Norwich Roofers carries out roof repairs in Poringland, taking every job from the initial inspection through to completion and clean-up in a single, straightforward process.
A lot of homeowners are unsure what to expect when they call a roofer. This page walks through what a professional roof repair looks like from beginning to end, so you know what questions to ask, what should happen at each stage, and what a good job looks like when it is finished.
When you call about a roof problem, a good roofer will ask you several things: what you have seen or noticed, whether there is any internal water ingress, when the problem appeared, and whether the roof has been worked on recently. This is not just conversation. The answers help narrow down what is likely to be wrong before anyone gets on the roof.
Have a look at the roof from the ground before you call if you can. Note the type of covering (tiles, slates, flat roof), any obvious missing tiles or damaged areas, and whether there are any chimney stacks or skylights that might be involved. The more you can describe, the quicker the roofer can direct resources appropriately.
Before any repair work begins, the roofer should inspect the roof properly. This means physically getting up to the roof level, not just looking from a ladder. A walk across the roof surface or a thorough inspection from a correctly positioned ladder will show things that are invisible from the ground.
A proper inspection looks at the whole roof, not just the area you reported. A slipped tile on the front slope might be the obvious fault, but if the pointing around the chimney is also cracking, or a section of flashing has pulled away from its chase, both should be identified at the same time. Addressing all the faults in one visit saves time and scaffolding costs.
After the inspection, the roofer should be able to tell you clearly: what is wrong, why it has happened, what needs doing now, and whether anything else on the roof is likely to need attention in the near future. You should get this information before you agree to any work.
Roof access matters and it affects both the cost and the scope of what can be done. For most single-storey and standard two-storey properties, a ladder and roof ladder (also called a catladder or chicken ladder) are sufficient for inspections and many repairs. For anything involving a chimney stack on a taller property, or significant work on a flat roof above an extension, scaffolding or a mobile elevated work platform may be necessary.
If scaffolding is required it will be erected first and taken down after all the work is complete. This adds to the overall cost and means the job cannot always be started and finished in a single day. Ask upfront whether scaffolding will be needed and how it is handled, so there are no surprises when the scaffold lorry arrives.
Neighbours should be given reasonable notice if scaffolding will stand on or over the boundary. This is standard practice and a professional roofer will handle it, but it is worth knowing it should happen.
The repair process varies by job type, but a few principles apply across all of them.
Slipped or missing tiles: The surrounding tiles are lifted carefully to expose the battens and underlay. The roofer checks the batten and underlay condition, fits the replacement tile or re-seats the slipped one, and fixes it correctly before replacing the surrounding tiles in order. A repair that is done in a hurry will sometimes leave surrounding tiles not properly reseated, which causes new slipping.
Broken or cracked tiles: A single tile is removed by lifting those above it, sliding the broken tile out from under the nibs of those above, and replacing it. The underlay beneath is checked at the same time. If the underlay shows any split or crack at that point, a patch of flashing tape applied underneath the tile adds a second line of defence.
Flashing repairs: Failed flashings are the most common cause of water ingress that is not immediately obvious. The old flashing or pointing is removed, the chase is raked out cleanly, and the new flashing is fitted and dressed into position. With lead flashings, the lead is cut to length, fitted into the chase and wedged with lead wedges before the chase is pointed up with fresh mortar. This process is not quick. A chimney flashing on all four sides of a stack is a half-day job done properly.
Ridge and hip re-bedding: Old mortar is cut away, the tile bedding surface is cleaned, and fresh mortar is applied in sections. The ridge tiles are set back in position, checked for alignment, and the joints are pointed. On a long ridge this is methodical work and should not be rushed because uneven setting leaves joints that crack early.
Flat roof repairs: A blister or split in a felt roof is cut open, dried out if necessary, and re-sealed with compatible material. A damaged section of EPDM is cleaned, primed and patched with bonded EPDM tape or a liquid sealant compatible with the membrane. If the damage is widespread, replacing the whole membrane is a better outcome than multiple patches.
Once the repair is done, the roofer should check the surrounding area again. Tiles that were lifted to access the fault should be checked for correct seating before leaving. If any debris has fallen onto the property, into guttering, or onto a neighbouring area during the job, it should be cleared before the roofer packs up.
Gutters that run beneath the repair area are worth checking at the same time: old mortar debris and pieces of broken tile frequently end up in gutters during a repair and can block downpipes. A roofer who checks the guttering as a matter of course is doing the job properly.
After every job we provide a written report of the work carried out. This tells you what was found, what was done, and what materials were used. This is useful if you ever need to show a buyer or a solicitor what work has been done on the roof, or if you need to make a claim on your home insurance following storm damage.
Keep the report. A property with a clear maintenance record is a more straightforward sale than one where the buyer's surveyor is asking questions about the roof that no one can answer.
Any roofer who cannot answer these questions clearly, or who wants you to agree to work before the inspection is complete, is worth being cautious about.
We cover Poringland and the surrounding villages from our Norwich base. Jobs are assessed properly before work begins and backed by a written report of what was done. Call us to arrange an inspection and we will walk you through the same process described above, without any pressure to agree to work you have not had fully explained.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
