Newmarket Roofers carries out roof repairs in Isleham and the surrounding villages, handling everything from a first call about a possible leak through to the finished repair and site clean-up.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
Many homeowners are unsure what a roof repair actually involves beyond "someone goes up and fixes it." Knowing the steps helps you ask the right questions, spot when a contractor is cutting corners, and understand why certain parts of the job take the time they do. Here is a plain account of how a roof repair should go, from first contact to finished job.
When you call about a roof problem, the more detail you can give, the better. Let us know whether there is an active leak into the building, which side of the property or which room is affected, how long the problem has been visible, and whether you have noticed anything from outside such as slipped tiles or lifted flashing. This helps us judge the likely urgency and what access equipment might be needed before we arrive.
If there is water coming through a ceiling, mention that immediately. An active leak into habitable rooms warrants a faster response than, say, a handful of slipped tiles that are not yet causing a drip. A good roofer should be able to attend promptly, with active leaks prioritised over routine call-outs.
A proper survey means physically getting onto or above the roof, not just looking from the ground with binoculars. Ground-level inspection has a place - it can reveal slipped tiles, obvious ridge failures and gutter problems - but it cannot tell you the condition of the underlay, the state of the battens, whether flashings are correctly lapped, or how far any existing damage extends.
On a pitched roof, we inspect the tile or slate courses for slippage, cracks and nail condition, the ridge and hip mortar for cracking or detachment, all flashings at chimneys, dormers and abutments, the visible underlay in the loft space where accessible, and the gutters and fascias at eaves level. On a flat roof, we check the membrane for blistering, cracking and open laps, the outlets for blockage, and all upstand junctions where the membrane meets a wall or raised edge.
At the end of the survey, you should receive a clear verbal explanation of what was found, ideally backed up with photographs from the roof so you can see the problem yourself. Any roofer who cannot or will not show you photographs of the defect before asking you to approve a repair is worth questioning.
Once we know what needs doing, we provide a written quote. This should set out the exact scope of work - which tiles are being replaced, what flashing work is included, whether underlay or batten needs to come out, what materials are being used - and the total price. Do not agree to work based on a verbal estimate only. If the job costs more than expected once work starts, the basis for that variation should be explained clearly and agreed before additional work proceeds.
For typical repairs in Isleham: a straightforward tile or slate repair for a small number of units generally runs from £150 to £300. Ridge repointing on a standard semi-detached property is typically £300 to £600. Flashing repairs around a chimney stack commonly cost £200 to £500. Flat roof patch repairs start from around £150 and can reach £500 or more depending on the size of the affected area and the membrane system in place. These are broad UK typical ranges; the quote for your specific roof is what matters.
This is where the visible work happens, but the steps leading up to it determine whether the repair lasts. Here is what a sound repair actually involves at each stage.
Tile or slate replacement: The surrounding tiles are lifted carefully, usually using a ripper or slate extractor to avoid damaging adjacent units. The batten beneath the affected area is inspected and replaced if it is soft or split. The underlay is checked for tears - if it is damaged, a patch or new section is cut in before the tile goes back. The replacement tile or slate is fitted, seated correctly and, where specified, nailed or clipped. The surrounding courses are relaid and checked for alignment.
Ridge repointing or rebedding: Old mortar is raked out to a firm base. Ridge tiles are lifted if they need rebedding. A fresh mortar mix is applied - ideally a flexible, polymer-modified product rather than a brittle sand-and-cement mix that will crack again within a few winters. Ridge tiles are pressed down into the bed, pointed along the sides and checked for alignment. If a dry-fix ridge system is being installed instead, the old mortar is removed, a continuous foam closure piece goes in along the ridge board, and each ridge tile is mechanically fixed with a clip system. No mortar is involved and the system handles roof movement without cracking.
Flashing repair: Where a lead flashing has lifted at a chimney or abutment, the existing mortar pointing is raked out of the chase. If the lead is sound, it is re-dressed back into position, secured with lead wedges and the chase is repointed. Where the lead is cracked or has been bodged with sealant previously, a new section is cut, dressed to shape, fixed and pointed. The lap between step flashings and soakers is checked to ensure water cannot track behind the upstand.
Flat roof repair: The exact method depends on the membrane. On a built-up felt roof, the damaged area is dried off, cleaned back and a torch-on patch cap sheet is applied, lapped generously over the surrounding sound felt. On an EPDM rubber roof, the repair area is cleaned with the appropriate solvent cleaner, a primer is applied and an EPDM cover strip or patch is bonded down with compatible adhesive and rolled firmly to ensure full contact. In both cases, the outlet is checked for blockage and the falls are assessed - a repair to a membrane over a low spot that holds water will fail faster than the same repair on a properly drained surface.
When the repair is finished, all debris from the job - broken tile pieces, old mortar, felt off-cuts, lead offcuts - should be removed from the roof surface and from the garden or access area below. Leaving material on the roof is a problem: debris blocks gutters, retains moisture and can dislodge in wind. Any lead offcuts should be bagged and taken away or offered to the homeowner, as lead has scrap value.
A final walk-round from the ground checks alignment, checks the ridge line is consistent, and confirms gutters are clear. If a loft inspection was part of the survey, it is worth checking the loft space once the repair is done to confirm there is no further ingress after the next rain. If there is, that is something to report back to the roofer promptly.
Like-for-like repairs to an existing roof generally do not require planning permission. However, if the property is listed or sits within a conservation area, using a different tile profile or colour from the original can be a planning matter. In those cases, it is worth checking with the relevant authority before agreeing on replacement materials. A roofer with experience of older properties will be familiar with the need to match materials carefully and will usually advise accordingly.
As well as Isleham, we cover roof repairs across Newmarket, Mildenhall, Chippenham, Fordham, Moulton, Kentford, Exning, Cheveley and the villages in between. If you are unsure whether we reach your location, call and ask.
If you have a repair that needs looking at, call Newmarket Roofers to arrange a roof survey in Isleham. We will carry out a proper inspection, explain what we find, show you the evidence and give you a written quote before anything is touched. That is the process every time, on every job.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
