When a roof in Hunstanton needs attention, knowing what a proper repair looks like - from the first inspection to the final clean-up - helps you judge whether the work has been done right.
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Fakenham Roofers carry out roof repairs across Hunstanton and the surrounding area. A good repair is not just about putting new materials on the roof - it is about understanding what caused the failure, fixing the cause, and leaving the roof in better condition than you found it. This page walks through every stage of a typical repair job so you know what to expect.
A proper inspection starts before anyone gets on the roof. From ground level, with binoculars if needed, a roofer should be able to identify obvious slipped or missing tiles, lifted ridge sections, damaged chimney stacks, and any visible lead or flashing problems. This first look also shows whether scaffold will be needed for safe access, or whether a ladder and roof ladder will be appropriate for a small localised repair.
Once on the roof, the inspection covers the full slope - not just the area immediately around the obvious damage. A tile that has slipped is easy to spot. The reason it slipped - a corroded nail, a cracked batten, a section of the sarking felt that has perished - takes a closer look. Diagnosing the cause at this stage is what separates a repair that lasts from one that fails again by the following winter.
Access determines the quality and safety of the work. For a straightforward single tile replacement on an accessible slope, a ladder and a roof ladder (a hooked ladder that lies flat against the tiles) is standard. For ridge work, chimney repairs, or anything covering a larger area, scaffold gives a proper working platform and is the only safe option.
Any roofer unwilling to discuss access method before starting work is worth questioning. Working from ladders alone on anything beyond the simplest repair creates pressure to work quickly, which leads to corners being cut.
On a slated roof, each slate is fixed with two iron nails through the head. To remove a damaged slate without disturbing the surrounding ones, a tool called a slate ripper is slid beneath the slate to cut or hook the nails free. This lets the slate slide out cleanly. Trying to prize a slate out without cutting the nails risks cracking the slates above and below it.
On a tiled roof, most interlocking concrete tiles simply lift from a nibs and batten fixing - no specialist tool needed, but they can be heavy and awkward on a steep pitch. Plain clay tiles are fixed with a nail through one hole, so the same ripping approach as slate may be needed. The batten beneath should be checked at this point for rot or cracking, particularly on older roofs.
For ridge and hip tile removal, the mortar bedding is broken back with a bolster chisel. Any mortar debris that falls to the roof slope should be collected rather than swept off, to avoid blocking gutters or landing on anyone below.
Once the damaged tile or section is removed, the underlayer gets a proper look. On roofs built before the mid-1970s, the underlay is typically a bitumen-impregnated felt that becomes brittle with age. If the felt is cracked, split or has holes, it will not perform as a secondary barrier against driven rain. Small tears can be patched, but if the felt is generally degraded across a wide area, a more substantial repair - or a conversation about whether re-roofing makes more sense - is the honest next step.
On newer roofs, breathable roofing membrane is used instead of traditional felt. It allows moisture vapour from inside the house to escape while preventing rain ingress. It is generally longer-lived than traditional felt and easier to inspect, as it does not become brittle in the same way.
The timber battens are also checked at this stage. A batten that is soft, splitting or no longer holding fixings properly should be replaced rather than re-used. Using a failed batten as the fixing point for a new tile is a repair that will not hold.
Matching the replacement material to the existing roof is important. On a concrete interlocking tile roof, the profile and colour should match as closely as possible - an exact match is often impossible on an older roof due to weathering, but a reasonable colour match avoids an obvious patchwork appearance. On a natural slate roof, the replacement slate should be the same thickness and origin as the existing slates where possible - mixing Welsh and Spanish slate on the same slope is visible and the different expansion rates can cause problems over time.
Slates are fixed with copper or stainless steel nails or clips - not iron, which corrodes. A single replacement slate on a plain-lap roof is fixed using a copper strip (called a tingle or clip) nailed to the batten and bent up to hold the tail of the new slate. This is standard practice and holds the slate securely without disturbing those around it.
New ridge tiles, where mortar is being used, should be bedded in a flexible sand and cement mix, not a rigid 1:3 mix that will crack as soon as the ridge moves. Where dry-fix is the chosen system, the aluminium fixing batten is installed first, then the ridge tile clips over it with a foam seal at the junction. This is the current standard on new-build and re-roofing work.
Any flashing work - around chimneys, skylights, abutment walls or in the valleys - follows a specific sequence. Old lead or failed sealant is removed first. The surface beneath is cleaned and checked. A new piece of lead is cut to size, dressed (shaped by gentle working with a dresser tool) to fit the profile of the tile or brick, and then fixed in place. At chimneys, the top edge of the lead is tucked into a chase cut into the mortar joint, then pointed over with fresh mortar or secured with a lead wedge. Simply tucking lead behind existing mortar without fixing it is a temporary measure - it will pull out in frost.
Lead used for chimney flashings should be Code 4 as a minimum. For wide valleys or exposed positions, Code 5 is more appropriate.
While on site, a check of the soffits, fascias and gutters takes a few minutes and can prevent separate problems developing. Rotting timber fascias are a common cause of gutters pulling away from the roof, which leads to water running down the wall face and damp at the eaves. UPVC fascia and soffit replacement removes the need for ongoing painting and prevents water ingress at the eaves line. Gutter joints and brackets should also be checked at this stage - a blocked or leaking gutter can soak the fascia behind it and cause the very rot it appears to have been installed to prevent.
Any repair that involves the loft space is a sensible time to check loft insulation. The current recommended level is 270mm of mineral wool insulation across the joists. If existing insulation is thin, wet, or missing in patches, it is worth sorting at the same time. Wet insulation from a historical leak will not recover its thermal performance when it dries - it needs to be replaced. Doing this alongside the roof repair avoids a return visit and means the loft is properly sorted in one go.
Where a chimney stack is no longer in use, the repair visit is a natural time to discuss whether it should come down entirely. Removing a redundant stack to the roof line and re-tiling the area eliminates the flashing, pointing, and cap maintenance that the chimney would otherwise need every few years. It also removes the most common source of persistent roof leaks on older properties. A chimney removal typically costs £800-£1,500 for a domestic stack, depending on its size and the access arrangements already in place.
The clear-up is part of the job. Broken tiles and old mortar debris should be bagged and removed from site. Lead off-cuts should not be left in the gutter or on the ground - they have scrap value and should leave with the roofer. The roof slope should be free of loose grit and debris before the scaffold or ladder comes down. A quick check of the gutters confirms nothing has been swept in during the work.
Fakenham Roofers cover Hunstanton and nearby places including Heacham, Dersingham, Fakenham and the surrounding area. Call us to arrange a roof survey and a proper diagnosis before any repair work begins.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
