New Roofs & Roof Replacement

A new roof is one of the biggest single jobs you can have done to a house — and one of the longest-lasting. Done properly, a tiled or slated roof should outlive every other part of the building envelope. These pages cover full replacement, re-roofing, and new roofs for extensions and outbuildings.

When does a roof need replacing?

Age alone isn't the trigger — plenty of hundred-year-old slate roofs are still doing their job. The real signs are systemic: tiles delaminating or shedding their surface across the whole roof rather than in one patch, underfelt that tears like paper when touched, nail fatigue letting slates slide in every wind, or a repair bill that repeats every winter. Our guides to how long roofs last and repair versus replacement go into the detail.

What a re-roof actually involves

A re-roof strips the existing covering back to the timbers, replaces anything that's rotten or undersized, fits a modern breathable membrane, re-battens, and lays the new covering — natural slate, clay or concrete tile — with correctly detailed ridges, verges, valleys and flashings. It's also the natural moment to sort ventilation, insulation top-ups and chimney work, because the scaffold is already up.

Smaller roofs count too

Not every new roof is a whole house. Extensions, garages, porches and outbuildings all need the same care in miniature, and a surprising number of leaks we're called to trace back to a poorly built extension roof or a garage roof that was never meant to last. Flat-roofed versions of these are covered in our flat roofing section.

Costs, honestly handled

Roof replacement is quoted from measurement and inspection, not guesswork — the covering you choose, the complexity of the roof and the state of the timbers underneath all move the number. Our guide to new roof costs explains what drives the price, and every quotation we give is itemised so you can see where the money goes.

Common questions

New Roofs & Roof Replacement — your questions answered

How long does replacing a roof take? +
A straightforward semi-detached re-roof is typically a one-to-two-week job including scaffold; larger or more complicated roofs take longer. Weather affects the schedule, but the roof is never left open — it's felted and weathertight at the end of each day.
Do I need planning permission for a new roof? +
Usually not for a like-for-like replacement, which falls under permitted development. You may need permission if you significantly change the appearance or height, and listed buildings and conservation areas have their own rules. Building Regulations do apply — re-covering a roof normally requires the work to meet current standards. We'll flag anything that applies to your job before work starts.
Can you re-roof in winter? +
Yes, with sensible planning. Roofs are stripped in sections and made weathertight each day, so short daylight and showers slow the job rather than stop it. Prolonged storms are the only real blocker — we won't strip a roof ahead of weather we can't beat.

Not sure what your roof needs?

Send us photos of the damage — our team will assess and recommend, at no cost or obligation.

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