Repair or New Roof? How to Tell

Signs a repair will do

• The fault is in one place
• The rest of the covering is sound
• The timber underneath is dry

Signs the roof is worn out

• Tiles or slates slipping across whole slopes
• The same leak returning after repair
• Felt that has perished widely
• A ridge line that sags

The middle route

One slope often wears out before the others. Stripping and re-laying that slope alone can add many years without the cost of a full new roof.

Reusing what is there

Sound slates and tiles can often go back on new felt and battens. It is usually the fixings that have failed, not the covering.

Ask for evidence

Whoever recommends a new roof should be able to show you photos of why. If they cannot, get a second opinion.