Haverhill Roofers carries out lead flashing repairs and full lead installations for homes in and around Great Dunmow, sealing the joints where roofs meet chimneys, walls and dormers before water finds a way in.
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Lead is used at every point where a roof surface meets a vertical or angled structure. That means the flashing around a chimney stack, the soakers tucked under slates along a hip or abutment, the apron at the front of a chimney, and the valley that channels rainwater between two roof slopes. Where these fail, the result is rarely a dramatic leak straight away. Water usually tracks along a rafter or ceiling joist for weeks before it appears as a stain, by which point damage to timbers and plasterwork has already begun.
Lead is the material of choice for these junctions because it moulds to irregular surfaces, expands and contracts with temperature without cracking, and outlasts almost every alternative. A properly installed lead flashing, dressed tightly into a mortar joint and secured with lead wedges, can last fifty years or more. The problem is usually not the material itself but how it was fitted, or how the mortar holding it to the chimney has aged.
Lead work is a specific skill. A general roofer who lays tiles all day is not automatically the right person to cut and dress lead. When you are looking for someone to work on your home, the first thing to establish is whether lead work makes up a meaningful part of what they do, not just an occasional add-on. Ask them directly: how often do you carry out lead flashings and valleys? What thickness of lead do you use and why?
Lead sheet is sold in codes from Code 3 to Code 8. For most domestic flashings, Code 4 or Code 5 is correct. Code 3 is too thin for exposed positions and will split at the folds within a few years. A contractor who cannot tell you what code they intend to use, or who quotes without getting on the roof to inspect the detail, is one to be cautious about.
Before you accept a quote for lead work, these are the questions worth asking. They are not trick questions. Any experienced lead worker should answer them without hesitation.
A lump sum with no detail is a warning sign. A fair quote should separate the cost of materials (lead sheet, mortar, any timber repairs) from the labour involved in stripping the old flashing, dressing the new one and making good. If the quote mentions sealant or mastic as a primary fix rather than a temporary measure, ask why lead is not being used to do the job properly.
Some contractors will patch a failed flashing with flashing tape or roof sealant and present that as a repair. These materials have their place as a short-term stop-gap in an emergency, but they are not a substitute for correctly fitted lead. On a chimney, for example, sealant on the surface will crack within two or three years as the stack moves and as temperatures swing.
For domestic lead work in this part of the country, a straightforward chimney flashing replacement on a standard stack typically costs in the region of £300 to £600, depending on the size of the stack and how much lead is needed. A full valley replacement, including stripping old lead or mortar fillets and relaying in Code 5 sheet, can run from £500 to over £1,000 on a longer run. These figures are for the lead work itself; if the underlying timbers need attention, that is additional.
Be cautious of quotes that are notably cheaper than these ranges. Lead sheet is not cheap, and a price that seems too good usually means thinner lead than is appropriate, less lead than is needed, or a very quick job that has cut corners on the dressing and fixing.
Lead flashings rarely fail in isolation. When a flashing is lifted for replacement, it is common to find that nearby tiles have slipped or cracked, that the mortar fillet along an abutment has eroded, or that the underlying felt has aged and is beginning to split. A thorough contractor will point these things out during the inspection rather than after the job is complete. Ask, when you book the work, whether the roofer will carry out a broader check of the roof surfaces while they are up there.
We carry out lead work across Haverhill and the surrounding area, including Great Dunmow, as part of a broader roofing service that covers tile and slate repairs, flat roof maintenance, and fascia and soffit work. If a survey reveals that the problem goes beyond the flashing, we will tell you clearly what needs doing and what can wait.
If you have noticed damp near a chimney breast, a wall junction or a dormer, do not leave it until the stain gets worse. Call Haverhill Roofers to arrange a roof survey so we can inspect the flashing detail and give you a clear, itemised quote for putting it right.
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