If you need lead work carried out in Isleham, here is exactly what the job involves from the first inspection right through to the finished detail and clearing up afterwards.
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Newmarket Roofers carry out all types of lead work in Isleham and the surrounding area - chimney step flashings, valley liners, dormer abutments, flat roof upstands and parapet details. For best results, lead should be hand-dressed on site to BS EN 12588 standard.
This page walks through exactly what happens during a lead work job, from the first look at the problem to the moment we leave your property. Knowing the process helps you ask the right questions and understand what you are being charged for.
Before any work begins, the lead detail needs to be properly examined. A quick look from the ground is not enough. We get up to the area where the lead is and look at it closely - checking the code and condition of the existing lead, how it has been fixed, whether the chase has been correctly cut into the masonry, and whether the problem is isolated or part of a wider pattern of movement or deterioration.
On chimneys, we also check the pointing and the flaunching (the mortar that caps the chimney pot) because a chimney that is absorbing water through its crown can cause the same damp symptoms as a failed flashing, and it is important to be clear about which problem you actually have before deciding what to fix.
We look at what the surrounding roof covering is doing too. Slipped or broken slates or tiles adjacent to a flashing can allow water in even if the lead itself is in reasonable condition. The inspection is about understanding the full picture, not just the lead in isolation.
Once we have seen the problem properly, we will explain what needs doing and why. For a straightforward chimney flashing repair, that might mean re-dressing one or two lifted sections and re-pointing the chase. For a more involved job - a full valley replacement or a flat roof abutment - we will describe what comes out, what goes back in, what code of lead is appropriate, and what the work involves for access.
It is worth being clear at this stage about whether the existing lead is worth repairing or whether replacement is the more sensible route. Lead that is cracked, fatigued or has been patched several times is usually better replaced. Continuing to repair worn lead is a short-term answer to a long-term problem. We will tell you honestly which situation applies.
Most domestic lead work requires either a ladder and roof ladders, or scaffold, depending on the height and location of the work. For chimney work on a two-storey property, a tower scaffold or full scaffold is usually the right approach both for safety and for the quality of work. Working from a ladder limits what a roofer can do with lead - dressing it properly takes two hands and a stable working position.
On lower-level work - bay window roofs, single-storey extensions, flat roof abutments - ladder access is often sufficient. We will use appropriate roof ladders to spread our weight on the roof surface rather than standing directly on slates or tiles.
We also protect the area below before starting. Lead work involves removing mortar, cutting chases and handling heavy sheet material. Sheets are laid over flowerbeds or paved areas to catch debris, and we work tidily as we go.
The old lead and any associated mortar or pointing is carefully removed. On a chimney, this means taking out the wedges or cutting back the chase to remove the existing flashing. We clean the chase out thoroughly - any loose mortar or debris left in the groove will prevent the new lead from bedding properly.
Where there are soakers underneath the step flashing (small individual pieces of lead that sit between each tile or slate course and form the primary waterproof layer), these are checked too. Soakers can sometimes be reused if they are in good condition, but if the original installation had no soakers at all - which is not unusual on older properties - they should be added as part of any proper reworking of the detail.
The masonry surface is brushed clean and any loose or crumbling brickwork is made good before the new lead goes on. New lead bedded against crumbling mortar joints will move and lift as the masonry continues to deteriorate beneath it.
This is the core of the job. Lead sheet is cut to the correct width and length for each individual bay - typically no more than 1.5 metres per section for step and cover flashings, to allow for thermal movement. Getting the bay length right matters. Lead that is too long in one piece will buckle or crack as it expands and contracts with temperature changes.
Each section is dressed by hand on site using a dresser and bossing mallet to form it precisely around the shape of the junction. On a straight chimney flashing, this is relatively straightforward. On a curved bay window roof or a complex dormer with multiple angles, it requires patience and skill to get the lead to sit flush and tight against the substrate.
The lead is then fixed into the chase using lead wedges driven into the groove at regular intervals. This holds the top edge of the flashing securely without preventing the body of the lead from moving slightly as temperatures change. The chase is then pointed up with an appropriate mortar mix.
On valleys and flat roof details, the lead is laid in bays with proper lap joints between each section, and drips are formed where the lead changes level to prevent water running back underneath.
Once all the lead is in position, we check every joint, every lap, every drip and every section of pointing. Any area that does not sit correctly is adjusted before we move on. There is no point leaving a flashing that is ninety percent right - the one joint that is not quite seated is where the water will go.
Where possible, we will also check the interior - the loft space, or the ceiling below - to confirm that the previous source of water ingress is now properly addressed. If there are signs of existing timber damage or wet insulation, we will point that out so you can decide whether further work is needed.
All old lead, mortar debris, dust and off-cuts are removed from the site. Lead off-cuts can be recycled - they have scrap value - so they do not go to landfill. The roof surface, gutters and any garden or paved area below the working area are cleared before we leave.
If you are in Isleham and want a roofer to come and look at a lead problem properly before any work is agreed, call us and we will arrange a time to come and assess it.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
