re-roofing dormers: lead, or felt and slates?

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When re-roofing barrel-roofed dormers, how does lead all-over compare with felt tops and slate cheeks from the point of view of life-expectancy/durability?
 
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What is going on the roof? If it was me I'd do the whole thing in either zinc or copper depending on budget, they look the part and will last forever.

I could give you a quote if you're interested?
 
We've settled on a roofer, thanks, to recover our Victorian slate roof and zinc dormers. He's offered 2 options for the dormers: lead or felt +slates, saying that zinc is a dying art. Lead is more expensive and I just wasn't sure about the relative merits of lead v felt and slates.
 
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Lead is by far the best option, but beware of the common roofer who thinks he knows how to lay lead!

Ask your roofer for his lead sheet association city & guilds before letting him near it, a barrel dormer is a tad more technical than a bit of flashing!
 
I beg to differ. Lead will be banned in less than 10 years. It's a dirty material like asbestos, people die from lead poisoning. The rain running off a lead roof contaminates the ground and gets into the food chain and our water supply that's why it's banned in France there was a bid study on it a few years ago.
Hard metals are the way forward, you can do everything the same as lead but in an environmentally friendly way.
Surely a copper roof is a million times better than a lead one?
 
In defence of lead:
It will not be banned in less than 10 years.
It would be the best and most traditional option for this detail.
It is relatively clean and eco-friendly compared with most other alternatives (especially man-made products such as ubiflex)
The lead and other natural minerals all ready in the ground far, far, outweigh any potential water contamination by run-off from roofs, this is a not an issue.
People do not die from lead poisoning in any 'normal' circumstances, ie working with it in the traditional and appropriate way.
Hard metal roofs are good too and have their place, but I would have thought far more people end up in hospital per year as a result of cuts from hard metals than any effects from lead poisoning.
 
Let me explain, I'm not against lead as most hard metal workers started with lead and have moved on to hard metals. I'm merely passing on the information I've received from the powers that be. I still don't understand why everyone is so against hard metals??
When a lead roof on a church is stolen 5 times in 4 years and the insurance won't pay out would you honestly still opt for lead? Surely zinc is the answer?
I just want to promote hard metals as the best alternative to lead and rubber roofs.
 

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