Roof Sag

[pws2000]

I'm looking at buying an Edwardian terrace house but the roof appears to be sagging at the rear. The house has not been very well maintained but the roof doesn't seem too bad apart from the sag and the rotten cast iron gutters. The neighboring houses seem ok too. It has a tiled pitched roof which is lined. What could be the cause and solutions and cost!!??

Thanks
Paul

 

[big-all]

heeellloo pws2000 and welcome

one of the main causes of sagging roofs is changing original slate for concrete tiles without beefing up the roof to take the extra weight as concrete weights about 3 times as much

the usual way is a huge bit of timber about 10" by 2" crossing the back of all the rafters between the walls with diagonals transferring some off the load to another internal wall

 

[pws2000]

thanks for the speedy reply.

So no new roof needed then!!

It doesn't sound like tooo big a job. I guess if I budget about a grand to sort it out then that would be enough?

ta

 

[big-all]

thanks for the speedy reply.

So no new roof needed then!!

It doesn't sound like tooo big a job. I guess if I budget about a grand to sort it out then that would be enough?

ta

eeeeehhh not quite the new roof may be nearing the end off its life

it could of course be something else !!!!!!!

best get a builder to have a look and quote for the job

will probably require gradually removing load [tiles]to allow the roof to take a more normal shape
then adding extra support

i would wat for a few more opinions before getting excited

you can of course use this as a barganing tool

 

[masona]

So no new roof needed then!!

Unless the wallplate is pushing outward or the purlin centre joint is moving, can you take a photo where the problem is?

 

[pws2000]

mmm

I think I'm going to put an offer in based on the roof being checked out by a roofer (though might be tricky getting one round for free on a place I don't own).

I'll try and get another viewing and take some pics this week.

ta

 

[big-all]

mmm

I think I'm going to put an offer in based on the roof being checked out by a roofer (though might be tricky getting one round for free on a place I don't own).

I'll try and get another viewing and take some pics this week.

ta

well you can ask the householder to do this for you as a condition of sale

buuuttt

if the house is a bargain or you realy want the house i would go for a full survey as this will show up any major problems and possibly less "friction" as the seller will expect you to have a survey but not nessiserily scury around getting quotes

and dont forget the "problems" may have already been factored into the price

 

[masona]

mmm

I think I'm going to put an offer in based on the roof being checked out by a roofer (though might be tricky getting one round for free on a place I don't own).

A carpenter should be able to help you out

 

[^woody^]

I would not get it looked at by a roofer, carpenter builder or any other tradesperson.

You need a professional opinion and a tradesperson is going to give you one answer and a quote for him to do his own version of the work, when in fact it could be one of several possibilities. You need to know the exact cause and the remedial work based on that cause.

Alternatively it may be just natural deflection with age and no need for any work at all. And not the £3000 that the builder says to replace all the rafters.

It would be foolish to buy a property with obvious signs of distress without having it properly surveyed

 

[splinter]

Yeah good idea WOODY get a profesionals veiw then his bill plus the £3,000 for the builder

 

[^woody^]

Or save yourself £2700?

How many tradespeople actually know why a roof sags, what are the options for repair, does it need repair, how much should it cost (not what they want) etc? Is the person going to do a thorough diagnosis and come up with some options?

Unless the OP knows an experienced and competant tradesman, or it's patently obvious as the the cause then its a big lottery for getting it diagnosed properly.

 

[masona]

How many tradespeople actually know why a roof sags, what are the options for repair, does it need repair, how much should it cost (not what they want) etc?

Yep, a good carpenter should be able to sort it out but as you says finding a good honest one, I have done 7 yrs training on this and these are the type the OP needs and not fly by night chippy