Roof valley repair/replacement cost

[mattjgalloway]

Looking for some advice.

I have a leaking roof valley. Had a couple of people to look at it. Both think it's not too serious, but essentially in heavy rain water is getting in around a couple of the valley tiles. The felt underneath has rotted away so it's likely gone on for a long time.

I've attached a photo showing the problem valley.

So far I've had the following quotes:

1) £500 patch up. Builder 1.
2) £675 patch up. Roofer 1. (Includes scaffold)
3) £1550 replacement lead valley, single. Roofer 1. (Includes scaffold)
4) £900 replacement lead valley, single. Roofer 2. (Includes scaffold)
5) £1400 replacement lead valley, double. Roofer 2. (Includes scaffold)
6) £1750 replacement lead valley, double + rebedding ridge tiles. Roofer 2. (Includes scaffold)
7) £950 replacement lead valley, double. Roofer 3. (No scaffold)

There's quite a big difference here. Roofer 1 is the person I trust the most, but he's way more than the others. Roofer 2 and 3 are essentially the same, except Roofer 3 is saying no scaffold needed. I'm not too happy with that though. Everyone else wants scaffolding and it's a usual 2 storey building, so quite high up!

Any thoughts / advice much appreciated!

 

[vinn]

Allowing that we dont know what the access to the valley is then:

Its time to replace all the valley tiles with a lead valley or some other arrangement.
Tiles on either side of the valley will have to be lifted - and the valley is very close to the panels so care will be needed. Note that panel fixings can be a source of leaks.
New felt will be needed and perhaps new battens/valley boards (due to possible rot).
Where the valley discharges into the gutter will need attention - there are water stains below the soffit.
Likewise a lead saddle is needed where the outrigger ridge meets the main roof (the final ridge tile is cocked).
Lower course left, another tile is cocked.

The ridge tiles - needing attention - on either roof will have to be dealt with before the valley.

 

[mattjgalloway]

@vinn - thanks for the very detailed reply.

When you say the ridge tiles need attention, what do you think needs doing? This came up on or survey so it's not a surprise. But roofer 1, the expensive one, who I trust the most, seems to think they're fine. He says they're secret bedding so you shouldn't see the concrete line? But I don't know anything about this so can you help me understand?

Thank you - I appreciate the advice and help!

 

[mattjgalloway]

Ask for access, you can easily get up to that part of the roof on ladders. Similarly easy to erect scaffolding to that level. It's straight down to ground level from where the valley meets the gutter.

 

[vinn]

You dont need scaffold - a tied-in tower will do.
A roof ladder or a Custom hooks with a DIY ladder will do on the roof.
The ridges will have to be inspected close up on site, any doubts then they come off, are cleaned off, and are re-bed.

 

[^woody^]

You've got valley tiles there, and the most likely cause of a leak is a broken valley tile, which is difficult to do - ie not a simple repair.

CDM regulations require that suitable access is used. A ladder is not suitable. The client homeowner is now responsible for safety under CDM.

 

[KenGMac]

mattjgalloway, Hi.

On the digital image provided, there is a lot of debris lying in the gutter, is that material Moss?

If so suggest you have the moss removed, a far simpler task than ripping out the tiled gutter.

As an aside i survey hundreds of roofs up here in Scotland where Moss is a clear and present causation of rain water ingress into loft spaces, especially on the surface of a roof that is not subjected to direct sun light.

Suggest you also have a look at gutter liners. these devices negate the need to strip out the valley tiles ?

Ken.

 

[mattjgalloway]

On the digital image provided, there is a lot of debris lying in the gutter, is that material Moss?
If so suggest you have the moss removed, a far simpler task than ripping out the tiled gutter.

I believe it is largely moss yes. But I'm also sure that the valley tiles are either broken or there's gaps around the side where water is getting in. All the people who have come have said this.

Can anyone offer any advice on the quotes I've had? The thing that's confusing me is the vastly different prices. What *should* I be paying for a replacement valley? Including scaffolding that is - as I'm sure that it needs scaffolding to be safe. Can anyone help here?

 

[vinn]

OP,
Gutter liner wont work on your in-situ valley. Do the job properly - do it once.
Plus you report probable historical damage, much of which might not be seen unless the valley was stripped.

Scaffolding is not needed.

Suggest that you stick with my advice above.

 

[^woody^]

Repairing a valley is a big job. It's not just the tiles, but refelting beneath it and to the sides of it.

All that stuff needs to come off, and blokes need space to work.

Anyone balancing off a ladder is a chancer, and you don't what chancers working on a valley.

A quote of £1.5k is more realistic than one of £500.

 

[vinn]

Are you talking to me or the OP?

 

[^woody^]

Are you talking to me or the OP?

It's a public post.

 

[chappers]

many years ago I would have probably hopped up there off of a ladder, in fact I have stripped and re-roofed more than a couple of roofs off of ladders and done even more stupid things besides. But not now I don't need the work that much to risk my life. The very least I would want is a tower for that.
Would you expect the roofer to risk his life to fix your roof in order to save you a few quid?

 

[^woody^]

The point is, the OP will be responsible for the safety of anyone doing that work.

It's a strict criminal and personal liability too, and will not be covered by any insurance. It's got nothing to do with anyone that is young/heroic/foolish/needs the work.

 

[chappers]

But that's not how it works. if a domestic client appoints a single contractor then that contractor takes on the clients duties under CMD2015 and if they say employed a builder to build them an extension and the builder was responsible for organising and sourcing subcontractors, then the builder as the main contractor would take on the clients duties.
However if the domestic client takes on the responsibility of organising all the trades as the main contractor then he would be responsible under CMD2015.