Quote check slate replacement repairs / wet to dry ridge conversion

[chaoticj]

Hi,

My property needs some roof repairs but none of it is particularly DIY friendly so I've got a couple of quotes with massive variance. Just wondering what is reasonable?

We have '4 roofs' all pitched - it's a Victorian end terrace. The front and side is a gable end where the edge is probably around 20ft from the ground with the apex being around 30ft it's a very steep pitch as each has a room inside.

The back is a gable end where the edge is around 10ft from the ground and apex around 20ft there is a loft space but no room so less steep pitch. Finally the side has modern single storey extension with concrete tiles.

There are some slates loose and missing on one corner of the front roof. Apparently it's because the fascia board has no capping on this side, so the wind has lifted them. There's also a slate missing higher up and on the other side one missing from under the ridge tiles.

The front bay window lead flashing has pulled out on one side. The first floor bay window has a very slow leak to the lead capping in very specific weather - driving rain or snow. Looks like it's been a problem for years.

The middle roof has a slate or two missing.

The back roof has a slate missing from under the ridge tiles, two of which have no pointing around them - unsure if they are loose or not. The fascia board also has no capping on one side either.

The modern single storey extension has a 'wet ridge' to the gable end which is all cracked with gaps etc. and would be good to convert to a 'dry ridge' instead. The length of the 'wet ridge' is probably about 6m in total with a little bit extra at the front either side of a small porch area.

The first quote I've had is from a recommended roofer - £2,800 with scaffolding to the front, no breakdown of costs. Will repair the main area of loose slates at the front and fix new UPVC capping to whole fascia, refix lead to bay window, says first floor bay window probably just come movement and needs sealing. Will convert wet to dry ridge.

Said the back probably didn't need scaffolding but when I asked about this seemed reluctant. Nothing in writing just given the price over phone.

The second quote found the roofer online - had lots of good reviews and member of a roofing organisation - £11,800 which I honestly thought was for a full reroof of the front roof! It's for scaffolding the front and part of the side, everything has been put in writing but no breakdown of costs, repairing all the loose slates, new UPVC fascia board, full reroof of bay window and pointing etc. chimney stack (says it may as well be done at the same time - although I don't see any issues with it).

Doesn't include conversion of wet to dry ridge.

Makes the first quote seem really cheap! Just wondering what is a fair price to pay?

Thanks in advance, chaoticj.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Hi, if it's possible for you to post some pics showing the areas to be repaired that'll help those in the know to provide advice.

I'd advise never to give anyone the go ahead based purely on a verbal quote. Ideally, ask for a written quote on their business headed paper. And your entitled to ask for at least some breakdown as opposed to a one liner catch-all description. And given this isn't just a small job, try to get 3 x quotes from reputable roofers. Although its not full-proof, does your local council operate a 'trusted trader' website? These include traders that have been vetted to at least some extent.

 

[Coopa]

There is No way that’s nearly £ 12,000 worth of work

 

[chaoticj]

Hi,

Here are some pictures (it won't let me add them to the original post, sorry):

"There are some slates loose and missing on one corner of the front roof. Apparently it's because the fascia board has no capping on this side, so the wind has lifted them (all below). There's also a slate missing higher up and on the other side one missing from under the ridge tiles.":

"The front bay window lead flashing (below) has pulled out on one side. The first floor bay window (above) has a very slow leak to the lead capping in very specific weather - driving rain or snow. Looks like it's been a problem for years." noticed on the above there's also a line of lead flashing above the bay. Would that suggest it could be coming from the cavity somehow?:

'The middle roof has a slate or two missing (below):'

'The back roof has a slate missing from under the ridge tiles, two of which have no pointing around them - unsure if they are loose or not. The fascia board also has no capping on one side either.':

'The modern single storey extension has a 'wet ridge' to the gable end which is all cracked with gaps etc. and would be good to convert to a 'dry ridge' instead. The length of the 'wet ridge' is probably about 6m in total with a little bit extra at the front either side of a small porch area':

A roofer knocked on the door on Sunday to tell us we had a hole in the roof. Said they were working at a neighbours - next block up and would we like a quote.

They came back a few minutes later and quoted excluding wet to dry ridge conversion.. for £750 they would do everything even clean out the gutters. They went up on ladders to look at the front and the back. Said at the front there were about 10 slates and something about felt laid on ply which was rotten. Needed a capping/slate protector. Reckoned in total about 20-odd slates need sorting out.

I took their number after they said soonest they could start was.. that afternoon. They have more 1 star bad reviews than good reviews.. saying cowboys.. paid for repairs and still leaked etc. knock on OAP doors looking for work. But they seemed to know what they were talking about actually. Said they could go up the front without scaffolding as they had harnesses.

It was really tempting but could be £750 down the drain? Just want to pay a fair price for a good job! No way you will catch me up there! Maybe I should call spiderman?

Thanks for your help,
chaoticj

 

[diy_fun_uk]

From what you've typed, you already know the 'roofers' that offered to do it all bar wet ridge for £750 are most likely not to be trusted, so why were you even tempted? Could possibly leave you with more issues to resolve than you currently have.

Don't take this the wrong way, it's not rocket science I know it can sometimes be difficult to get tradespeople out to quote and sometimes the quotes themselves can make us go 'how much?!?' However the best thing you can do is as per my previous advice. 2-3 quotes from reputable roofers, on their letter-headed paper, broken down to at least some extent. Don't mention someone quoting £750, don't mention someone quoting £12k. Just get them to quote. If they ask 'have you had other quotes?' just say 'no' or 'not yet.' Then, once quotes received, make your decision from there.

If you chase the cheapest, and especially if you engage with tradespeople that possibly don't have that skillset (I'm being polite), you run the risk of causing more issues that'll cost more £££ to rectify.

All the best with it.

 

[datarebal]

Avoid door knockers

 

[chaoticj]

Hello,

Appreciate what you're saying @diy_fun_uk it is really, really difficult to be honest..

I found someone local on 'Nextdoor' offering advice and quotes. They have reviews on 'Bark'. Sent messages, texts and never turned up to quote - left voicemail no reply.

Rang a firm run by my cousins son's friend - left voicemail message and they never got back to me.

Put job online and 3 trades interested, one zero feedback so declined them, another roofing firm few feedback with Facebook presence and another building firm with more feedback.

Exchanged details, didn't turn up but advised and apologised. Came next day, quoted £2,200.. sole trader, no VAT, 5 year guarantee, all sounded good, pics of their work look good. But then I found a news article on the guy and he is disqualified due to drug driving. Reads like a clip from Police Camera Action. Would you use them?

The builder firm I messaged and no reply. Will give them a ring.

Had another door knocker, text to ask if they had a website.. rang me and said no but they want to come and quote? Not sure why I am having them come as zero details on them online?

Frustrated isn't the word! I'm cautious to use anyone without a recommendation having been previously burned on an expensive roofing job at my last property with 10 year guarantee that still leaked, after many calls turned out they subcontracted the job and were no longer trading.

Cheers.

 

[Nige F]

I am sorry for you. The door knocker has to be the lowest life. The rest are unknown. Maybe if you have a roofing supplies yard they may recommend someone. Co insedentally we have had 4 different roofing jobs on our estate. Ranging from a well establish and respected firm to a cheap gang of geezers. I know 3 of them from the best to next to worst, and that's our "Mr. Big" with a fleet of sign written vans etc. Big house etc. Just uses subbies and relies on getting ones who know what they are doing - some don't though.

 

[chaoticj]

Hi,

Went with the builder firm at £2,400 materials, access and labour. They did loose/missing slates, loose ridge tiles etc. on main roofs using cat ladders and new dry verge in one long day with maybe 4/5 of them working. Looks like a decent job?

The patch to slates and slate capping on right hand side at the front decided they needed scaffolding for safety reasons, paid £1,200 for the work already carried out with remaining £1,200 on completion. Took a while to get the scaffolder over as they're very busy - everyone is having work done.

After the scaffolder had been I mentioned some fascia at front on right hand side was rotten at the end (it's hard to see because it's dark under the eaves and painted black - maybe it's gone like this because of the missing slates above?) and on left hand side some slate capping and the other piece of wood (not the fascia, the one that sits at the top, front side of fascia) also rotten.

I thought it could make sense to have this fixed at the same time. I'm told this is labour intensive as the gutter has to come off, old fascia removed, new fascia added and gutter put back on, it also needs a 'return piece' on the scaffolding at the right hand side because it's above the neighbours bay window and more scaffolding on the left hand side for the missing wood there. The actual pieces of wood involved are pretty short.

So had to wait for the scaffolder to come around again to give the builder a price so they could then price me for the extra work.

It will be £800 extra how does this sound?

Seems a little more than I was expecting? If I didn't have it done presumably more damage could happen either to the ends of the wood supporting the roof or the gutter eventually falling off?

Thank you!

 

[chaoticj]

Hi,

I went ahead with the extra work, if I post some pictures of the work could someone advise if it looks OK? I would really appreciate it.

Thank you,
chaoticj