lead parapet gutter replace - £1500 or £3000

[matz]

does anyone know if there is a rough guide for lead parapet gutter replacement per metre or per foot?

I am seeking a price for completely ripping out a wrongly installed 9 month old 14 foot long parapet lead gutter and replacing it with properly stepped lead etc.

Had 2 ballpark figures of £1500 and 2 at £3000. £3K guy told me if anyone quoted under £2K to run a mile. Property is 2 up 2 down 100 yr old terrace with front parapet wall and one drainpipe to outside.

I'm not on a cheapest quote hunting exercise and want it done properly but am confused by the big difference in prices!

its near Bristol

any thoughts?

 

[palaceray]

What do you mean by the gutter was installed wrongly. Is there a backfall or are the bays too long or is the code wrong.

How wide is the gutter, and is the price to include the timberwork and scaffold .

 

[matz]

the entire 14' gutter is installed as a single length with no joins. I've been told it will break down within a year or so due to not being able to expand and contract - if this is incorrect info. it would be good to know! The gutter width at the base is 6" so quite narrow. Dont know what code though...

prices includes scaffold in both cases (one said a tower) but cheaper quotes I suspect will not include major work to timbers beneath. These are ball park quotes..

 

[yorkie1969]

Its difficult to say without seeing a picture, but your leadworker could be able to install some lead expansion joint. This would negate the expense of installing steps and you may be able to use the existing lead if it is code 5.
Note, you will need a leadworker to this work as it would involve lead welding.

Regards, Mark.

 

[palaceray]

It is true that the gutter would split eventually. If the gutter is in a reasonable code, ideally code 5 minimum, the gutter could be cut and sections of expansion joint welded in.
If the gutter is less than code 5 you could have the lead taken out and replaced in code 5 with expansion joint s every 2 meters which would save the time and cost of introducing steps every 2m, also it can eliminate height problems at the parapet or if there are windows above the gutter.

Any steps should be a minimum of 50mm

 

[matz]

yes a couple of roofers I spoke with suggested expansion joints. If done properly, are they reliable? I 'm assuming anyone specialising in leadwork would find this process very straightforward or is it particularly skilled?

 

[yorkie1969]

I have been installing them for 25 years and to this day have not seen one that has failed. Yes, a specialist leadworker should be able to fit them, no problem.

 

[palaceray]

For a leadworker it is straight forward and should easily last 20 years.

 

[matz]

wow some great info here, thanks so much! final question then - should I be allowing around £1500 or £3000 to strip out and replace the leadwork as worst case scenario on a 14' roof with good access bear in mind slate tiles that need removing and re fitting 4 courses I think..

 

[yorkie1969]

Without actually seeing the quote it is hard to say as we do not know what each of them has quoted for exactly.

 

[palaceray]

I would say about £1200 for the leadwork and slating including expansion joints plus the scaffolding.

Or about £900 without expansion joint plus scaffolding and timber works.

 

[matz]

thanks again for the info. A slight developement in that the gutter doesnt have enough slope for a stepped lead gutter so its either new lead with expansion joints or it has been suggested use a rubber gutter product from Firestorm which apparantly can be installed in one peice.

any thoughts on Firestone product?!

 

[jonez]

thanks again for the info. A slight developement in that the gutter doesnt have enough slope for a stepped lead gutter so its either new lead with expansion joints or it has been suggested use a rubber gutter product from Firestorm which apparantly can be installed in one peice.

any thoughts on Firestone product?!

If the existing lead is in good shape other than the lack of joints then the obvious choice is to fit expansion joints to the existing gutter, as Mark has suggested. It takes some skill to do the lead welding but it's a very durable product and would probably be the most cost-effective solution. You can read about the joints here..

http://www.britishlead.co.uk/t-pren-expansion-joints.htm

 

[matz]

trouble is the existing lead goes up behind some render quite low down so we dont know how far up the parapet wall it goes nor how the lead is fitted into the wall behind the render and the lead may be too thin for joints anyway. I guess though if the render was hacked off and lead fixings etc were sound and lead code was ok then expansion joint/s would be ok as you say...and cheaper!

 

[Xenon]

Just put the T Pren in as suggested. Anyone who suggests covering lead with EPDM when its a relatively simple fix anyway, is a cowboy.