When arranging a new roof in Long Stratton, expect any contractor to specify the right materials and system from the very first visit.
A new roof is one of the biggest single investments you will make in your home. Whether you are replacing a tired pitched roof, covering a new extension with a flat roof system, or starting from scratch on a new build, the decisions you make before work begins will determine how well the roof performs for the next twenty or thirty years. Getting the specification right at the outset matters far more than the price on the first quote you receive.
We install new pitched roofs using natural slate, concrete interlocking tiles and plain clay tiles, and new flat roofs using traditional felt layered systems and EPDM rubber membranes. Each system has different strengths, different costs and different maintenance requirements. The right choice depends on your roof's shape, pitch, exposure and the load the structure can carry - not on what happens to be in the van.
This is where most homeowners come unstuck. Prices vary widely, and the cheapest quote usually reflects a cheaper specification or corners being cut on preparation work. Before you agree to anything, the questions below will tell you far more than a price alone.
A professional contractor should be able to tell you exactly what they intend to install: the tile or slate type, the underlay specification, the batten size, the felt or membrane system for flat sections, and how they will handle any abutments, valleys or lead flashings. If a contractor cannot or will not put this in writing, that is a warning sign. Vague quotes such as "supply and fit new roof" tell you nothing about what you are buying.
Stripping a roof down to the bare timbers often reveals problems that were invisible from outside: rotten rafters, damaged wall plates, cracked ridge timbers or corroded fixings. A good contractor will inspect and report on the structural condition before covering it back up. Ask them directly: what will you do if you find rotten timber? Will that be an extra charge, and if so, on what basis?
The underlay sits between your tiles and your rafters and is the last line of defence if a tile slips or a fixing fails. Breathable membrane underlays are the current standard on pitched roofs; traditional sarking felt is still used in some situations. Ask which they are using and why. Cheap underlays split and perish far sooner than good ones, and replacing them means stripping the whole roof again.
Roofing work exposes your home to the weather for the duration of the job. Ask what precautions they take if rain arrives mid-strip, how they protect your loft contents, and whether they use scaffold or a mobile tower. Working from a ladder alone on a full re-roof is not safe and should not be acceptable to you.
Old tiles, slates, felt and timber all need to be removed and disposed of legally. Ask whether skip hire is included in the price or charged separately, and who is responsible for arranging it. A contractor who vaguely says "we'll sort the rubbish" without it being itemised in the quote can add a significant sum at the end.
Not general reviews, but specific references from homeowners whose roofs are similar to yours in size and type. A contractor who has replaced dozens of small terraced roofs may not have the experience to specify and install a complex hipped roof with valleys and a lead parapet. Ask to see photographs of completed jobs.
Concrete interlocking tiles are widely used on pitched roofs and are the most cost-effective option for most homeowners. They are durable, widely available and straightforward to repair if a tile is damaged in the future. A full re-roof using concrete interlocking tiles on an average semi-detached house typically costs between £5,000 and £9,000 depending on the size, complexity and access requirements.
Natural slate costs more - expect £8,000 to £15,000 or above for a similarly sized house - but it lasts considerably longer when properly fixed and has a different appearance that suits certain property styles. Reclaimed slate is available but quality varies enormously; ask the contractor to specify the source and grade.
Plain clay tiles sit between the two in cost and are worth considering where the original roof used them and you want to match the look of the building. They are heavier than concrete tiles, so the structure must be able to carry them.
For extensions, garages and outbuildings, flat roof systems are common and practical. Modern EPDM rubber membranes are a significant improvement on the traditional three-layer felt systems that many older flat roofs use. A good EPDM installation is a single bonded sheet with very few seams, which reduces the most common point of failure. Traditional felt flat roofs are still installed and can perform well when the correct specification is used and the falls are adequate.
Flat roofs must have enough fall to drain water; a minimum fall of 1:80 is the general standard, though steeper is better. Poor falls are the single most common cause of flat roof failure, so always ask the contractor what fall they are building in and how they will achieve it.
A flat roof replacement on a typical single-storey extension runs from around £70 to £120 per square metre depending on the system chosen, the condition of the deck and access.
A new roof is the right time to replace guttering that is cracked, sagging or incorrectly pitched. Fitting new guttering after the scaffolding comes down means paying for access twice. The same applies to skylights and rooflights - if a Velux-style window is near the end of its life, replacing it during a re-roof is more cost-effective than doing it separately later.
Lead flashings at chimneys, abutments, valleys and parapet walls are a critical part of any roof. Lead is the most durable and proven flashing material; dressed lead work done properly will outlast most of the tiles around it. Ask what the contractor intends to use at every junction - lead, code 4 or code 5 depending on the location, is the right answer.
We carry out new roof installations in Long Stratton and the surrounding villages, as well as across Norwich. If you are ready to get a proper specification and a clear written quote, call us to arrange a roof survey so we can assess your existing structure and talk through the options before you commit to anything.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
