor repair cost.
A full pitched roof replacement on a standard semi-detached house costs roughly £5,000-£9,000 in concrete interlocking tile, or £8,000-£14,000 in natural slate. These are honest typical UK ranges and your exact price will depend on roof size, pitch, the number of hips and valleys, and how much timber needs attention. Scaffolding is usually included in a full re-roof quote but always confirm this before comparing prices.
For flat roofs on extensions, a new torch-on felt system typically costs £70-£120 per square metre; EPDM rubber runs roughly £80-£130 per square metre. Both figures assume the deck is in reasonable condition; deck replacement adds cost.
If you have been spending £400-£600 on repairs every year or two on the same roof, and the roof is over 30 years old, the arithmetic often favours replacement within three to four years. A new roof also carries the value of starting with a clean, fully inspected structure rather than an accumulation of patches.
The most important step before committing to either repair or replacement is a proper inspection - not a look from the ground with binoculars, but someone physically on the roof checking the covering, lifting a tile or two to look at the underlay and battens, checking the flashings and examining the ridge. What is visible from a ladder or a drone image tells you roughly 60% of the story.
A roofer who recommends full replacement without getting on the roof first should be asked why. Equally, one who recommends repair on a roof that has clearly been declining for years without examining the underlay is not giving you the full picture.
Ask specifically: have you lifted any tiles to check the underlay and battens? What condition is the timber in? Are there any areas of the roof structure that concern you? These questions are reasonable and a good roofer will answer them plainly.
If replacement is the right call, you need to choose a material. The three main options for pitched roofs are:
A full re-roof is the right moment to assess fascias, soffits and guttering. With scaffolding already up, replacing rotten timber fascias with uPVC - or replacing cracked and sagging guttering - costs far less than returning to do it separately later. Make sure any quote you receive states clearly whether roofline work is included or priced separately.
The repair-or-replace question does not have a universal answer. It depends on the age and condition of the roof, where it is failing and why, and what budget makes sense to commit now against the likely lifespan of the work. A written inspection report from a roofer willing to explain their reasoning is worth far more than a quick verbal opinion.
If you are weighing up repair versus replacement on a property in Waterbeach or a nearby village, call Ely Roofers to arrange a proper roof survey. We will give you a straight assessment and a written quote for whichever option the roof actually needs.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
