Advice on slate roofing problem please guys?

[and1c]

ok. So Ive got an offshot front room and the roof is leaking around one of the windows at the side...
not huge amounts of water but its coming in above the window *somewhere* and trickling down.
Now the room is plastered all round with no access hatch into the roofspace so I am having to make my decision based on the outside of the roof. There is no visible (or smellable!) damp problem in the room..
I cannot see the underlayment of course...

Now Ive re roofed with tiles and slate before, but I am in a quandry as to what to do with this one (the slates on it)

heres a few pics of the roof in question.

and the crowning glory

The slates are structurally in good strong condition with no sign of breakdown or crumbling, however there is a lot of broken slates and plenty of moss covering...
Also, to the left hand side of the roof (the end furthest from the house) the tiles have all dropped and are now covering the rotting wooden guttering
battens seem to be in reasonable order from the ones I have inspected..Flashing is not too bad.
But there is a lack of headlap in certain areas and I do not like or trust the nail hole placement in some of the tiles (no countersinking)

and check out that mortar!

With these factors...

What would some of you roofers/builders do with this roof?
I am thinking to scrap the old tiles, (just under 1.5 square) and fit new , and check/repair battens as required or if its worse than I thought, re board it completely, felt the roof board deck with 30lb felt....
Use quality roofing nails....and roof jacks to get safe access.

Would anyone here try and chemical treat the tiles, remove them > clean and reuse what they could and replace what they couldnt?

Advice and suggestions on the best way to tackle this (or how you would tackle this more accurately) are appreciated. thanks

 

[masona]

what would some of you roofers/builders do with this roof?

Strip it all off, then felt and new roof tiles although your roof is repairable

 

[noseall]

strip the lot and sling them. i'm not a fan of slate roof's anyhow. beef up the rafters and fit some marley moderns, not particularly good looking but infinitely more practical.

 

[and1c]

Thanks guys.

masona - I agree, the roof is indeed repairable with quite a lot of labour cleaning the tiles and so on. Works out cheaper to buy new tiles by my calcs

noseall - Im into the slinging bit and I agree something like Marley Moderns would be less work....
But Im under orders that the tiles have to be in keeping with the rest of the house and local area so it has to be slate

and Im a big fan of proper slate because if it is laid properly and a good quality slate, it should last for many decades!

 

[marshman]

you might find the water is running in on the flashing as it appears to be under the slate and not over.
bet there is no soakers.

 

[and1c]

you might find the water is running in on the flashing as it appears to be under the slate and not over.
bet there is no soakers.

indeed the flashing is running under the slates marshman...
Im guessing from where a previous botch repair has been done?
However the leak is apparently above the second window away from the gable end in the bottom picture.

It also confuses the issue because so many tiles have slipped and are broken, however a cheap and successful repair on this like replacing the flashing would be nice...
(but unlikely!)

I think your right that there is no soakers!!

 

[diyisfree]

Think you will find the reason the slates have slipped is down to the nails having rusted away.I would strip roof, felt & baton and then re use the slates replacing any damaged ones.

I like slates especially on older property. Also looking at that picture, i assume the other side of that roof is on the adjacent property ? Is it a outbuilding with a dividing wall internally ?

Think its time you had words with your neighbour and thought about doing it in one hit. Unless he has already done his side.