If you're looking at a complete new roof for your home in Thorpe St Andrew, here's what the job actually involves and the questions you should ask before you sign anything.
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A full roof replacement is not just swapping tiles. The job covers stripping the existing covering, inspecting and repairing the timber structure underneath, fitting new breathable underlay, replacing or repointing the ridge and hip work, and relaying tiles or slates to a consistent line. Done properly, it should also include renewing lead flashings at chimneys, abutments and valleys, and checking the guttering is still seated correctly once the new covering is in place.
The materials used matter as much as the labour. Concrete tiles are heavier but widely available and less expensive. Natural slate - Welsh or Spanish - is durable and attractive, though it needs careful fixing and matching if your existing roof already has slate. Each material has different batten spacing requirements, so the choice of tile locks in other decisions further down the job.
A new roof is one of the largest single-trade jobs you will commission as a homeowner, and the contractor you choose matters far more than the brand of tile on top. Here is a straightforward framework for making a sound decision.
A price on a piece of paper that just says "new roof - £X" tells you almost nothing. You need to know what is included: strip and disposal of the old material, new underlay specification, batten size and treatment, tile or slate type, ridge and hip method (dry-fix or mortar), flashing materials, and what happens to the guttering. If two quotes look very different in price, an itemised breakdown is the only way to understand why.
Ask every contractor: what will you do if you find rotten rafters or damaged purlins once the old covering comes off? A credible roofer will tell you they price structural timber repairs separately and will show you any problem before carrying out additional work. Be wary of anyone who says they have "never found anything on a job like this" - it happens regularly on older properties and there should be a clear process for dealing with it.
A full re-roof on a two-storey house should be carried out from a proper scaffold, not ladders. Ask whether scaffold is included in the price or quoted separately, who erects it and who is responsible for it during the job. Scaffold left partly erected on a property creates a security risk, so ask how long it will be on site and what happens if the job overruns.
Old tiles, broken slates, used felt and nails have to go somewhere. Ask who arranges the skip or grab lorry, whether it is on the public highway or your drive, and whether any permits are included. Skips on a public road require a permit from the local authority, and that is the contractor's job to arrange, not yours.
Ask to speak to or visit a homeowner whose roof the contractor replaced in the last couple of years. Photos in a portfolio are useful but speaking to a previous customer is more informative. Ask them whether the job ran to the agreed price, whether the site was left tidy each day, and whether there were any issues after completion.
Pressure to decide the same day is a warning sign. A legitimate contractor will put a quote in writing and give you time to compare it. Cold callers who knock on doors after noticing a tile problem from the street are worth treating with caution - they may be genuine, but the business model of door-knocking rarely produces the most competitive prices.
Very low prices can mean thinner underlay, cheaper battens, or mortar ridges where dry-fix would be better. Very high prices do not automatically mean better work. The middle of the market, with a fully itemised quote from a contractor with verifiable local references, is usually where the best value sits.
Clay tiles typically last 60 to 100 years when the tile itself is concerned, though the underlay and fixings may need attention before that. Concrete tiles are usually quoted with a manufacturer's finish life of 30 to 60 years. Natural Welsh slate can last well over a century on a well-maintained roof. Spanish slate is generally less expensive and performs well, though quality varies by quarry and grade.
For properties in Thorpe St Andrew that need to match a neighbourhood character or satisfy planning requirements, the tile choice may be partly dictated for you. Check before ordering materials whether any local planning conditions apply to your property - conservation area designations can restrict what you can use on a visible roof slope.
A full re-roof on a typical semi-detached house takes three to five working days in settled weather. The first day is usually strip-out, skip fill and a first look at the structure. New underlay, battens and tiles follow over subsequent days, with ridge, hips and flashings last. Your contractor should be able to give you a rough day-by-day sequence before work starts.
Expect some noise and dust inside the loft during stripping. Move anything fragile away from loft hatch areas. Fitted loft insulation is unlikely to be disturbed, but tell the contractor if you have loose-fill insulation so it is not displaced when they are working on the boarding.
We install complete new roofing systems across Thorpe St Andrew and the surrounding area, including the broader Norwich catchment. If you have a pitch roof that needs a full replacement, call us to arrange a roof survey so we can give you a proper, itemised quotation based on what we actually find.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
