Ely Roofers carries out roof repairs in Fordham, from slipped tiles and failed flashings to leaking chimney stacks, with honest advice and no pressure to spend more than you need to.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
One of the first questions homeowners ask is: how much will it cost? The honest answer is that roof repair prices vary quite a bit, and understanding why helps you judge a quote and spot one that looks too low or suspiciously high.
Small repairs - replacing a handful of slipped or cracked tiles, repointing a section of ridge, or resealing a lead flashing - typically cost anywhere from £150 to £400 for the work itself. More involved jobs such as relaying a full valley, replacing a significant run of ridge tiles in mortar or dry-fix, or tracking down and fixing a persistent leak that has no obvious source can run from £400 to £900 or more, depending on exactly what is found once work starts.
These are honest, typical UK figures. They are not guarantees of what you will pay, because no two roofs are identical. What matters is understanding what drives the price up or down.
Access is the biggest single factor. A single-storey extension with a shallow pitch costs less to work on than a tall Victorian property where scaffolding is needed to reach the ridge safely. If scaffold is required, budget an additional £400 to £800 for a small domestic scaffold lift, depending on the size and height of the building. Any roofer who tells you they can work safely at height without proper access on a steep roof is worth questioning.
The type and availability of materials also affects cost. Modern concrete tiles are cheap and widely stocked. Natural Welsh slate, reclaimed handmade clay tiles or unusual profiles are harder to source and cost more per unit. Matching tiles on an older property can mean sourcing from specialist salvage yards, and that takes time as well as money.
Extent of unseen damage is another variable. A tile may have slipped because the nail corroded, which is straightforward. It may also have slipped because the batten behind it has rotted, or because the felt beneath has split and water has been sitting on the timbers. You only know once someone is up there. A thorough inspection before quoting helps, but some things only become clear when the tiles come off.
Chimney repairs sit in a category of their own. Repointing a chimney stack, replacing the lead flashing at its base, or repairing the flaunching around the pot can each add several hundred pounds to a job, particularly if the stack is tall or difficult to reach safely from the roof slope alone.
Catching a problem early is the most effective way to keep repair costs manageable. A single missing tile costs far less to replace than the damaged felt, rotten batten and stained ceiling plaster that result from leaving it for twelve months. Roof problems do not fix themselves.
Grouping repairs is also sensible. If a roofer is already on your roof with access set up, ask whether anything else needs attention while they are there. Repointing a ridge section at the same time as replacing tiles costs less in combined labour than two separate visits with two separate scaffold or ladder set-ups.
Keeping records of past work can also help. If you know what materials were used last time, sourcing matching tiles is quicker and less expensive.
The range of roof repairs we cover includes:
A leak that shows as a damp patch on a ceiling does not always originate directly above it. Water can travel along rafters or across the top of plasterboard before dripping through. Tracing the actual entry point takes a careful inspection of the entire roof surface, the flashings, the valleys and the verges.
A thorough leak investigation on a typical semi-detached house might take an hour or two before any repair work begins. This is time well spent. Patching the first thing that looks suspect and hoping for the best is how roofs end up with multiple poorly-done repairs that mask the real problem. Always ask any roofer to explain exactly where they believe water is entering and why.
Wind can lift ridge tiles, shift slates and tear back lead flashings in a matter of minutes. After any significant storm, it is worth looking at your roof from ground level - binoculars help - to check whether anything obvious has shifted.
Emergency temporary repairs, such as fitting a weatherproof cover or re-securing a loose ridge tile with fresh mortar as a stop-gap, can protect your home while a full repair is properly planned. Get in touch to talk through what you are seeing and we can advise on the right next step.
In most cases, like-for-like roof repairs do not require planning permission. Replacing broken tiles with matching tiles, repointing a chimney or resealing a flashing is all permitted development on a standard domestic property. If your home is listed or sits within a conservation area, different rules apply and it is worth checking with the relevant authority before work starts. We will tell you if something you want done might fall outside permitted development.
You do not always need to get on the roof to spot a problem. From ground level or inside the house, watch for:
If you notice any of these, it is worth getting someone up to have a proper look sooner rather than later.
When comparing quotes for roof repairs in Fordham, make sure each quote covers the same scope of work. A low price that excludes scaffold, materials or the cost of any additional damage found is not a like-for-like comparison with a thorough quote that accounts for all of it. Ask each roofer to break down what is and is not included.
We cover Fordham and the wider area around Ely, including Soham, Burwell, Chatteris, Haddenham, Witchford, Waterbeach and further afield. Call us to arrange a roof survey and we will give you a straight assessment of what needs doing and what it is likely to cost.
No obligation · We'll call you to arrange a free visit
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
