When your roof in Histon has reached the end of its life, a full replacement gives you a clean start and decades of reliable protection.
A roof does not fail overnight. The signs usually build up over several years: persistent leaks that keep returning after repairs, broken or slipped tiles appearing season after season, sagging felt beneath the tiles, or a roof that was laid more than 40 years ago and has never been touched. At that point, patching becomes an exercise in spending money without solving the problem.
A full roof replacement strips everything back to the bare timbers, lets us inspect the structure properly, and gives the property a new weatherproof skin built to current standards. For most homes, this work is a straightforward project on a standard pitched roof, with the duration depending on the size and complexity of the job.
The job starts with scaffolding. A complete perimeter scaffold is needed for safety and to protect the property and any adjoining land below. Once that is in place, we strip off all the old tiles or slates, the battens and the underlay, and take them away. The timbers are then inspected carefully.
Rotten or damaged rafters, ridge boards or purlins are replaced at this stage. Skipping that inspection is a false economy: new tiles bedded onto failing timber will cause problems within a few years. Once the structure is sound, new breathable underlay goes down, followed by new treated battens and then the tiles or slates themselves.
Ridge tiles are either mortared or, increasingly, mechanically fixed using a dry-fix system. Dry-fix ridges are worth considering: mortar ridges can crack and lift as the roof moves with temperature changes, whereas a dry-fix system flexes with the roof and does not need re-pointing every decade or so. We will explain both options and what suits your roof before any work starts.
Flashings around chimneys, abutments and roof penetrations are replaced as part of the job, usually in lead. Valley gutters are lined in lead or purpose-made valley troughs. All of this is included in a properly priced re-roof; if a quote you receive excludes these items, ask specifically what is and is not covered before you sign anything.
The two main choices for a pitched re-roof are concrete interlocking tiles and natural or fibre-cement slates. Each suits different property types and comes at a different price point.
Concrete interlocking tiles are durable, widely available and relatively straightforward to lay. A standard concrete tile re-roof typically costs in the region of £5,000 to £9,000 for an average semi-detached house, though this varies considerably with roof size, pitch and the condition of the timbers. Natural Welsh slate sits at the higher end, but it is lighter, more attractive on older properties, and can last 80 to 100 years when properly fixed. Fibre-cement slates offer a middle ground: a slate look at a lower price, though they will not last as long as natural stone.
Whatever material you choose, make sure the tiles or slates being specified meet the relevant British Standard and that the fixing method is appropriate for your roof pitch and local exposure. Ask the contractor to confirm this before work begins.
This is where many homeowners come unstuck. Roofing is an unregulated trade, which means anyone can call themselves a roofer. The quality of work and the honesty of pricing vary enormously. Below is a practical checklist of what to ask any contractor before you agree to a price.
A verbal price is not good enough for a job of this size. You need a written document that sets out exactly what is included: the materials specified by name and type, the scaffolding, the disposal of waste, the flashing work, the ridge method, and whether the timbers are included or priced separately as day-work. If anything is described vaguely as "all necessary work", ask for it to be broken down.
Comparing quotes is only meaningful if they are like for like. A quote of £6,000 using fibre-cement slates and a mortar ridge is not comparable to one of £8,500 using natural slate and a dry-fix system. Ask each contractor to specify the tile or slate product, the underlay specification and the ridge detail.
Some roofers subcontract scaffolding and mark it up; others include it transparently in the total price. Either arrangement is fine, but you want to know who is erecting the scaffold, how long it will be in place, and who is responsible for it while it stands. Make sure you are not being charged twice for scaffold hire if a job overruns.
Any roofer worth instructing will tell you that timber condition can only be properly assessed once the old covering is stripped. A quote that prices timber repairs at a fixed sum before strip-off is almost certainly guesswork. The honest approach is a base quote for the re-roof itself, with timber repairs priced separately once the roof is open. Ask how additional timber work would be charged and what you would need to authorise before it proceeds.
Some roofing firms price the job and then send a subcontracted labour gang. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, but you deserve to know. Ask directly: will the people who gave me this quote be doing the work themselves, or will it be passed to a third party? And if third parties are used, who is responsible if something goes wrong?
Old roof tiles are heavy and need a skip or a tipper. A re-roof on a standard semi-detached house can generate two to three tonnes of waste. Check whether skip hire or waste removal is included in the price, and whether the contractor holds a waste carrier licence. You are responsible as a householder if your waste is disposed of illegally, even if you paid someone else to remove it.
Ask for the addresses of two or three recent re-roofs the contractor has completed. Then visit them, or at minimum call the homeowners. Ask how the job was priced, whether it came in on budget, how the site was managed and whether the contractor dealt promptly with any queries afterwards. Online reviews are useful but easy to curate; a direct conversation with a past customer tells you far more.
A deposit to cover materials is reasonable. A deposit of 50% or more before work starts is a warning sign. On a job of this size, a typical deposit is 20-30% to cover materials, with staged payments as work progresses and a final payment on completion once you have inspected the finished roof. Never pay the full amount before the scaffold comes down.
A re-roof is the right time to replace ageing fascias, soffits and guttering, because the scaffold is already in place. Replacing them later means a separate scaffold hire. Older fascia boards are often timber, and if they have not been maintained they may be soft and letting moisture into the roof structure at the eaves. uPVC replacements are low-maintenance and long-lasting. If yours need attention, ask your contractor to include them in the same job.
Chimneys are a frequent source of leaks on older roofs. The lead flashings that seal the junction between the chimney stack and the roof covering deteriorate over time, especially where they have been repaired with mortar or sealant rather than properly dressed lead. A full re-roof is the logical time to strip and relay the chimney flashing, re-point any loose brickwork, and check the chimney pot and cap. Ask whether this is included in the quote or priced separately.
Many properties have a flat roof section, often over a rear extension or bay window. Flat roof sections are typically covered in mineral felt, which has a shorter lifespan than a pitched tile roof. EPDM rubber membrane is a more durable modern alternative: a single-piece membrane with no seams is less likely to fail than felt, and it handles standing water better. If your property has a flat section, ask your contractor to assess it at the same time as the pitched roof.
When the scaffold comes down, you should be able to stand back and see a roof with a clean, even surface. Tiles should be consistently aligned with no obvious lifting or variation in the coursing. Ridges should be neatly finished with no cracked or loose mortar if a wet-fix system was used. Lead flashings should be dressed neatly against brickwork with no visible gaps. The guttering should be clear, properly clipped and flowing to the downpipe without pooling.
Ask the contractor to walk you through the finished work before you make the final payment. Any good tradesperson will do this without being asked.
Call us to arrange an on-site inspection and a written quote.
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