Brandon Roofers installs new pitched roofs for homeowners in Feltwell, using quality materials that are built to last and chosen to suit your property.
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A properly installed new roof is more than tiles on battens. The work starts with stripping the old covering back to the rafters, inspecting the structure for rot, sagging or broken timbers, and replacing anything that is not sound before a single new tile goes on. New roofing felt or breathable membrane is laid, new treated timber battens are fixed, and the tile or slate is nailed or clipped in place according to the manufacturer's fixing specification for the pitch and exposure of your roof.
Flashings at chimneys, walls and valleys are cut from lead or dressed aluminium. Ridge tiles are bedded and pointed, or a dry-fix ridge system is used. Verge details, hip tiles and any valley work are finished to stop wind and water finding a way in. A new roof done properly takes time, and that time is worth paying for.
We install clay and concrete plain tiles, interlocking concrete tiles, and natural slate across Feltwell and the surrounding area, including Hockwold, Methwold, Mundford and Weeting. We also cover Thetford and Brandon itself.
Choosing a roofer is one of the more difficult decisions a homeowner faces, because the work is above your line of sight and most people have no way to judge quality until something goes wrong years later. Here is what to look for before you agree to anything.
Always get at least two, preferably three, quotes for a new roof. Each quote should break the job down: strip and disposal of old materials, structural inspection and any timber repairs, felt or membrane, battens, tiles or slate by product name and specification, lead flashings, ridge and verge detail, and clearance of waste. A quote that simply says "supply and fit new roof" tells you nothing and makes it impossible to compare like for like.
If one quote is significantly cheaper than the others, find out why. It may be because cheaper tiles are being used, the felt is a lighter grade, or the price excludes scaffolding. It may also be because the contractor plans to cut corners on fixing specifications or skip the structural check. Ask directly.
Before you agree to any work, ask the contractor these questions and expect clear, direct answers:
A contractor who cannot or will not answer these questions clearly is one worth walking away from.
Ask to see examples of previous work, ideally on properties similar to yours. References from past customers are useful, especially if you can speak to someone whose roof was done two or three years ago, long enough to see how the work has held up. New roofs fitted well should show no cracked pointing, no lifted ridge tiles, no slipped slates and no damaged verges after a couple of winters.
Ask whether the contractor uses their own employees or subcontractors. There is nothing wrong with subcontracting, but you need to know who will actually be on your roof and whether the contractor will be on site to oversee the job. A roofing firm where the owner is present during the work is generally a better sign than one who drops in briefly and leaves.
Be cautious of contractors who appear at your door unsolicited, ask for a large cash deposit before starting, or want full payment before the job is complete. A reasonable stage payment at the start of a large job is normal; full payment upfront is not.
Clay tiles are the traditional choice and, when made to modern standards, carry manufacturer life expectancy figures of 60 years or more. Concrete plain tiles and interlocking tiles are less expensive and widely used. Natural slate is more costly but exceptionally durable, and it suits older properties well. Reconstituted slate is a cheaper alternative, though its lifespan is generally shorter than natural material.
Breathable roofing membranes are worth specifying over traditional bitumen felt on new installations. They allow water vapour to pass out of the roof space, which reduces the risk of condensation and timber decay. If a contractor quotes for standard felt on a new roof without offering a breathable alternative, ask why.
Lead is the correct material for flashings at chimneys and abutments. Code 4 lead is the minimum for most flashing applications; Code 5 is used for wider flashings such as soakers or cover flashings on a chimney. Avoid any contractor who suggests using flash band or adhesive tape as a permanent flashing solution. These are temporary repairs, not a finish for a new roof.
A new roof cannot be done safely from a ladder. Any contractor who quotes without scaffolding, or who suggests it can be avoided, is cutting a corner that puts both their workers and your property at risk. Scaffold should go up before stripping starts and come down only once the job is signed off. Factor the cost into your budget from the outset; for a typical semi-detached or detached house it adds several hundred pounds to the overall price.
Chimneys are a common source of trouble on reroofed properties. If your chimney is being retained, the lead flashings at the base and sides should be replaced as part of the new roof, not left in place from the old one. Old lead can be recycled, which offsets some of the cost. The chimney stack itself should be pointed where needed; crumbling mortar allows water into the brickwork and eventually into the roof space.
Valleys - the internal angles where two roof slopes meet - can be open lead valleys, close-cut tile-on-tile valleys, or swept cut valleys in plain tile roofs. Ask which type your contractor is planning to use and why. A lead valley properly dressed is reliable and long-lasting. Tile valleys depend on precise cutting and good fixing, and a poorly done tile valley is a leak waiting to happen.
New roof costs for a typical three-bedroom semi-detached house in this area generally fall in the range of £5,000 to £12,000 or more, depending on the material chosen, the complexity of the roof shape, chimney and valley details, and whether structural timber repairs are needed. Natural slate sits at the top of that range; concrete interlocking tile at the lower end. These figures include scaffolding and waste removal where contractors price the job properly.
Prices that sit well below this range should be questioned. Occasionally a genuine low quote reflects efficiency and low overheads. More often it means corners will be cut somewhere - in the membrane grade, the fixing specification, the amount of lead used at flashings, or the structural inspection.
If you are considering a new roof in Feltwell or a nearby village, call Brandon Roofers to arrange a survey of your existing roof. We will give you a clear breakdown of the work involved so you can ask the right questions of any contractor you speak to.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
