Roofing
Finding where the water is really getting in, and fixing that rather than the stain on the ceiling.
A damp patch on a bedroom ceiling is rarely directly under the hole that caused it. Water gets in at one point, runs along a rafter, a felt line or the top of a wall, and shows up somewhere else. A repair that lasts starts with tracing the route back to where it enters.
Replacing individual tiles or slates, refixing ones that have slipped, and checking the battens and felt underneath while they are off.
Valleys, abutments against walls, chimneys and roof windows are where most leaks start, because that is where two surfaces meet and something has to seal the gap.
Lifted tiles, a loose ridge or a torn flat roof after high winds, made safe first and then repaired properly.
Where the felt under the tiles has perished or the battens have rotted, a patch on the outside will not stop the water for long. We will tell you when a repair has reached that point.
Everything else we do
Stripping and recovering a worn-out pitched roof, or covering a new one.
Learn more →Repairing and replacing flat roofs on extensions, garages and dormers.
Learn more →Re-bedding or re-fixing ridges and hips, verges and individual tiles.
Learn more →Chimney repairs, lead flashings, valleys and the junctions where roofs leak most.
Learn more →Clearing, repairing and replacing gutters, downpipes, fascias and soffits.
Learn more →Common questions
It depends on whether the storm was the main cause. The Financial Ombudsman asks three questions: were there storm conditions, does the damage look like storm damage, and was the storm the main cause rather than wear and tear. A roof that was already in poor repair is the usual reason a claim is turned down.
Read the full answer →Get the quote in writing with what is included, ask about insurance, ask how approvals, scaffolding and waste are handled, and ask what was found on the roof and why the work is needed. The roofing trade body says choosing the right contractor matters because getting it wrong costs more later.
Read the full answer →Before you ring
Usually because the water is being driven sideways or is backing up: under a lifted tile, past a flashing that has pulled away, or over the edge of a blocked valley or gutter. Ordinary rain runs off past the gap; a downpour or wind-driven rain gets into it.
Often, yes. Most leaks are local. If the underlay and battens are sound, replacing the failed tiles or flashing is the right answer. If they are not, we will explain why a patch would not last.
Catch the water in a bucket, move anything valuable from under it, and keep away from any ceiling that is sagging. Do not go up a ladder onto a wet roof yourself.
Horsham · Crawley · Southwater · Billingshurst
Call us on 0330 043 7705, or send a few lines about the roof through the quote form and we will get back to you.