do i really need a new roof?

[larco]

I've had some roofing work done to my roof (chimney removal) and i was satisifed with the work.
However the roofer told me i need a new roof and i would be throwing bad money at it if i did any more repairs to it in the future.

He reckons the felt is keeping the water out and it is now disintegrating and the battens are rotten.

I dobn't have water coming in, i've stuck my fingers through the felt gaps and can't feel any water, just grease and dirt.
I've had a look with a torch through the felt gaps and cannot see water ingress.
i've been in loft during heavy rain and no leak is apparent. I have a condensation issue which i am trying to address.

Do I really need new roof?

Opinions would be appreciated.

Please see pics

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj111/rickb_2008/100_9557.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj111/rickb_2008/100_9655.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj111/rickb_2008/100_9656.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj111/rickb_2008/100_9657.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj111/rickb_2008/100_9658.jpg

 

[Mw Roofline]

Well i'm not a roofer (just fascias and soffits) but I don't think u need a new roof, if anything you need some decent ventilation. As long as the laths are not like Weetabix, I reckon u got years of life left in that

See what the experts say...

 

[Xenon]

The roof is fine, its not that old relatively speaking. Ventilation needs addressing though.

 

[Alastairreid]

i agree, the roof has plenty of life left in it...install soffit vents, inexpensive and simple to fit.

 

[cjard]

My girl had a rosemary tile roof that didn't let any water in, anywhere, but had some slipped tiles and had been patched in years gone by. The flashing around the chimney was leaking and it still had a chimney pot that should have been capped off to prevent water ingress but overall I (not a builder, but mechanically capable), my brother and father (both builders) reckoned that it was fine.. Just a little better flashing around the chimney needed. That it was 60 years old, had no felt and didn't leak was enough of a statement for us (acknowledging that felt is not there to stop water).

Apparently every roofer and builder that had ever seen it had said "ooh you need a new one" and done things like brought old tiles down and crumbled them/snapped them with bare hands to prove their point. Yes, it looked a mess because most of the old sand/lime torching was dropping off and some tiles probably would break if abused; they were around 60 years old.. As to what actually happened, you can read about in the multi-page thread "Roofing techniques question" but in summary, I really wish I'd worked harder to convince the girlie to leave her rosemary roof in place

Remember that there's a "credit crunch christmas" (yawn) and what better way to drum up business than to take a minor problem and blow it up into a "whole new roof" in a time where people only want to part with cash for the essential things

 

[SurreyRoofingEstimator]

Yup, looks absolutely fine, the felt looks to be in good order too. It's about a £3500.00 job to renew and you wouldn't gain anything from it but a couple of hundred quid to put in some vents should sort the condensation somewhat.

 

[larco]

thanks for all the replies.

I thought the roof did not need replacing.

I've already fallen for this trick once, having been told i needed a rewire when there was no need. At the time I did not know much about wiring or regs so i fell for it. A few extra sockets upstairs and a new CU with revised earthing and tails would have done as all existing wiring was twin+ earth with cpc etc etc.

I don't think its fair for people telling customers that they need a new roof when one isn't needed. Credit crunch is not an excuse, they are as bad as those Npower salesmen that sell dodgy contracts to customers, all imho.
It is a shame that these people give other traders a bad name.