Norwich Roofers carries out roof repairs in Swaffham and explains every step of what happens, from the initial inspection through to the finished repair and written report.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
A lot of homeowners are unsure what a roof repair visit involves, what they should expect the roofer to do, and how they can tell whether the work has been done properly. This page walks through the process step by step, so you know exactly what a professional repair looks like - from the first phone call to the moment the roofer leaves your driveway.
When you call us, tell us as much as you can: where on the roof the problem seems to be, whether you can see anything from the ground, how long the issue has been there, and whether you have noticed any damp inside. You do not need to diagnose the fault yourself - that is our job - but more detail helps us arrive prepared with the right materials and equipment.
If you have noticed a damp patch on a ceiling, tell us which room, which part of the ceiling, and whether it appeared after a specific bout of rain or has been building up over time. Water does not always travel in a straight line, so we treat every reported leak as something to investigate fully rather than assuming we know the cause before we get there.
On arrival, the first thing we do is look at the roof from ground level. A good visual survey from below gives a lot of information: displaced or missing tiles, a sagging ridge, damaged flashings, deteriorated pointing around a chimney, or moss build-up that suggests long-term moisture retention. We also check the guttering and fascias at this stage, as a blocked or damaged gutter can cause water to back up behind the fascia board and mimic a roof leak.
We then go up. A roof inspection has to be done from the roof itself - photographs from ground level and drone surveys are useful for an overview but they do not replace hands-on access for a repair job. We use appropriate access equipment safely and do not work in conditions where it is not safe to do so.
This is where experience counts most. The visible damage is not always the cause of the leak. A missing tile at the top of a slope may have let water in, but the leak path may have followed a rafter for two or three metres before dripping onto a ceiling below. We check the suspected area and also look at the surrounding tiles, the bedding and pointing on the ridge, the condition of the flashings, and - if we can access the loft - the underside of the roof deck for signs of water tracking.
A common problem is a chimney flashing that has been sealed with mastic or roofing sealant by a previous contractor. Sealant cracks with thermal movement and UV exposure, often within two to three years, and what looks like a repaired flashing may in fact be letting water in freely. We lift sealant repairs and check what is underneath before deciding how to proceed.
Before any work starts, we tell you what we have found, why we think it failed, and what we propose to do. We explain whether the repair is straightforward or whether there are secondary issues that need attention. If we find something unexpected - say, the felt is perished behind a section of tiles, or the batten is rotten in a localised area - we tell you before we do anything about it.
You should expect any roofer to explain their findings clearly and to give you the option to ask questions. If a roofer comes down from the roof and immediately starts work without explaining what they found, that is not how it should work.
The repair itself varies depending on the fault. Here is what each common repair type involves in practice:
Once the repair is complete, we go back over the area to check that all tiles are sitting correctly, that mortar is properly pointed, that flashings are fully dressed and the chase is sealed. We also check that no debris has fallen into the gutters during the work and that the roof covering around the repair area is sound.
If there are any tiles in the surrounding area that look as though they will need attention in the near future, we point them out to you. We do not replace tiles speculatively, but knowing about a potential problem ahead of time lets you plan for it.
We clear all broken tile, old mortar, sealant and packaging from the roof and from around the property before we leave. Debris left in gutters is removed. The site is left as we found it.
Before leaving, we provide a written report of the work carried out. This sets out what the problem was, what we did, and what materials were used. It is a useful document if you are selling the property, making an insurance claim, or simply want a record of maintenance carried out on your home.
We work in Swaffham and across the surrounding area, including Norwich and neighbouring towns and villages. Call us to arrange a roof inspection in Swaffham and we will take you through every step of what we find.
No obligation · We'll call you to arrange a free visit
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
