Slate roof redone, does this look right?

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Just had the original Welsh slate removed, felt and new battens. The original slate and additional reclaimed slates laid.
Called the roofer back as the eaves didn't look right and a gap is now evident behind barge boards.

Gaps under slates on eaves.
589820-crop.jpg


Gap behind fascia board (that's an old fillet behind the plastic lying on the rafter in the gap)
569846.jpg


Now 'fixed', does this look okay?
f179852.jpg

f189853.jpg

f209854.jpg


Eaves at the other end of the roof.
239834.jpg

199836.jpg


Opinions and advice appreciated.
 
Last edited:
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The roofer described to me a system of plastic verges with the slates laid flat, glued and sealed without the use of mortar.

What I don't understand is how the last 3 slates of the verge are not flat and have gaps that are going to let driven rain and insects in.

Any way of fixing this?
 
If you use google images for continuous dry verge for slate you should get a few images of what it should look like.
Gocell 201 will fill those gaps no problem.
 
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Thanks for the recommendation of squirting some mastic into the gaps. (The roofers "fix" so far has been to trowel some mortar into the edge).

I'm more worried about the fact that the slates do not overlie flat on top of each other and I can clearly see the nails haven't penetrated all the way (last two pics).
 
That's a terrible job. Not just because it's craply done and unfinished, but because by design, water won't be dripping off the verge away from the wall, but will be running down into the wall and into that timber causing longer term damp and rot.
 
if i comment just on the lower few courses. Unless they replaced the fascia and set it at a new higher height the "gaps" were actually beyond their control.
How ever the verge could have been finished in a better way.
The choice of using what appears to be a piece of plastic is a joke. If it's what I think it is then its not fit for purpose
 
The plastic is square downpipe cut lengthwise to form an L angle and siliconed down the eaves. I think I may need the local Building Regs. to take a look. Trade body CoRC suggested I contact Trading Standards.
 
Genius!

Building control wont do jack. Trading standards might help, as long as you have a name and address and there is anyone in the office. And if its a cash job, try the tax office.
 
if i comment just on the lower few courses. Unless they replaced the fascia and set it at a new higher height the "gaps" were actually beyond their control.
How ever the verge could have been finished in a better way.
The choice of using what appears to be a piece of plastic is a joke. If it's what I think it is then its not fit for purpose

I'm certain they didn't move/replace the fascia, as can been seen here the paint is peeling off the old fascia.
fascia-hip-18.36.31.jpg

I removed the new guttering and sanded the paint flat, ready for painting. I didn't take any pictures with the guttering off. Wishing now I had.

The lead and membrane looks a bit messy here also.
 
OK , then the amount kick is governed by what is already there and nothing to do with the slate work.
the verge detailing is very poor as you know.
to me more worrying is the lead hips. It is not dressed to he timber core as it should be, nor is it clipped . strong winds will lift this off with no problem.
Generally the way the slates lay is not shocking so its not a case of stripping and doing again. just the lead works and verge.

Is the house a semi?
 
That brown cut downpipe will ripple loads after a while. Must admit I’ve never seen that before.
 
OK , then the amount kick is governed by what is already there and nothing to do with the slate work.
Every diagram I have viewed seems to show zero kick or a base course and slate above as kicked out (by the fascia board) and courses above this are flat with the remaining slates.
Took a drive round our area to look at other roofs. All the dry verge systems we saw had zero kick, only the old mortar/wet verges had any significant kick out.
diagram from fixmyroof.co.uk;
LaySlatesStarter.jpg

diagram from NCHB section 7.2-Pitched Roof
NCHB-PitchedRoof7.2.jpg

Any idea why we have 3 courses of slates that are kicked up, do these need relaying/re-fixing at the verge?

more worrying is the lead hips. It is not dressed to the timber core as it should be, nor is it clipped.
This is the rest of the lead hip
Lead-roll-mop.jpg
Lead-roll-mop-to-ridge.jpg

Does it need more of a squeeze into the sides of the arris rail like;
LeadHipExample.jpg
from http://www.tmroofing.com/services/roofing/slate-roofs/strip-re-slate-alton/

I'm glad of the reassurance that the general slate laying is okay, we were pleased about that.

The house is an end terrace turned 90°
 
That brown cut downpipe will ripple loads after a while. Must admit I’ve never seen that before.
We found 2 properties in our area with similar looking verges using a plastic strip, these could be proper verge strip or may have been done by the same company.
It already looks slightly rippled, freshly installed. Some of the lead verge strips we looked at, on other houses, the lead has rippled.

Also slightly worried that the plastic doesn't cover up all of the pointing where the old mortar verge was removed.
verge-pointing-more.jpg
 
I'm not sure whether I'd want to be around when that rolled hip lead blows off in the wind, or if it would be an opportunity to weigh in some lead just found in the street.

I like the nails through it as a finishing touch. It shows they care.
 

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