New roofs and roof replacement in Leeds
A new roof is the biggest job most houses ever have done, and it is the one where cutting corners is easiest to hide. Once the tiles are back on, nobody can see whether the membrane and battens underneath were done properly.
Re-roofing, roof replacement and a new roof are three names for the same work, and what decides the price is the area of the roof rather than the number of bedrooms under it. There is a full breakdown of the rate per square metre in the cost guide below, worked out from published figures and shown with the arithmetic.
I strip, replace the membrane and battens, and re-lay. Where the existing tiles are sound and worth saving, I will say so and reuse them, which takes a chunk off the price.
Scaffolding is in the quote, not added afterwards. Anybody proposing to re-roof your house off a ladder should not be on it.
- Tile roofs
- Slate roofs
- Full strip and re-roof
- Battens and membrane
- Dry ridge systems
You probably need this if
Signs worth acting on
- Widespread slipping rather than one or two tiles
- A roof past fifty years old that is being repaired every year
- Battens that crumble when you touch them, visible from the loft
- Sagging along the ridge or between rafters
How I do it
What the job involves
- 1Scaffold and strip
The house is sheeted at the end of every day. It is never left open overnight.
- 2Membrane and battens
Everything underneath is replaced. This is the part that decides whether the roof lasts, and the part you will never see again.
- 3Re-lay, ridge and finish
Dry ridge and dry verge where it suits, so there is no mortar to crack and drop out in five years.
On your street
What you are allowed to put back on a Leeds roof
This is the question that decides the price, and it is a local one. Parts of Headingley Hill, Chapel Allerton, Roundhay and the older village cores out at Adel, Horsforth and Bramhope sit inside Leeds City Council conservation areas, where the material and often the colour of what goes back is constrained. If the house is listed, it is a consent job rather than a choice. Check before you fall in love with a sample.
Outside those areas you usually have a free hand, and the honest advice is normally to match the street rather than the merchant catalogue. A single concrete-tiled roof in a terrace of natural slate stands out from the pavement for the next forty years and does the house no favours when it sells.
Weight matters here more than in most cities because of the stone slate. A genuine Yorkshire stone slate roof is several times heavier than concrete tile, so going back on with stone means the rafters and the wall plate get looked at first, and coming off stone onto something lighter is not a problem structurally but is often not permitted. Either way it is a conversation before the scaffold goes up, not after.
Not sure if that is what you have got?
Send me a photo. I will tell you what I think it is and roughly what it costs, before anyone comes out.
Call 07770 902292New Roofs & Re-Roofing: common questions
How long does a re-roof take?
A typical terrace or semi is three to five days, weather allowing. I sheet up at the end of every day so the house is never left open.
Do I need scaffolding for a new roof?
Yes, and it is included in the quote rather than added later. Anyone re-roofing off a ladder should not be on your roof.
What is a dry ridge system and do I need one?
Mechanically fixed ridge and hip tiles instead of bedding them in mortar. Mortar cracks and drops out within about ten years in this climate; dry ridge does not, and it is what current standards expect on a new roof.
Does a new roof need ventilating?
Yes. Warm damp air from the house has to get out of the roof space or it condenses on the underside of the membrane and drips back onto the ceiling. Vents at the eaves and at the ridge, or vent tiles, go in as part of the job.
How much does a roof repair cost in Leeds?
Most small repairs, a slipped tile or a bit of flashing, land between £150 and £400. A bigger job needs a look first. I quote in writing before anything starts, and the quote is the price.
Do you charge for quotes?
No. I come out, look at the roof properly, and tell you what it needs. If it does not need doing, I will say so.
How quickly can you come out?
For a leak, usually the same day or the next morning. I will get it watertight first and sort the proper repair once the weather allows.
Are you insured?
Yes, fully insured for public liability. Ask to see the certificate and I will send it over before I start.
Where I work
New Roofs & Re-Roofing across Leeds and about 15 miles around it.
Other things I do
Get in touch
Get a free quote from a local roofer.
Tell me what you need and I'll get back to you to arrange a look.