Expert advice - re-roofing your home
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Re-roofing your home can be a costly project but vital if you have an old roof which has required constant maintenance and repair over the years. It can also make a huge difference to the appearance and the energy efficiency of your home.
We catch up with Clarke Roofing Southern Limited to ask their advice on replacing a new roof, including how to go about getting quotes, building regulations and the best choice of material.
Love Renovate: How do I find the best contractor to replace my roof?
Clarke Roofing: Firstly, you must be aware of rogue traders. A good place to look would be on the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) website who provide details of vetted and trained contractors in your area and will also provide a list of the type of works they undertake. I would be wary of paying a large deposit if any.
Love Renovate: Can you explain your process when providing a quote to re-roof and what I should look out for?
CR: We firstly visit the client premises, meet and discuss the requirements, i.e. repairs or re-roof.
We then carry out a roof survey including looking at the attic space to look at ventilation and insulation so that we can assess if upgrading is required to meet Part L Building Regulations.
Externally we look at the condition of the tile/slate etc, conditions of fixings, flashings and valley leadwork. We lift tiles to look at the size and condition of the battens, if there is underlay and to see if the roof has either feather edge boarding or solid boarding.
All of the above provides the basis for our specification.
Any quotation should include a full specification of the proposed work, what is included and importantly excluded.
Before you commit to a contractor, make sure you look at payment terms and any work guarantee.
Image courtesy of Clarke Roofing Southern Ltd
Love Renovate: Do I need to consider building regulations when re-roofing my home and is there anything else that needs to be considered?
CR: Your new roof should comply to Part L Building regulations and they should be inspected by Local Authority Building Control or a Competent Roofer status via the NFRC. The contractor can sign this off and provide the compliance certificate.
For most re-roofs we should also look at fixing to comply with BS5534 (the code of practice for slating and tiling), unless the property is Heritage when a contractor should be a specialist and have Heritage carded workers.
Love Renovate: What are the latest tile trends?
CR: There are no real trends as the type of roof coverings vary, dependant on location, type of property and on new buildings and client preference.
Love Renovate: What would be your tile choice if money was no object?
CR: By choice I would always have natural products. If finance was no consideration, it would be handmade clay tiles like Keymer or Welsh Penryhn slate, as opposed to man-made. Man-made slates do not give the same appearance or have the longevity as natural slate but the cost is significantly cheaper.
Image courtesy of Clarke Roofing Southern Ltd
Love Renovate: What are the biggest challenges to installing a new roof?
CR: Each roof will provide a new set of challenges, be it location, type of building, listing etc. Unless you are on a new development all roofs require an in depth survey to make sure the client get the best materials and fixings.
Love Renovate: My roof is in reasonable condition but i want a more modern look, is there anything that can be done to smarten it up without spending a fortune?
CR: Unfortunately without re-roofing, you cannot really modernise the existing roof. There have been instances when roofs are washed off and repainted but this is not recognised by the NFRC, so it's not recommended.
Love Renovate: How should i maintain my new roof? Do i need someone to check it over or clean it yearly?
CR: You should visually check the condition of the roof and if you are concerned get a contractor to provide a report and quotation.
Love Renovate: Anything else to look out for when planning a new roof?
CR: When you are planning a new roof, always get three quotes.
Published: May 5, 2020
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