Wymondham Roofers carry out roof repairs in Attleborough and across South Norfolk, from replacing slipped tiles to re-pointing ridge work and fixing lead flashings - here's exactly what the job looks like from start to finish.
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A lot of people aren't sure what to expect when they contact a roofer. Will someone turn up the same day? How long before work starts? What happens if more damage is found once the roofer is up on the roof? This page walks through the process step by step so you know what a well-run roof repair job looks like and what questions to ask along the way.
The first step is telling us what you've noticed. That might be a damp patch on a bedroom ceiling, a tile you've spotted in the garden after a storm, moss-covered slates that concern you, or something a neighbour has pointed out. The more you can describe - which part of the house, which slope, how long you've noticed it - the better our starting point.
If you can safely take a photograph from the ground or through an upstairs window without putting yourself at risk, that's useful. Don't lean out of windows or climb onto roofs yourself to get a better look. A roofer with the right access equipment can assess things properly and safely.
A quote based on a view from the ground is not a reliable quote. A proper roof inspection means physically getting onto the roof or close enough with a scaffold tower to see the covering, the ridge, the flashings and the condition of the felt beneath any displaced tiles.
On a standard two-storey house, a scaffold tower placed correctly gives safe access to most pitched roof slopes. On taller properties, or where the roof geometry is complex with several slopes and valleys, a full scaffold may be needed. The roofer should tell you what access is required before starting and include it in the quote.
During the assessment, a good roofer is looking at more than the obvious problem. If one tile has slipped, the adjacent tiles are checked for cracks, the batten the tile hooks onto is checked for rot, and the felt visible underneath is looked at. If a flashing has failed at one corner of a chimney, the rest of the lead on that stack is examined. This is how you avoid going back for a second repair three months later.
Once the assessment is done, you should receive a clear quote that sets out what work is included, what materials will be used, and whether the cost of access (scaffold tower or other equipment) is included. A quote that says only "repair roof - £X" without specifying the work gives you very little to hold the roofer to.
Ask specifically: what tiles or slates will be replaced, and will they match the existing? If ridge tiles are being re-bedded, what mix of mortar will be used? If flashing is being replaced, what code of lead? These aren't unreasonable questions and a roofer who can't answer them clearly is one to be cautious about.
Where access reveals additional damage not visible from the ground, the roofer should stop, show you or photograph what they've found, and discuss the options before proceeding. That's not an excuse to add unlimited extras - it's the honest reality of working on roofs where some deterioration is hidden until you're up close.
What happens on the day depends entirely on the type of repair. Here's what several common jobs actually involve:
Tiles are lifted using a flat bar tool to release the nibs from the batten. The surrounding tiles are carefully eased to allow access. The broken or slipped tile is removed, the batten is checked for rot, the felt below is inspected for damage, and the replacement tile is hooked over the batten and aligned with the surrounding course. If the tile profile requires a nail fix, it's nailed with a galvanised or aluminium nail before being closed back in.
On a plain clay tile roof, the small tile size means more tiles have to be lifted to access the faulty one. On a concrete interlocking tile roof, the tile's profile interlock means the process of lifting adjacent tiles requires more care to avoid cracking them. A rushed job can cause as much damage as it fixes.
Old mortar is carefully raked out from around the ridge tiles without dislodging the tiles themselves. If the ridge tiles are sound, they're cleaned and re-set in fresh sand and cement mortar at the correct angle, with joints filled neatly. The mortar is finished flush with the tile surface, not built up proud, which creates a ledge where water sits and freeze-thaw damage starts again.
If the ridge tiles themselves are cracked or have deteriorated, replacement tiles are sourced to match the existing profile. This is more common on older roofs where the ridge tile profile may no longer be in production.
Where a lead flashing has simply pulled away from a mortar chase in the brickwork, the repair involves raking out the old pointing, re-dressing the lead back into the chase and re-pointing with an appropriate mortar. Where the lead itself has cracked, split or been incorrectly installed, a new lead flashing is cut, dressed to shape around the chimney or abutment, and chased into fresh mortar joints. The lead must follow the profile of the roof closely with no gaps or lifted edges.
A common mistake is to fill a failed flashing with silicone or bitumen mastic. This is a short-term fix that hides the problem and can make a proper repair harder later. It's worth asking your roofer specifically what material they intend to use.
Before coming down, a roofer should check the repaired area and the surrounding roof one more time. Any displaced tiles that were lifted to allow access should be re-set correctly, not just pushed back loosely. If mortar has been used, it should be checked for neat finish and coverage.
At ground level, the area below the working section should be cleared of any broken tile pieces, old mortar, lead offcuts or other debris. Gutters should be checked for debris dislodged during the work. The scaffold tower or access equipment should be dismantled and removed.
You should be able to walk around the outside of your house and see no obvious trace of the work other than the repair itself. If there's debris left in your garden or gutters blocked with old mortar, the job hasn't been finished properly.
A straightforward tile replacement or flashing repair on a standard house is typically a half-day job once the roofer is on site and set up. A ridge re-point along a full ridge run on a semi-detached house might take a full day. More complex work - a full chimney stack flashing replacement, for example, or a repair that reveals damaged battens or felt over a larger area - can run to two days or more.
Mortar-based work should not be carried out in very cold weather (below about 3 degrees Celsius) or in rain, as this affects how the mortar sets and bonds. A roofer who turns up and beds ridge tiles in freezing conditions or rushing before rain is not doing you a service. It's reasonable to ask to reschedule if conditions are wrong on the day.
If there's an active leak, protect what you can inside - move furniture, use containers to catch drips, and if there's a risk of water reaching electrics, isolate the relevant circuit. Don't attempt to apply sealant to the roof yourself from a domestic ladder; the benefit is usually minimal and the risk is not worth it.
Inside the loft, you can place a board across the joists (not across the loft insulation alone) and put a container under the drip. If the felt is visibly sagging with pooled water, do not poke or pierce it - leave it for a roofer to deal with.
We cover Attleborough and the surrounding area, including Wymondham and other towns and villages across South Norfolk. If you need a roof repair and want to know exactly what's involved before committing to anything, call us to arrange a proper inspection and a clear, itemised quote.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
