Ely Roofers handles complete roof replacements in Sutton, managing every stage from the first inspection through to final clean-up so you know exactly what to expect.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
A full roof replacement is one of the larger jobs a homeowner will commission. It is worth understanding exactly what happens at each stage, what decisions you will be involved in, and what a well-run job looks like from start to finish. This page walks through the process in order.
Before any work is priced or planned, the roof needs to be looked at properly. That means getting up to roof level, not just casting an eye from the ground. A ground-level view can show obvious problems like slipped tiles or a sagging ridge, but it cannot reveal the condition of the felt beneath the tiles, the state of the battens, whether flashings are bedded properly or whether any of the timber structure is compromised.
A thorough initial inspection covers the entire roof slope on all elevations, the ridge and hip details, all valleys, the condition of any flashings around chimneys, roof windows or party walls, and wherever possible a look from inside the loft at the underside of the rafters and the condition of the existing felt. Water staining on rafters, daylight visible between tiles, or felt that has sagged and pooled are all things that change the scope and cost of the job.
After the inspection, you should receive a clear account of what was found and why replacement is the right call rather than further repair. If a roofer cannot explain that plainly, press them on it.
A full roof replacement cannot be done safely from a ladder alone. A scaffold platform is required along the eaves at minimum, and on most residential properties a full scaffold frame around the perimeter gives the safest working platform and allows materials to be lifted and waste to be lowered without risk. The scaffold is erected before any stripping begins and stays in place until all finishing work is complete.
Scaffolding is normally hired from a specialist contractor and is factored into the overall project cost. Before work starts it is worth checking with your roofer whether scaffolding is included in the price or quoted separately, as this catches some homeowners off guard.
Once the scaffold is in place, stripping begins. All tiles or slates are lifted and lowered. On an older roof, some will be salvageable and set aside if they are to be re-used; on most replacement jobs the tiles are cleared as waste. The old felt and battens are removed in sections and lowered to a skip or waste bags at ground level.
The pace of stripping matters for a practical reason: the roof is open to the weather as soon as the tiles come off. A good crew will strip sections in sequence and get the new felt and battens down the same day, keeping the period of exposure as short as possible. On a dry day a full strip and re-felt is achievable on most residential roofs; the new tiles or slates then go over a weathertight deck.
Any lead valleys and flashings that have been stripped or disturbed at this point are inspected and replaced if needed. Valley liners, soakers and step flashings are all part of the job and should be included in the price, not added on later.
With the covering removed, every rafter and the ridge board are inspected. This is the point at which the actual condition of the structure becomes clear. Soft spots in timber, cracked or fractured rafters, ridge boards that have dropped, or any evidence of previous damp damage are all dealt with now. Rotten sections are cut out and new timber sistered alongside or spliced in. This is not optional: covering over unsound timber defeats the purpose of a replacement.
On older properties the existing rafters were sometimes undersized by modern standards. In most cases they are adequate and have been performing for decades; only where there is genuine structural concern or clear damage is replacement necessary. Your roofer should show you any timber that needs replacing and explain why before they proceed.
Once the structure is sound, new breathable felt or underlay is laid from eaves to ridge, overlapping each course so water runs down and off rather than under. Treated timber battens are then nailed through the felt into the rafters at the correct gauge for the tile or slate being used. Getting the batten gauge right is not optional: tiles hung on battens at the wrong spacing will not sit at the correct angle, will not interlock properly and will not shed water as they should.
Tiles or slates are then fixed from eaves to ridge. On a pitched plain tile or slate roof, every tile in the first course, the top course, every fifth course and all perimeter tiles are nailed. On interlocking tile roofs the fixing pattern varies by product but is specified by the manufacturer and should be followed. Cutting around hips, valleys and any roof windows is detailed work that takes time and care. Rushed cutting leaves gaps that become leaks.
Ridge tiles are the last covering element to go on. These should be mechanically fixed rather than simply bedded in mortar on a new replacement roof. Dry-fixed ridge systems use plastic clips and a ventilated mortar-free bedding, which removes the main point of failure on traditional mortar-bedded ridges. Mortar cracks over time; a dry-fixed ridge does not have that problem.
Any flashings around chimneys, party walls, dormer cheeks or roof windows are replaced or renewed at this stage. Lead is the standard material for flashings in this country and it is what a correctly done job should use. Lead is dressed into joints and pointed with appropriate mortar. Pre-formed aluminium or proprietary flashing tape is sometimes used as a shortcut; it is quicker but not as durable and not appropriate for a full replacement job where everything else is new.
Eaves detailing also matters. The fascia and soffit boards are inspected; if they are rotten they should be replaced at this point while access is straightforward. A new dry verge system at the gable ends removes the need for mortar-bedded verge tiles that can lift in the wind.
When the covering and all detailing is complete, the roof is walked over and checked. Ridge tiles are pressed to confirm they are fixed solidly. Tile edges at verges and eaves are checked for alignment. Valleys are cleared of any tile debris. Lead flashings are checked for correct dressing and pointing.
At ground level, all waste material from the stripped roof is cleared. Tiles, felt, old battens and any other debris are removed from site. The scaffold is then struck once you and the roofer are satisfied the job is complete. A good roofer will not rush the scaffold down before the finishing work has been properly checked.
A standard semi-detached house can often be stripped and retiled within three to five working days in settled weather. Larger properties, roofs with multiple hips and valleys, or those where significant timber work is needed will take longer. Weather is a factor: heavy rain during the strip phase requires the work to pause or to be covered, so the overall programme depends partly on conditions at the time.
A full replacement on a standard semi-detached house typically costs in the region of £5,000 to £9,000. Larger properties, natural slate and complex roof geometry push the figure higher. Every roof needs a proper inspection before an accurate price can be given. Be cautious of prices quoted without a site visit.
Most like-for-like replacements on standard residential properties fall under permitted development and do not require planning consent. If the property is listed or in a conservation area, or if you want to change materials significantly, check with the local planning authority before work starts.
We carry out roof replacements across the area including Haddenham, Ely, Soham, Witchford, Stuntney, Prickwillow, Downham, Queen Adelaide, Waterbeach and beyond. If you are in or near Sutton and your roof needs attention, call Ely Roofers to book an inspection and get a clear picture of what the job will involve.
The best way to know what your roof actually needs is to have it looked at properly from roof level. Call Ely Roofers to arrange a survey in Sutton and we will walk you through everything we find before any work is agreed.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
