New roofs in South East London

Decisions that shape your replacement roof

1. Record the existing roof character. Slate size, tile profile and ridge shape affect the appearance of the finished house. We assess those features alongside pitch and structural suitability, particularly where a terrace needs a careful junction with the neighbouring covering.
2. Review the hidden roof spaces. Loft access helps identify insulation, ventilation and visible timber concerns before stripping. A boarded room beneath the slopes needs a different discussion from an open loft with insulation laid over the ceiling joists.
3. Plan awkward meeting points. Dormer cheeks, party wall parapets and intersecting rear slopes influence the sequence and material quantities. These details are measured and specified, rather than left as unspecified extras after the main tiles have been chosen.
4. Coordinate roof improvements. A planned re-roof is an opportunity to include roof windows or renew deteriorated guttering and fascias. We set out each addition clearly so the roof specification and optional work remain easy to compare.
5. Agree the property arrangements. For re-roofing in Bexleyheath and Sidcup, discuss side access, driveway use and entrances at the survey. These practical details shape scaffold loading positions and the route for removing the old covering.

Coverings and finishing systems for a complete re-roof

• Natural slate: Slate gives a fine profile suited to many period terraces. Specification considers dimensions, thickness, headlap and fixing method, along with the available slope and the visual relationship to retained adjoining roofs.
• Clay plain tiles: Small overlapping tiles suit many traditional roof forms, including hipped semis. Their double-lap arrangement needs the correct batten gauge, eaves and top courses, with suitable details where valleys interrupt the pattern.
• Concrete interlocking tiles: Interlocking profiles provide a different course layout from plain tiles and must match the permitted pitch and structural loading. We specify compatible ridge and hip components as part of the chosen roof system.
• Dry ridge and verge details: Compatible dry systems mechanically secure roof edges and can provide the ventilation required by the design. Their selection depends on the tile profile and roof geometry, rather than assuming one universal fitting suits every covering.

How long new roofs takes

The programme follows the size of the roof, the number of slopes and the amount of junction work. A straightforward semi differs from a terrace with several rear valleys and parapets. We plan scaffold, stripping, timber inspection and covering stages together, then explain how the house will be protected as work progresses.

What affects the price

• Measured covering area and the geometry of hips and valleys
• Chosen slate or tile system with its specified fixing components
• Scaffold height, loading positions and access around neighbouring buildings
• Agreed structural timber repairs and changes to insulation or ventilation
• Extent of leadwork, roof windows and roofline renewal included

A free re-roof survey allows us to price the measured specification. Your replacement roof includes warranties on workmanship and materials, terms explained before work starts, with the selected products identified in the agreed scope.

Looking after it afterwards

Retain the covering specification and handover information so future repairs use compatible components. Keep gutters and valleys clear through arranged maintenance, and inspect the roof from the ground after severe weather. Any later solar, aerial or other installation should preserve the new weathering details and avoid disturbing tiles or blocking the intended ventilation routes.