Costessey is a village near Norwich, made up of a mix of older housing in Old Costessey and the substantial post-war and later residential development that expanded the settlement significantly through the latter half of the twentieth century. The variety of property ages here means roofing needs range from older roofs in the more established parts of the village through to newer roofs on the larger estates and extensions on many post-war semis. Wymondham Roofers serves Costessey from our nearby base in Wymondham, with straightforward access via the road network connecting the two. Whatever your property type, we carry out the full range of pitched and flat roof work, repairs, chimney work and leadwork across the village.
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Costessey sits about 4 miles north west of Norwich and is one of the larger suburban villages in the area, having grown rapidly with housing development that was tied to Norwich's post-war expansion. Old Costessey retains a distinct character with older properties along the original village lanes, while New Costessey is essentially a suburban extension of the city.
Costessey has two distinct characters when it comes to roofing. Old Costessey, with its older houses and period properties along the original lanes, tends to have natural slate or clay tile roofs that are now well into the age range where maintenance and selective replacement become necessary. New Costessey, which grew rapidly through the post-war decades, is dominated by concrete interlocking tiles on semi-detached and detached houses, and these roofs are now at the stage where they need proper assessment.
A concrete interlocking tile that has lost its surface coating absorbs water more readily, adds weight when wet and becomes more brittle in frost. On roofs from the 1960s and 70s, a common problem is that the nibs holding the tiles to the battens have weakened, and the tiles can shift or slip in high winds. This is not always visible from the ground, but it increases the risk of wind damage and water ingress significantly.
On the post-war stock in New Costessey, ridge tile failure is one of the most frequent issues. The mortar bedding that holds ridge tiles in place has typically reached the end of its life on houses built before 1990. Loose ridge tiles are a safety risk as well as a source of leaks, and they are also a common cause of damp patches in upper rooms, where water runs down the inside of the roof structure rather than showing immediately as an obvious drip.
Rear extensions are common, and many of these have flat or near-flat roofs, often covered in built-up felt. Felt roofs have a typical lifespan of fifteen to twenty years, after which they blister, crack and pull away at edges and upstands. When a felt roof fails, it rarely announces itself dramatically. Water tracks under the membrane and into the structure, sometimes for months before it becomes visible inside. A visual inspection from roof level once a roof is around fifteen years old is sensible.
In Old Costessey, the older properties present different challenges. Natural slate can last a long time when the slates themselves are sound, but the nibs on individual slates crack and the slates slip. Lead valleys, chimney flashings and hip iron fixings also age and fail on this generation of property. Like-for-like repair using natural slate is the right approach rather than mixing in synthetic substitutes, which never match in appearance and can affect how surrounding slates sit.
For flat roofs on extensions across Costessey, we work in both traditional built-up felt and EPDM rubber membrane. EPDM is a single-ply rubber system that forms a seamless covering without joins across the main roof area. It handles standing water well, which is important on roofs where falls are very slight. EPDM has a significantly longer expected lifespan than traditional felt, though the actual life of any flat roof depends on how well it is installed, particularly at the upstands and edges where most failures begin.
A flat roof replacement for a typical Costessey extension of around twenty-five square metres typically costs in the range of £1,200 to £2,500. The figure varies depending on whether the existing roof deck is sound - if there is rotten or wet timber underneath, that needs replacing before the new membrane goes down, and that adds to the cost. We check the deck condition as part of the survey before giving a price.
For pitched roofs we carry out the full range of work across Costessey:
A proper survey means getting up onto the roof rather than assessing from the ground or with binoculars. From roof level we inspect the main tile or slate covering for slipped, cracked or missing units, check the condition of the mortar bedding on ridge and hip tiles, inspect all lead flashings and valleys, look at the condition of the felt underlay where it is visible at eaves, and check fascias, soffits and guttering. On flat roof sections we check the membrane and all upstands and edge details, which is where the majority of failures start.
Inside the loft, where accessible, it is worth checking for daylight coming through, signs of damp on the felt underlay, and the condition of any roof timbers. A dark wet patch on a rafter tells you more than almost anything visible from outside. We can advise on what we find and what is urgent versus what can be monitored.
If you want to know the state of your Costessey roof, call us and we will arrange a proper survey. We will give you a straight account of what we find.
Most roofing work on two-storey houses requires scaffold. On the detached and semi-detached housing in New Costessey, erecting scaffold is generally uncomplicated. Where scaffold needs to occupy any part of a public footpath or road, a licence from the relevant authority is needed, and we arrange this as part of the job set-up.
On semi-detached properties, scaffold is typically erected on the exposed sides of the house. Where two neighbours share an attached wall and both need work done, it is worth thinking about whether work can be timed to share a scaffold lift, as this can reduce the overall cost for both. We are happy to discuss this with you if it is relevant to your situation.
For minor repairs where a full scaffold is not practical or proportionate, a tower scaffold or, on single-storey sections, a ladder with a standoff may be sufficient. We will tell you which is appropriate before work starts.
The older properties in Old Costessey require a more careful approach to materials selection than the post-war estates. Natural slate repairs need to be matched in size, thickness and colour to what is already there. Introducing a modern thin synthetic slate into an old natural slate roof affects how surrounding slates lay and can look wrong even from the street.
Lead work on period properties should use the correct code of lead for the application. Code 4 or 5 is appropriate for most flashings; valleys typically need Code 5 or above. Using underweight lead to save cost is a false economy as it fails sooner and often leads to more expensive consequential repairs inside the building.
If a Costessey property is listed or sits in a conservation area, material choices may be constrained by planning conditions. It is always worth confirming with the local planning authority before starting work on a listed building, as replacing materials without consent can create problems when you come to sell or refinance.
Prices vary depending on the size and pitch of the roof, the chosen material, access requirements and the condition of underlying timber. As a guide for the Costessey area:
These are realistic UK market figures. The actual price for your property depends on what a survey finds. Any quote given without a roof-level inspection should be treated with caution.
How long does a concrete tile re-roof take? On a typical three-bedroom semi-detached house in Costessey, a full concrete tile re-roof usually takes two to four working days for the roofing itself, assuming the felt and battens are also replaced. Scaffold erection and strike add time at either end of the job.
What are the benefits of a pitched roof over a flat roof for an extension? A pitched roof sheds water more efficiently and has a longer natural lifespan than a flat roof, with less maintenance required. However, on a single-storey rear extension the planning envelope often makes a flat roof the only practical option. When a flat roof is correctly specified and installed, it performs well for many years.
Can I use felt roofing on my Costessey extension? Built-up felt is a proven and cost-effective flat roof covering that remains widely used. Its main limitation is lifespan - typically fifteen to twenty years. EPDM rubber tends to last longer and requires less maintenance, but costs slightly more to install. The right choice depends on your budget and how long you plan to stay in the property.
How do I know if my ridge tiles need repointing? If you can see cracks in the mortar from the ground, or if tiles look as though they have shifted from their original line, the pointing needs attention. Loose ridge tiles can be lifted and moved by hand when the mortar has failed completely - this is a safety issue that should be addressed rather than left. A simple inspection from roof level will confirm the condition.
We work across the wider Norwich area as well as Costessey itself. We also serve Wymondham, which is our base. If you are not sure whether we cover your area, call us and we will give you a straight answer.
Costessey has a broad mix of housing, from the older cottages and period properties in Old Costessey to the extensive semi-detached and detached estates of New Costessey built from the 1930s to the 1950s, with some more recent infill and edge-of-settlement builds.
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