If you need roof repairs in Sturmer, knowing exactly what the process involves helps you ask the right questions and avoid unpleasant surprises.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
One of the most common concerns homeowners have when calling a roofer is not knowing what will actually happen once someone turns up. What will they look at? How long will it take? Will scaffolding be needed? Will there be mess? This page walks you through a roof repair from the initial contact right through to finished job and cleared-up site, so you know what a professional repair looks like at every stage.
When you call Haverhill Roofers about a problem in Sturmer, we will ask you a few straightforward questions before we visit. What have you noticed? Is there water coming through, or is this a precautionary check? Is it a pitched or flat roof section? Has the roof been repaired recently?
These questions help us come prepared with the most likely materials and equipment. They are not a way of giving you a price over the phone: accurate roof repair quotes require a proper look at the roof, not a guess based on a description. Be wary of any roofer who quotes a fixed price without inspecting the work.
On arrival, we carry out a thorough inspection before we discuss any work. This means looking at the roof from ground level first to get an overall picture, then going up to inspect the relevant sections closely.
We check the obvious area of concern, but we also look at surrounding tiles, the condition of the ridge and hip mortar, the state of any flashings, and the guttering line. A common problem is that the visible failure is not where the water is entering. Slipped tiles two metres from the stain on your ceiling can be the source. Spending a few minutes checking the wider context of the problem almost always results in a more accurate diagnosis.
In the loft, if accessible, we look at the underside of the roof covering after or during rain to trace exactly where ingress is occurring. This is particularly useful where a ceiling stain is not directly beneath an obvious fault.
At this point we will explain what we have found, what needs immediate attention, and what, if anything, is worth monitoring but not yet a priority. You will not be told that everything needs doing at once if it does not.
Before any work starts, you should know exactly what is being done and why. For most straightforward repairs - replacing slipped tiles, re-bedding a ridge, re-dressing flashing - this is a short conversation. For more complex jobs involving multiple faults or a flat roof section, more detail is needed.
Ask what materials will be used. Ask whether existing materials can be matched. Ask whether there are any elements of the work that may change once the roof is opened up, and how you will be informed if additional issues are found during the repair.
A good roofer will not start work without your understanding and agreement on scope. If anything unexpected is found once work has begun, for example a rotten batten beneath a slipped tile, you should be told before any additional work is carried out.
Most standard pitch repairs can be carried out using a ladder and roof ladder (a hooked ladder that rests against the roof slope). This is suitable for replacing individual tiles, re-bedding ridge sections, and dressing lead flashing.
Scaffolding is needed for larger jobs, for roofs with a particularly steep pitch, for work that requires sustained presence on the roof over multiple days, or where access to a chimney stack or parapet is required. If scaffolding is required, it will be included in the quote and you will be told why.
On flat roof repairs, access is usually straightforward from the flat surface itself, though edge protection may be needed depending on height and proximity to the roof edge.
Tile or slate replacements begin with carefully lifting the surrounding tiles to access the damaged one without disturbing anything that does not need to be touched. Tiles are fixed using clips or nails to the batten beneath. If a batten is found to be rotten or the nail fixings have failed, this needs to be addressed as part of the repair.
We source matching tiles and slates wherever possible. Where an exact match is not available, we will discuss the closest option with you. For any visible pitch, getting the match right matters.
Ridge re-bedding involves removing the loose ridge tiles, cleaning off old mortar, re-bedding in a sand and cement mix or, increasingly, using a dry-fix mechanical system which removes the need for mortar entirely and is more durable in the long term.
Flashing repairs involve cutting out failed mortar joints, dressing the lead back into the brickwork, and repointing to seal it. Where lead has cracked or split it will need to be replaced. We use code-appropriate lead, properly dressed, for all flashing work.
Flat roof repairs on felt sections involve cleaning back the affected area and applying a compatible repair system. Where blistering or pooling affects a wider area, we will advise on whether a full replacement with a longer-lasting material such as EPDM rubber is more economical than repeated patching. EPDM membranes, installed as a single sheet, eliminate most of the seam and joint failures that are common in older felt systems.
Once the repair is completed, we check everything from the ground and from the roof to confirm tiles are correctly seated, flashings are properly dressed and sealed, and ridge tiles or dry-fix components are secure. We will point out the completed work to you so you can see what has been done.
If you have a loft hatch, checking the interior of the roof after the next significant rainfall is a sensible precaution for any leak repair. In most cases the result will be obvious: the problem has gone. If you have any concerns after the job is done, contact us and we will come back to look.
Old mortar, broken tiles, packaging and any other debris from the job should be removed from the site completely. Gutters are checked to make sure no material has been left in them. The garden and any paved areas below the work zone are cleared before we leave.
A tidy site is part of the job, not an optional extra. If a roofer leaves broken tiles and old mortar in your garden as a matter of course, that tells you something about how the rest of the work was done.
We carry out roof repairs in Sturmer and across the surrounding area, including Haverhill, Withersfield, Steeple Bumpstead, Kedington, Poslingford, Clare, Stoke by Clare, Ridgewell, Ashen, Ashdon, Castle Camps and Great Sampford. If you have a repair that needs looking at, call us to arrange an inspection and we will give you a straight assessment of what needs doing.
No obligation · We'll call you to arrange a free visit
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
