Norwich Roofers carries out roof repairs in Brundall, covering everything from replacing individual tiles to renewing flat roof membranes and reseating failed flashings.
When a roof needs repairing, the material you use matters as much as the work itself. Using the wrong tile profile, the wrong flashing material, or the wrong flat-roof system for a given situation can mean the repair fails early or creates new problems alongside the old one. This page lays out the main options honestly, including where each one works well and where it does not.
Many pitched roofs are tiled, and the two main options are clay and concrete. Both do the same job but behave differently over their lifetime.
Clay tiles are the older and generally longer-lasting of the two. A good-quality clay plain tile or pantile can last 60 to 100 years if the roof structure beneath it stays sound. They hold their colour well, do not become as porous with age as concrete, and are resistant to freeze-thaw damage. The main limitation is cost: clay tiles are more expensive to buy and, for matching purposes on an older roof, may need to be sourced carefully to find a close match in size and colour.
Concrete tiles are the standard choice on most roofs built from the 1960s onwards. They are durable and widely available, but they do absorb water as they age and the surface can erode, making them heavier and more prone to cracking in hard frosts after 20 to 30 years. Matching colour exactly can be difficult because concrete tiles fade over time. Where matching matters for appearance, reclaimed tiles of the same age and type are often the better answer.
Natural slate is a premium material. When laid well and fixed with non-corroding nails, it can last well over 100 years. The main issues are: sourcing matching slate for repairs (thickness and width must match, as different quarries produce slightly different sizes), and the cost of a skilled roofer who knows how to work with it. On a roof where only a handful of slates have slipped or cracked, natural slate replacement is the right call.
Artificial slate (typically fibre-cement) is more consistent in size, easier to source and around half the price. It is a practical choice when you are repairing a section rather than individual slates, or when the original artificial slates are already nearing the end of their useful life. Mixing old and new artificial slates of different products often looks noticeably patchy, so if a significant area needs renewing it is usually better to do it in one go.
Flashings seal the joint between the roof covering and vertical surfaces such as chimney stacks, parapet walls and abutments. Getting this material choice right matters because this is where most roof leaks actually originate.
Lead is the traditional and most durable flashing material. Code 4 lead is standard for stepped flashings; code 5 is used for flat sections and gutters. Lead is soft enough to be dressed tightly into any shape, it expands and contracts without cracking, and a properly fitted lead flashing can last 50 years or more. Cost is higher than alternatives but reflects the longevity of the material.
Aluminium flashings are a lower-cost alternative and perform adequately in most situations. They are not as easy to dress into tight shapes as lead and can be prone to corrosion where they contact certain types of mortar over a long period. For straightforward chimney flashings on a house where budget is the priority, aluminium is a practical choice. For complex shapes, valley gutters or anywhere the joint needs to be particularly watertight, lead is usually the better material.
Self-adhesive flashing tape is sometimes used as a quick fix and can be effective as a temporary measure. It is not a substitute for a properly fitted lead or aluminium flashing. If a previous repair used tape and it has started to lift or crack, the underlying problem still needs addressing properly.
Flat roofs are commonly covered in one of two main systems: traditional built-up felt or EPDM rubber membrane.
Built-up felt (three-layer torch-on systems or older pour-and-roll felt) is still widely used and is cost-effective for smaller areas. A well-installed torch-on felt system should last 15 to 20 years. The limitations are that it can be brittle in very cold weather and is more vulnerable to ponding water if the roof deck is not adequately falls-graded. Repairs to felt roofs are straightforward for isolated blisters or splits, but a felt roof that is cracking across a wide area is usually better replaced than patched.
EPDM rubber membrane is increasingly common and has a well-established track record. It is a single-ply sheet, typically 1.14mm or 1.5mm thick, bonded or mechanically fixed to the deck. EPDM is flexible down to very low temperatures, handles ponding water better than felt, and is straightforward to repair with compatible tape or liquid if it is punctured. Manufacturer lifespans of 30 to 50 years are commonly quoted, though actual longevity depends heavily on the quality of the installation, particularly at the edges and outlets. The cost of EPDM is higher than felt for the initial installation but the longer expected lifespan often makes it better value over time.
Ridge tiles, hip tiles and verge bedding are all held with mortar. On older roofs this is lime mortar; on most post-1970s roofs it is sand-and-cement. A common problem is over-rigid modern cement cracking as the tiles move with temperature changes, then allowing water into the gaps.
Some roofers now use a flexible, polymer-modified mortar or a dry-fix verge system instead of traditional wet bedding. Dry-fix ridge and hip systems clip mechanically and avoid the cracking problem entirely, at higher initial cost. For a full ridge re-bed it is worth asking about dry-fix as an option, particularly on a roof where the mortar has cracked more than once.
Before agreeing to any repair, ask the roofer what material they are planning to use, why, and how long it should last in normal conditions. A confident, knowledgeable roofer will give you straight answers. Ask whether the repair addresses the cause of the problem or just the visible damage. On a flat roof especially, ask whether a patch repair is genuinely the right approach or whether the whole membrane should be considered.
We carry out roof repairs in Brundall and the wider area served from Norwich, covering tiled roofs, slate roofs, flat roofs and chimney flashings. When a job is finished, ask the roofer for a written record of the work done. If you are not sure what material suits your roof or whether a repair or replacement makes more sense, call us and we will give you a straight assessment before any work is agreed.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
