How long can I wait for a tradesman to fix leak

[Sef1928172]

Hi all,

I have a leaking roof, around the flashing on one side. It is letting some water in which is making the nearest rafter very wet. I am inquiring with trades but all seem very busy. My question is, will the roof be ok if i have to wait a while for a tradesperson to become available, or do I need to get the first available to rectify ASAP?

I noticed the leak just before new year, but it could have been there since around christmas. None of the joists or insulation seem wet. It is just the one rafter.

Also, When it comes to replacing the flashing and felt along the firewall where this leak occurs, would you expect this to require scaffolding. I have had one person say he is happy to do it via a ladder and by climbing on the pitched roof directly (moving some tiles to create foot holds). The person seems confident, but seems a bit risky to me, so wondering what the collective wisdom is here?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[catlad]

Sounds like he's done it before so leave him to it.

 

[Dereekoo]

It ain't going to rot and collapse in a couple of weeks or months even, so no drastic rush

 

[StephenStephen]

Our record for waiting for a roof repair was about 14 months before we gave up and hired someone else - which reminds me - I can go and get those cat litter trays out of the loft now...

 

[johnny2007]

In my experience I have to say that roofers are the most difficult to find and most of them are not real roofers, just conmen taking money without fixing anything.
One of my elderly customers had a cracked tile, just the one, no leak.
He asked me if I could find someone to go up there and replace the tile.
I couldn't do it because I was recovering after an operation.
I contacted a dozen "roofers" some recommended, some off local ads.
Half of them didn't show up.
3 of them asked for pictures and said they needed special scaffolding.
Quotes were £4k, 4.5k and an eye watering £7.5k.
One of them showed up in a Bentley and said the roof needed redoing @ £20k.
Another one showed up and said those tiles were impossible to find, so it was going to be a retiling job @£3.5k.
Another said he needed to access the roof from inside the loft extension, break plaster, insulation and breathing membrane, a BIG JOB; he didn't say how much it would cost.
As it wasn't leaking and it was summer, I told the old fella to wait until I was ok to go up there.
A few days later I was around the area and saw 2 guys repairing a chimney off a cat ladder.
I asked them if they could have a look.
The old fella had bought a pack of those tiles, and those guys showed up, went up the ladder, replaced the tile and didn't charge anything because it only took a few minutes.
The old fella insisted in giving them at least £20 and eventually he had to throw it in their van for them to take it.
Roofers!

 

[big-all]

A few days later I was around the area and saw 2 guys repairing a chimney off a cat ladder.
I asked them if they could have a look.
The old fella had bought a pack of those tiles, and those guys showed up, went up the ladder, replaced the tile and didn't charge anything because it only took a few minutes.
The old fella insisted in giving them at least £20 and eventually he had to throw it in their van for them to take it.
Roofers!

a nice nice attitude how it should be not everything is pure profit philanthropy and compassion can be far more rewarding than the need to boost pointless trinkets and material bling in your life