Roofing Questions, Answered Straight
These are the questions homeowners across Watford, Harrow, West London and Hertfordshire actually ask us, answered the way we answer them on the phone. If your question is not here, call 0800 474 8347 seven days a week, 8am to 8pm, and ask it.
Cost and Payment
How much does a roof repair cost?
It depends entirely on what has failed. Refixing a few slipped tiles is a modest job, while valley or chimney work costs more because of access and materials. The honest answer is that nobody can price a roof from a phone call, which is why we inspect first and quote in writing. Our quotes are free, itemised and carry no obligation, so finding out costs you nothing.
Are your quotes really free?
Yes. We inspect the roof, explain what we find in plain English and put the price in writing. There is no charge and no obligation to proceed. We would rather you compare our quote against others and choose with full information than feel pressured into a decision.
Why do you not take a deposit?
Because you should not have to pay for work that has not been done. We supply materials and labour at our own risk and you pay when the job is complete and you are happy with it. It keeps the incentives where they belong: we only get paid for finished work you are satisfied with.
What is the safest way to pay for roofing work?
Wherever possible, pay by credit card rather than bank transfer. Card payments carry chargeback protection through your bank if something goes wrong, which a transfer does not. That advice applies to paying us just as much as anyone else. It is simply good practice when buying building work.
Repair or Replace
Can my roof be repaired or does it need replacing?
Most roof problems are repairable. Slipped tiles, failed flashing, worn valleys and blocked gutters are all targeted fixes. Replacement becomes the right answer when several systems fail together, for example tiles, underlay and fixings all at the end of their life, because at that point repair money is chasing a roof that is finished. We will tell you plainly which side of that line your roof is on and show you the evidence.
How long does roofing work take?
Small repairs are usually done in hours. A flat roof replacement on a garage or extension typically takes one to two days. Fascia, soffit and gutter replacement on a semi takes one to two days. A full reroof on a typical house generally runs one to two weeks depending on size, complexity and weather. Your written quote will include a realistic timescale for the specific job.
Will the work need scaffolding?
Full reroofs, chimney work and most work above single storey height need scaffolding or a tower for safety and proper access, and that cost appears as a clear line in the quote. Many smaller repairs can be completed safely from ladders or a tower. We will tell you which applies when we quote, and why.
Materials
What is the best material for a flat roof?
For most extensions, dormers and visible flat roofs, GRP fibreglass is the strongest all round choice: seamless, hard wearing and good for twenty five to thirty years or more. EPDM rubber is excellent on garages and larger simple roofs and can last thirty to fifty years. Felt is the cheapest upfront but the shortest lived at ten to fifteen years, and replacing failed felt with more felt is usually a decision you end up making twice.
How long do roofs last?
Natural slate can last eighty to a hundred years or more, though the nails fixing it usually fail first. Clay tiles last sixty to ninety years and concrete tiles fifty to seventy. On flat roofs, felt gives ten to fifteen years, GRP fibreglass twenty five to thirty and EPDM rubber thirty to fifty. Exposure, maintenance and installation quality move every one of those numbers.
Can you match my existing tiles or slates?
In most cases, yes. Reclaimed tiles and slates are widely available for period properties and we match profile, size and colour as closely as the originals allow. On conservation area and listed properties, like for like matching is often a requirement rather than a preference, and we quote for it honestly.
Leaks and Emergencies
Water is coming through my ceiling. What should I do right now?
Contain the water with buckets, move or cover anything valuable below and photograph the damage for insurance. If a ceiling is bulging, pierce the bubble with a screwdriver over a bucket; a controlled hole is better than a collapsed ceiling. If water is near light fittings or sockets, switch off the affected circuit. Do not go on the roof. Then call us on 0800 474 8347 and describe what you can see.
Why does my roof only leak in heavy wind and rain?
A leak that appears only in wind driven rain almost always points to flashing or underlay rather than broken tiles. Wind pushes water sideways and upwards into junctions that ordinary rainfall never tests: chimney flashings, abutments, valleys and laps in aged felt. These leaks are notoriously hard to trace from inside, which is why an inspection on the roof itself is the way to find them.
Do you offer an emergency call out?
Yes. Our phone is answered seven days a week, 8am to 8pm. The first visit is about making the building safe and watertight, sometimes with temporary measures if the weather is still bad, and the permanent repair is then quoted and scheduled properly. We cover Watford, Harrow, West London and the surrounding Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas.
Trust and Process
Are you insured?
Yes. We carry public liability insurance up to £5 million and we are happy to show the documentation before any work starts. Any roofer should be able to do the same, and it is one of the first things worth asking whoever you use.
Are you on Checkatrade and TrustATrader?
Yes, we are registered and vetted on both. Both platforms check insurance and identity before listing a contractor and both carry verified reviews matched against real completed jobs, which makes them a far more reliable signal than unverified reviews elsewhere. You can read our customer feedback on either platform.
Who will actually turn up to do the work?
Our own team. We do not sell jobs on or subcontract your work to people you have never met. The people who quote the job are connected to the people who do it, and when you call with a question you reach someone who knows your project.
Which areas do you cover?
We are based in Watford and cover Harrow, Pinner, Ruislip, Rickmansworth, Bushey, Borehamwood, Barnet, Cockfosters and the surrounding West London, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas, including Amersham, Chesham and Luton. If you are not sure whether we reach you, call and ask. We often can.
Maintenance
How often should gutters be cleared?
At least once a year, ideally after autumn leaf fall, and twice a year if your home sits near mature trees. Blocked gutters overflow down walls, rot fascia boards and cause a remarkable share of the damp problems we are called to. Gutter clearing is among the cheapest preventative work in roofing and it prevents some of the most expensive repairs.
Should I remove moss from my roof?
Yes, if growth is established. Moss holds water against tiles, accelerates frost damage, lifts tiles at the overlaps and constantly sheds debris into gutters. Removal and treatment is straightforward work that meaningfully extends the life of an ageing roof. Avoid pressure washing tiles, which strips their surface and shortens their life.
Do I need planning permission for roof work?
Usually not. Like for like repairs and replacements are normal maintenance. Permission can apply in conservation areas, on listed buildings, for front facing dormers and where the roof's appearance or height changes significantly. Separately, building regulations apply when more than a quarter of a roof covering is replaced, which usually means upgrading insulation at the same time. We will flag anything that needs checking when we quote.
Still Have a Question?
Call 0800 474 8347 or use the contact form for a free, no obligation quote. We never ask for a deposit. You pay when the work is done and you are happy with it.
