Roof repairs, leaks and slipped tiles
Most leaks come from one or two tiles, not from a worn out roof. We find where the water gets in, put that right, and leave the rest of the roof alone. All work guaranteed.
What a slipped tile actually does
A tile that slips leaves a gap. Rain blows through the gap and lands on the underlay beneath the tiles. Underlay is only the second line of defence. Once it splits or sags, water runs down a rafter and shows up on a ceiling, often several feet from the hole.
That is why the wet patch is rarely under the missing tile. We work back from the stain to the gap that caused it.
Tiles and slate replacement
Concrete tile, clay tile and natural slate each break in their own way. Concrete tiles crack across the nib, the lug that hooks over the batten. Clay peg tiles lose the peg and slide. Slates go when the nails rust through.
We match the replacement to what is already up there, in shape, colour and thickness. A tile that is close but wrong sits proud and lets water past.
Ridges, valleys and flashing
Some leaks are nothing to do with the tiles. A ridge tile that has lost its mortar lifts in the wind. A lead valley, the channel where two slopes meet, splits where people have walked on it.
Flashing is the lead strip that seals the roof against a chimney or a wall. When it pulls loose, water runs straight in behind it. Those three get looked at before anyone touches a sound tile.
Repair first, replace only when it is the honest answer
Most roofs that look finished can still be repaired. A roof with sound battens, sound timber and a few dozen broken tiles is a repair job.
We will say so when that is the case. If the battens have gone soft and the underlay is in shreds, we will tell you that instead. Then you decide what you want to do.
Where this work is covered
We work out of Surrey and cover Crawley, Brighton, Horsham, Reigate, Redhill and Dorking for repairs. Anywhere else, ring and ask first.
Horsham housing is older and more mixed than most, and heavy tree cover there keeps roofs damp and gutters full.
How the job goes
What happens when we do your roof repairs
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01You ring and describe it
Tell us where the water is showing and when it started. That narrows down where to look before anyone goes up a ladder. If we are up on a roof when you ring, it waits, and we ring you back once we are down.
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02We look at it
Some jobs we can price over the phone from what you tell us. Where it needs eyes on it we come out, from the ground first, then from the roof where it is safe to get to. Either way, looking and telling you what we find is free.
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03You get the estimate
We tell you what is wrong and what putting it right involves. Then you get the estimate, free, and you decide. The price comes however suits you, by text, on WhatsApp, or typed out in an email. It stands for 30 days.
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04The repair
Tiles matched and refitted, mortar cut out and made good, lead dressed back down. All work guaranteed.
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05Clearing up
Broken tile, old mortar and torn underlay go with us. The ground gets cleared before we leave.
Common questions
- Who do I call about a leaking roof?
- A roofer, unless the water is clearly coming from a pipe or a tank in the loft. If the wet patch only grows when it rains, it is the roof. Ring 07477 536 273 and describe what you can see from inside.
- What should I do about a leaking roof?
- Move what is under it and put a bucket down. If the ceiling is bulging, pierce the low point with a screwdriver. The water then drains in one place instead of bringing the plaster down. Stay off the roof yourself, whatever the weather is doing.
- Is one missing roof tile a problem?
- Sometimes, and sometimes not. On a newer roof the underlay underneath will hold water off for a while. On an older roof that underlay is often brittle or torn, so one gap is enough. Either way it gets worse in wind, because the tiles either side lose their support.
- Do roof repairs come with a guarantee?
- There is no standard across the trade, and anyone naming a set number of years is describing their own promise, not a rule. Our leaflet says: all work guaranteed. What that covers on your job is worth asking about before work starts, and worth having in writing.
Roofing advice on this
Plain answers to the questions we get asked most about this work, written before you ask us for a price.
Get an estimate
Tell us what the roof is doing
Estimates and advice are free. Ring and describe the problem, or send a photograph of it, and you will get a straight answer about whether it needs a repair or a new roof.
All work guaranteed.
Want us to take a look at the roof?
Leave a name and a number and we will ring back to sort a time. Estimates and advice are free.