Do you only fix ‘roof leaks’?
During the windy and wet seasons our priority is to be responsive to homeowners who have water ingress.
So where a job is not urgent, or it’s a task that would take multiple days, this would generally be scheduled for the warmer months. This also makes sense as none of us want your roof being ‘opened up to the elements’, when rain may be just round the corner.
Examples of projects typically undertaken in warmer months are:
- Re-roofing
- Required repairs to over 50 slates or tiles on high and/or steep roofs
- Extensive ridge tile removal and rebed/repoint or dry ridge system installation
- Chimney removal or renovation
- Lead replacement
- Gutter replacement
- UPVC facias and soffits
So if you want us to have a look at a larger task or maintenance project that isn’t currently ‘urgent’ feel free to get in touch via the website contact form.
Will You 100% Stop My Roof Leak?
Our informal 4 step process is important when considering success rates:
- We assess the internal damage and external roof coverings for defects
- We share photographs and findings with you
- In pursuit of solving water ingress, we agree a cost effective repair and associated cost with you
- We advise where the likely success rate may not be optimal before proceeding
In most situations, an obvious problem will be identified quickly with a recommended repair discussed and agreed with you. In these instances you can be comfortable that your roof leak will be fixed with a high degree of certainty.
Lower success rates will be advised when:
- No obvious roof defect is apparent, in which case, the removal of multiple roof tiles or slates to track water ingress may be advised
- The roof is in poor condition generally (see FAQ ‘Do I Need a New Roof’ for examples)
- Extensive exploration will be time consuming, challenging and high risk via standing ladders and/or roof ladders, particularly for high buildings, steep roofs or where other constraints and hazards exist.
When these variables are present, we sometimes don’t get the results we all predicted, which is just as frustrating for us, as it is for you.
In such cases we should remind ourselves that every considered repair brings an incremental decrease of water ingress to your property and is money well spent.
Do I Need A New Roof?
Many householders are frequently advised inappropriately that their home requires a new roof. If you can be convinced a scaffold and re-roof is required then it’s much easier work and better profits, is the unavoidable truth.
Not every roofer is out to scam you however, so please be aware that there are occasions where it doesn’t make economical sense to constantly repair a roof or spend time trying to ‘fault find’ when water ingress could be caused by multiple factors. Examples are:
- Poorly designed loft conversions
- DIY’d dormers
- Conservatory conversions
- Recent re-roofs or older roofs installed incorrectly
- Delaminating clay tiles
- Corroded fixings
- Tiles silted up at joints and laps across large areas of roof
- Tiles and slates disintegrating through weathering
- Badly repaired roofs… that have undergone many ‘botch’ type repairs in the past
- Flat roofs – unless damage is obvious it can be difficult to track down the point of water entry
- Neglected roofs that have not been maintained
Do you do free inspections?
No, unless we are already at your property fixing your roof – is the short answer.
“If something’s free, you’re the product” …..
Most of us would agree that we’ve had our fill of ‘free’ bad advice from ‘rubber stamped’ experts in almost all areas of life.
If you have a problem with your roof, our guess is, YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT IT, and so we won’t be recommending a ‘fishing expedition’ to drum up extra business with ‘FREE TESTS and INSPECTIONS”.
However, if already on site doing a much needed repair, we will of course inspect your roof for free. This will comprise an informal chat to help you learn enough about your roof and its condition to enable you to ask some basic questions of your next roofer.
If that’s not enough, and if we are already on site attending to your roof leak repair, for an additional £90 we can provide you with a one page report highlighting the top 3 maintenance priorities for attention over the next 5 years.
Full photographic surveys can also be requested, highlighting potential problem areas and a recommended maintenance timetable with approximate costs, so that you can schedule repairs as required and be fully informed when it comes to engaging contractors for roofing work in the future.
If no work is being undertaken and it’s just an inspection report or survey that’s required, these can be tailored to your needs with costs starting at £150 for a small terraced house or bungalow, all dependant on location of property, size of roof and access constraints.
I’ve got a really bad leak, what do I do!!!
Don’t panic first of all, then phone the honest roofer you were hopefully recommended by a friend last year. You don’t phone a mystery dentist when you have toothache so why should this be any different.
Place basins, buckets or other containers under leaks to catch dripping water to minimise damage. If you can access your loft space safely then it would be even better to catch those drips before they enter any living space. Don’t underestimate the weight of water or the rate at which the container may fill given a bad leak. So ensure any container is adequately supported in the roof space and remember you’ll have bigger problem if it fills up!
If you are fit and it is safe to do so, use a tarp or similar plastic sheeting to cover the affected area. And ensure it is secured to fixed objects or heavy objects (dumbbells, kettlebells weight plates) with the heaviest rope you have to hand. This temporary covering will provide a barrier against rain and additional damage until the professionals can make permanent repairs.
If it’s daylight and you’re fit grab your binoculars if you have a pair and try to visually inspect your roof for visible signs of damage. Look for missing or displaced tiles or slates and debris around your home.
What are your response times?
Given our speciality is fault-finding and repair work we don’t tend to get tied up on bigger jobs like many roofers do, so we can react within a day or two usually. That being said, when the wind blows hard, everyone is busy.
So if something looks like it ‘might leak’ maybe make that call when it’s warmer, or on the first sign of damage or water ingress and don’t wait till the weather gets extreme.
You can of course get an inspection or photographic survey done in warmer weather to understand and prioritise any work needing doing, or get some comfort you have a sound roof over your head, for when the weather gets extreme.
Is a scaffold always the best and safest option?
No.
It all depends on the duration, complexity and scale of a repair job. If the work is say, awkward to access, extends beyond an hour and requires multiple materials then it starts to make sense to think about access solutions such as a small tower scaffold or even a full scaffold.
But everyone forgets that when you introduce a ‘safety solution’ you also introduce other variables, hazards and risks that the job never had in the first place.
How many scaffolders will be at risk transporting, erecting and dismantling the scaffold ? What about securing the scaffold if kids (or burglars even…) are in the area ?
All works are risk assessed ensuring identified hazards are fully considered and managed.
Why do contractors look at my roof and never come back?
This is very common.
It’s possible the repair is difficult to access safely and/or requires a scaffold which involves more financial outlay than most householders are prepared to spend, for what might be a small and quick repair otherwise. So rather than spend time providing you with an expensive quote for a job that most likely doesn’t make financial sense for you, they move on to their next job.
It’s a sad fact that, with scaffolding being so expensive, it’s mere introduction into the conversation merits the consideration of re-roofing.
Or perhaps the roof tiles on your roof have been discontinued as many of them have, and the contractor doesn’t have replacements in stock. We have most old stock on hand btw.
Or something you said about getting seven quotes….:)
Are Leak Theory qualified?
As the owner, I’ve personally educated myself in construction, surveying and safety almost without a break for the last 30 years so I’m fairly confident in our abilities, responsibilities and limits. If we can’t provide a service or repair or we simply don’t know something, we promise to point you in the direction of someone who can.
Proof of qualifications and customer recommendations available on request.
