Newmarket Roofers installs new roofs in Waterbeach and the surrounding area, handling everything from full re-roofs of older properties to new roof builds on extensions and self-builds.
A new roof job covers the full process: stripping the existing covering back to the deck or rafters, inspecting the timber structure, fitting new breathable underlay, battening and then laying the new tiles or slate. We work with concrete tiles, clay tiles and natural slate. The right material for your roof depends on the pitch, the load-bearing capacity of the structure, any planning constraints and your budget.
Ridge and hip tiles are fixed using either a dry-fix mechanical system or traditional mortar bedding, depending on the specification. Flashings at chimneys, valleys and wall abutments are replaced in lead or an approved alternative. Gutters are cleared of debris once work is complete. That is what a thorough job looks like from start to finish.
This is the question most homeowners ask when a roof starts causing problems, and it is the right one to ask. Re-roofing is a significant spend, and doing it unnecessarily is a waste of money. But patching a roof that has reached the end of its useful life will cost you more in repeated call-outs than a replacement would have. The answer depends on a clear assessment of what is actually wrong and why.
Repair is almost always the right first option when the roof is relatively young and the problem is isolated. Common repairable situations include:
If the rest of the roof covering is sound - tiles are not porous, battens are intact and the underlay is doing its job - then targeted repair is sensible and cost-effective. A repair of this kind might cost anywhere from £150 to £800 depending on access, the number of tiles involved and whether scaffold is needed to reach the affected area safely.
A full re-roof starts to make more financial sense when several of the following are true:
Nail fatigue is a specific condition worth knowing about. In older properties with natural slate roofs, the iron nails that hold the slates to the battens corrode over decades. Eventually they can no longer hold the slate, and slates begin to slip. When nail fatigue is widespread, there is no cost-effective way to re-nail and re-hang individual slates across an entire roof slope. Replacement becomes the only practical answer. A slater can assess the extent of nail fatigue by inspecting a sample of slates and checking the condition of the nails.
A common pattern is for homeowners to call out a roofer to repair a leak, pay for that repair, and then find a new leak appears elsewhere within a year or two. Each call-out costs money, and each repair may only address the immediate symptom rather than the underlying cause. If a roof has reached the point where its covering is generally degraded, the next failure point is already present - just not yet visible.
A good way to assess whether you are in this situation is to keep a record of every repair and its cost over the last five years. If the total cost of repairs is approaching a significant fraction of what a replacement would cost, and the roof is old, the maths often favour replacement. A new roof of concrete tiles on a typical semi-detached property costs in the region of £5,000-£9,000 including scaffold and waste disposal. Natural slate is typically £8,000-£15,000 for a similar property, depending on the source and specification of the slate. These are indicative figures - actual costs depend on your roof's size, access and condition.
To make a properly informed decision, you need someone to inspect the roof and give you an honest assessment - not just quote for the repair you have described over the phone. A roofer who quotes from the ground without inspecting the underlay, battens and tile condition is not giving you the full picture. Ask specifically:
A contractor who can answer those questions clearly, with reference to what they have actually seen on the roof, is giving you information you can make a decision with. One who simply tells you what you want to hear is not.
Many properties have a flat roof section over a rear extension, garage or bay window. The repair-versus-replace logic applies here too, with some differences. Felt flat roofs typically last 10-15 years before the surface starts to crack and blister. EPDM rubber membrane systems last considerably longer - 20-30 years is reasonable to expect from a well-installed EPDM roof. If a flat roof is more than 15 years old and showing widespread surface cracking or multiple blistered areas, patching tends to be a short-term fix at best. A full replacement of the covering on a small flat roof is often not as expensive as homeowners expect - a garage roof or small rear extension might cost £800-£2,500 depending on size and the system used.
Concrete tiles are the most widely used and most affordable option. They are heavier than clay and require an adequate roof structure to carry the load. Concrete tiles become more porous over time as the surface finish weathers, and a 40-50 year lifespan is typical for a good-quality product. Clay tiles are lighter, harder and weather particularly well. They cost more than concrete but tend to look better as they age. Natural slate has the longest expected lifespan of the three - a properly installed slate roof with adequate nail gauge and lap can last 80 years or more. It is the most expensive option but often the right one for an older property where the original roof covering was slate and the structure is already designed to carry the weight.
Before committing to a full replacement, it is worth checking whether your property is in a conservation area or is listed. Planning restrictions can limit which materials are acceptable - in some cases you may be required to replace like-for-like, which affects cost and your choice of contractor. Check with your local planning authority before work begins rather than after.
If you are having a roof replaced, ask the contractor to photograph the timber structure once the old covering is stripped, before new underlay goes down. This gives you a record of what was found and why any additional timber repairs were necessary. It also gives you something to refer back to if questions arise later about what condition the roof was in when work started.
Newmarket Roofers is based in Newmarket and works on new roofs across the surrounding area, including Waterbeach and the villages nearby. We carry out full re-roofs, new roofs on extensions and new builds, and can assess your roof to give you an honest view of whether repair or replacement is the right call. Call us to book a roof survey before you decide.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
