roof questions

[Whitling2k]

Now then!

I'm planning on getting a roofer round to fix a hole or two in our roof.
We've not lived in the house long - and it's a mess of dorma-extensions, original dorma roofs - some flat, some not and a central ridge of tiles. The flat(ish) parts look like bitumen over OSB.

I was thinking of asking the roofer to undertake a condition survey whilst he's up there to identify any likely future issues - a kind of initial assessment!

Are there any standard reports I should ask for?
Any advice on the kind of things I should be looking for?

Cheers

Whitling2k

 

[ree]

There are no standard reports to my knowledge. Ask for pics to substantiate any claims for work required (and, later, if you use this roofer, after action pics of work complete).

You must tell any roofer about what you want doing now and/or in the future.
Dont use them as free surveyors.

Perhaps take pics of the roofs, and post them on here - you might then receive a heads up on what seems outstanding?

You can, of course, use any and all of these forums for any issues ref your renovation project

 

[Whitling2k]

bit of a late reply - but thanks for your comments ree.

Basically - we've been let down by two companies - who didn't even bother telling us they couldn't make it! Seems a common occurrence where I now live...

Luckily one did turn up so it wasn't a wasted day off work - but does mean I've only one opinion.

The leak is caused by the roofing felt having failed on one side - for the majority of it's length. It's become dry and brittle - it's 1970s original so not a big surprise. He's recommended the following tasks:

- strip the three rows of tiles between the flat roof and ridge, the ridge tiles, and one the other side
- replace felt with breathable membrane, over the top and down the other side and rebatten
-replace tiles and reseat ridge tiles - adding some vents (at my request)

£800. It's about 14m length.

Sound reasonable? I have no base for comparison!

Cheers

Whitling2k

 

[ree]

Why was water originally getting under the tile?
Is the pitch too low?
What about the flashing where pitch meets flat roof?
What about any verges or hips?

You would do well to post pics.

 

[Whitling2k]

Hey Ree,

I have added some annotated photos. I can't get up to the roof so this is the best I have got. I have tried to show where the leak is, why I believe the felt has perished and what they are proposing to do.

by the way - the house is the best part of 12m wide - so it's 12m x 3m of felt, three 12m rows of tiles and 12m of ridge tiles to remove and reseat. probably quite small by US standards! but quite wide over here - for us normal plebs anyway

The slightly sloping flat roof is extension, as is the side of the house shown in the first photo. It was a 7m wide bungalow - that was extended with a second floor (the flat roof) and lengthened to 11m.

I think that when the old roof felt was cut and joined to the new flat-ish roof, they didn't make it a taught join - which allowed water to pond on the roof felt, which allowed the roof felt to perish.

The £800 includes materials and labour, as well as installing some air vents near the top, sorting some flashing on the chimney stack and a gap at the edge of the roof (not shown on the photos)

I would have really liked a second opinion, but none of the other contractors (4 local firms called and booked in - only one showed up!) - so anything you could add would be greatly received!

- is the £800 reasonable?
- have I/they diagnosed the problem correctly?
- is the proposed fix suitable and long-lasting?
- can it be patched rather than having the felt replaced?

Untitled

• Whitling2k
• 29 Jul 2014
• 1

Untitled

• Whitling2k
• 29 Jul 2014
• 1

Untitled

• Whitling2k
• 29 Jul 2014
• 1

 

[ree]

Is the fake barge board in PVC? It should be. It could interrupt water falling down the gable, and cause minor brick staining.

The boarding on the flat roof appears to stop short of the pitched roof - there might be a gap (or so it seems from the pics).The pitched roof felt should have covered the flat roof felt - hard to see how it does cover the lower felt.
There should be either flashing or a minor felt upstand at this join - it depends on the pitch and falls. Pics from outside req'd?

The hot bitumen should not have penetrated the boards - period, and definitely not penetrate above the horizontal lay board. It appears to have been a scruffy job, and scruffy work sometimes means careless work.

Before removing ridge tiles etc. it might be best to simply have the join of the two roofs exposed as non-destructively as possible - and then have pics taken of the findings?
But without pics of that external join arrangements its difficult to advise you.

On the face of it, £800 is a fair price - but will it permanently solve the difficulties? Dont be in a rush, get another quote and pics if possible.

 

[Whitling2k]

Is the fake barge board in PVC? It should be. It could interrupt water falling down the gable, and cause minor brick staining.

yeah - it's PVC. ugly little thing... would be nice if it happened to fall off...

The boarding on the flat roof appears to stop short of the pitched roof - there might be a gap (or so it seems from the pics).The pitched roof felt should have covered the flat roof felt - hard to see how it does cover the lower felt.
There should be either flashing or a minor felt upstand at this join - it depends on the pitch and falls. Pics from outside req'd?

The hot bitumen should not have penetrated the boards - period, and definitely not penetrate above the horizontal lay board. It appears to have been a scruffy job, and scruffy work sometimes means careless work.

more than likely - other renovations I have made have revealed some shockingly lazy shortcuts. I had to pull all the plasterboard of an internal stud wall and replace it & reskim it because it was so weak and had not been sealed before painting - you could flex the wall with your little finger, the pain had mostly worked loose and the skirtings had been nailed through plasterboard - i.e. they were all loose. not to mention the 1-2 cm gaps around all the architrave, bits of wood snapped instead of sawn... I'll stop there [deep breath lol]

But seriously - in the absence of a photo, I have drawn a cross section of how it is set-up and what's been proposed if it's any use.[/quote]

Before removing ridge tiles etc. it might be best to simply have the join of the two roofs exposed as non-destructively as possible - and then have pics taken of the findings?
But without pics of that external join arrangements its difficult to advise you.

I would like to do that - but haven't got the ladders to get up there or the experience to start lifting tiles... you'd end up having to explain step-by-step how I would need to reseat tiles in the pouring rain! hehe!

On the face of it, £800 is a fair price - but will it permanently solve the difficulties? Dont be in a rush, get another quote and pics if possible.

I've managed to get someone else to say they will come round... but we'll see if they turn up!

Thanks again for your help - I'll keep you informed

 

[Whitling2k]

hey Ree,

Sorry for delay in responding - plasterer came a day early - and had to finish off study/dining room renovation so it was all ready for him to crack on!

The other company did turn up and quoted about 1/3 of the price - explaining that price was to fix - not improve.

Other than the price difference - they were very similar recommendations:

lift two rows of tiles, replace felt and battens (with tanalised timber) reseat tiles.

The difference being that they would not lift all three tiles and the ridge - instead lifting just two, replacing only one line of felt (the one that's perished) and only replacing the original 1970s felt, not the entire 14m length (but with an overlap of course)

I'm probably going to go with these guys - for now I want to spend less on the roof; Both roofers have said there's up to 10 years left in the flat roof; so in the next 10-15, I'll replace the flat roof with ... rubber or fibreglass?

Cheers

whitling2k