Norwich Roofers installs new roofs for homeowners in Spixworth - and this page explains what to do while you wait for work to begin, and what you should leave strictly to the professionals.
There is usually a gap between discovering a serious roof problem and having a new roof installed. Surveys need to happen, materials need to be ordered, scaffolding needs to be arranged. In that window, homeowners often feel the urge to do something - to get on top of the problem themselves. Some of that instinct is helpful. Some of it makes things worse. This page is about the difference.
We install new pitched and flat roofs in Spixworth and across the Norwich area. Before work begins, here is how to protect your home and your property - and here is what to leave well alone.
If there is active water ingress while you are waiting for your new roof, the priority is limiting the damage inside the property. Water that gets through a failing roof can travel a long way from the entry point before it becomes visible on a ceiling. Loft insulation soaks up moisture and can hold it for weeks, and timber joists that stay wet long enough will begin to soften.
Move anything stored in the loft away from areas that are damp or directly below a problem section of roof. Place buckets or containers under any active drips and use plastic sheeting to protect the loft floor and any insulation rolls you cannot move. Check the containers regularly and empty them - an overflowing bucket in a loft causes its own damage.
If a ceiling is bulging with trapped water, it is sometimes better to release the water in a controlled way by making a small hole at the lowest point of the bulge rather than letting it burst unpredictably. This is one case where a small amount of careful intervention prevents worse damage, but it does need care - turn off any electrical circuits for that area first and have towels and containers ready.
In some situations, temporary weatherproofing can reduce further water ingress while you wait for the full installation. A roofing contractor may be able to fit a temporary roof sheet or tarpaulin over a badly affected section, particularly where tiles have been lost in a storm. This is something to discuss with your roofer - a properly secured temporary cover can make a real difference.
What you should not do is attempt to apply roofing felt, bitumen paint, silicone sealant or any other product to an active leak yourself while working at height without the right equipment and training. The risks of falling from a roof are severe, and makeshift repairs applied without proper access often do not hold and can mask the true extent of the damage, making it harder to assess later.
Roofing is one of the trades where amateur intervention causes the most harm, both to people and to the property. The following are common mistakes that turn a manageable problem into a larger and more expensive one.
This is the clearest rule. A domestic pitched roof is not a safe working surface without the right equipment. Falls from roofs kill people every year. A ladder leaned against a gutter is not a safe means of access to roof level, and a gutter is not designed to bear a person's weight. Leave any work above eaves height to a roofer with the right access equipment.
Roofing sealants and self-adhesive flashing tapes are sold at builders' merchants and look like a quick fix. In practice, they rarely adhere well to a wet or dirty surface, they trap moisture rather than shedding it, and they are extremely difficult to remove cleanly when the proper repair or replacement work is carried out. They can also mask the source of a leak, making it harder for the roofer to diagnose the actual problem.
Loose ridge tiles are a common cause of water ingress and are often visible from the ground. The temptation to apply a bag of ready-mix mortar is understandable, but incorrect bedding allows water to sit and freeze in voids, which accelerates further movement. Dry-fix ridge systems, which are now widely used, require specific fixings and caps that are not simply bolted on.
If water is coming through the roof and there are light fittings, loft electrics or solar panel connections in or near the affected area, treat these as a hazard. Do not assume that a small amount of water is fine near wiring. Turn off the relevant circuits at the consumer unit and leave them off until a professional has assessed the situation.
There are practical things that genuinely help the job go smoothly and protect your home while work is underway.
Once the work begins, a full pitched roof replacement follows a clear sequence. Scaffold is erected to allow safe working across the whole roof. The existing tiles or slates are stripped and lowered to ground level. The timber structure is inspected - rafters, wall plates and ridge board - and any damaged sections are repaired before the new covering goes on.
New breathable underlay is fixed across the rafters, then battens are nailed at the correct gauge for the tile or slate being used. Tiles or slates are laid from the eaves up to the ridge. Lead flashings are dressed at all abutments, valleys and around any chimney. The ridge is capped and pointed or dry-fixed. Guttering is checked and replaced if necessary. Scaffold comes down last.
A new pitched roof on an average semi-detached house using concrete interlocking tiles costs broadly £5,000 to £9,000. Natural slate is typically higher, from around £8,000 to £15,000 for a similar size. Flat roofs on extensions and garages run from approximately £70 to £120 per square metre, depending on the system - EPDM rubber or layered felt - and the condition of the existing deck.
If your new roof covers an extension or outbuilding with a flat or low-pitch section, EPDM rubber membrane is the modern choice for most situations. It is installed as a single bonded sheet, which reduces the number of seams and therefore the most common failure points. Traditional multi-layer felt is also available and can perform well when correctly specified, particularly on larger areas.
Rooflights in flat roof sections should be addressed at the same time as the membrane - attempting to work around an existing rooflight during a re-roof is awkward and the kerb-to-membrane seal is critical.
If you are in Spixworth and need a new roof - or you have an urgent situation and need to understand your options - call us to arrange a roof survey. We will assess the existing structure, tell you what we find, and give you a written specification so you know exactly what the work involves before you commit.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
