Re-Roofing

A new covering on sound bones — the most common kind of "new roof".

Most "new roofs" are re-roofs: the rafters and structure are sound — timber lasts extremely well when kept dry — but the covering, felt and battens above them have reached the end. Re-roofing strips those worn layers and renews everything above the timbers: breathable membrane, treated battens, covering, and all the edge details.

The classic candidates are roofs from the great post-war building waves now hitting sixty and seventy years old: original concrete tiles gone porous and mossy, bitumen felt underneath cracking like old paper, and fixings rusted through. Each individual symptom looks repairable; together they're a covering announcing retirement.

Re-roofing is also the moment the roof catches up with modern standards — breathable membranes that manage condensation properly, ventilation designed in rather than hoped for, and mechanically fixed ridge and verge in place of mortar. See what a breathable membrane does for why that matters.

Benefits

Why choose Re-Roofing

Existing sound structure retained — you pay for what needs renewing
Modern membrane and ventilation cure chronic condensation
Like-for-like appearance or an upgrade in covering, your choice
Dry-fix ridge and verge — no mortar to fail
Building Regulations compliance handled

Features

What's included

Strip and re-cover in tile or slate
Breathable membrane and treated battens
New valleys, flashings and leadwork
Chimney, roofline and insulation work while access is up
Daily weathertightness through the job

Typical lifespan

40–80 years

Repair options

Repair or replace

Re-roofing sits between patch repairs and full structural replacement, and choosing correctly saves real money. If your timbers are sound (they usually are), you don't need — and shouldn't pay for — structural work beyond honest spot repairs. Equally, if the covering has failed, another round of tile patching is money down the drain. Our inspection tells you which side of the line your roof is on.

Our process

How we do it

Survey and itemised quote; scaffold; strip in sections with same-day weathertight felt; batten; lay the covering; finish ridges, verges, valleys and flashings; clear the site completely — old coverings are heavy, and their disposal is included and itemised. Most re-roofs take between one and two weeks.

Common questions

Frequently asked

Can you re-roof over the existing tiles? +

No — and be wary of anyone offering to. The felt and battens beneath are precisely what has failed; covering over them buries the problem and overloads the structure. Stripping is what makes a re-roof worth doing.

Can I change the type of tile when re-roofing? +

Often, yes — within limits. Every covering has a minimum pitch and a weight, so swapping (say) concrete tile for natural slate needs the pitch and structure checked, and a significant appearance change can raise planning questions. We'll confirm what your roof can take before you choose.

Is spray-foam under the tiles a good alternative to re-roofing? +

We'd advise strongly against it. Spray foam applied to the underside of a roof traps moisture against battens and tiles, makes future repairs near-impossible, and is now a well-documented problem at mortgage surveys. If the covering is failing, the fix is a new covering.