Roof repairs in the Cotswolds

What a roof repair involves

A roof repair puts back or replaces a small part of the roof so that it keeps water out again. Common jobs are re-fixing slipped slates or tiles, bedding a loose ridge, and renewing a short length of flashing.

The roofer first finds the cause. A wet ceiling is often some distance from the gap in the roof, because water runs along timbers. A good roofer looks from the loft as well as from outside.

Access is a large part of most jobs. A low roof may need only a ladder and a roof ladder. A tall or steep roof may need a tower or scaffolding.

Local Cotswold factors

Many older Cotswold houses have stone slate roofs. Each slate hangs from a wooden peg over a lath. When a peg rots or breaks, the slate slips. Cotswold District Council guidance says these roofs are steep, often 47 to 55 degrees, and heavy.

Victorian houses, especially in the Stroud valleys, often have Welsh slate fixed with nails. When the nails rust, many slates can slip over a few years. Newer estates usually have concrete tiles.

High, open sites such as Stow-on-the-Wold and the high wolds take more wind. Valley towns such as Stroud and Nailsworth have steep streets, which can make access harder.

Signs you need a repair

You need a repair when water gets in or when part of the roof has moved. Look from the ground with binoculars. Do not climb onto the roof.

• Slipped, cracked or missing slates or tiles.
• Gaps or loose mortar along the ridge or the verges.
• Daylight or damp patches in the loft.
• Stains on ceilings, often near chimneys or under valleys.
• Pieces of slate or mortar on the ground or in the gutter.

Emergency roof repairs

In an emergency, a roofer makes the roof safe and weathertight first, then plans the full repair. After a storm, this often means a temporary cover over the gap.

Keep people away from loose slates and ridge pieces, because they can fall. Move valuables away from the leak and catch the water. Take photos from the ground and from inside for your insurer.

If the building is listed, urgent work is still possible. The law gives a defence for urgent work that is the minimum needed for safety or to protect the building. You must also tell the council in writing as soon as you can. Keep to a temporary repair, and ask the council about the permanent one.

Look for listed firms that say they take emergency work. Ask each firm when it can come and what the first visit costs.

What to ask a roofer

Ask questions that show how the roofer will find the cause and do the work. Get the answers in writing.

• What is the cause of the problem, and how did you find it?
• Will you repair like for like, with the same material and fixing?
• What access do you need, and is it in the price?
• Do you have public liability insurance? Can I see the certificate?
• What guarantee do you give on the repair?

The rules for roof repairs

Most small, like-for-like repairs need no planning permission and no building control. The rules change when the work gets bigger or the building is listed.

On a listed building, Cotswold District Council says small-scale, like-for-like repairs may not need listed building consent. Larger repairs, or work that replaces elements, might need it. Work without consent that needs it is a criminal offence.

If the job grows to cover half or more of a roof slope, it becomes re-roofing. That brings Building Regulations into play. See our Cotswold stone and slate roofs page for details.

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