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How do you know if a roof needs replacing? Is it when you see cracked tiles? What else should you look out for? And will it need repairing or replacing? We look at the warning signs, the costs involved and common problems.
A waterproof roof over your head is an essential element of a cosy home. If your roof isn’t sound it can lead to all sorts of problems from damp to rot. All roofs inevitably need replacing at some point. But if you’re wondering “Does my roof need replacing or can I get a few more years out of it?”, this guide should help.
Let’s be honest. No one gets up on a ladder once a week to check on the condition of their roof. So, how can you tell if your roof needs replacing? Here are five signs you need a new roof or that it’s in need of repair.
Signs of water damage in the upper rooms in your house could be a sign your roof needs replacing. Watermarks or damp spots could be a sign of a leaky window or damp but don’t assume that is the case. If you find signs of water getting in always check your roof. When it rains, head up into the loft and look and feel around for signs of water getting in. Check your roof from outside as well. If you spot water pooling on your roof or failing to drain away fully when viewed from outside, you have a problem. This could lead to sagging or damp. Spotting and addressing these problems early could keep your repair costs down.
Head up into your loft and don’t switch the light on. If you can see sunlight, or feel a breeze, it is a sign that there are cracks or holes in your roof. This is a definite sign of problems. You should try to find the source and see if the gaps can be fixed, or whether a more extensive roof replacement is necessary.
Some growth on your roof tiles isn’t a sure sign your roof needs replacing. It’s a natural thing to happen. But it can be a sign of moisture damage and you should try to get your roof tiles cleaned. Even if there isn’t any damage, moss can cause problems if it gets established as it can get underneath and move tiles creating space for water to get in.
Stand across the road and take a close look at your roof (then look again from your back garden). Are all the tiles straight and in position? If any are worn, curled, slipped or missing tiles, it’s a sign your roof may need replacing. At the very least you should look to repair broken and missing tiles as soon as possible.
Also, check the ridge of your roof. This should be completely straight. If it is sagging at all, that is a serious sign of problems as it indicates structural problems with your joists. Sagging is a sure sign you need to replace your roof.
A structural engineer can provide structural calculations or carry out a structural inspection on your home.
A well maintained stone slate roof can last 100 years or longer however how long your roof will actually last for will depend on a variety of factors. There really is no set time frame although some roofs like flat roofs will naturally last for a shorter period of time. But you should keep an eye on your roof as it is exposed to all weathers and will not last forever.
So what if your home has a flat roof? RICS warns that with flat roofs there is a common misconception that the felt coverings have a life span of 10 to 15 years. It says, ‘Felt roofs of this age can continue to perform well, especially if the owner continues to maintain and protect them. However, all too often poor maintenance or lack of additional treatments such as gravel or solar reflective paint, as well as movement within the roof structure itself, can lead to premature failure.’
It advises that a flat roof be inspected twice a year, preferably in the spring and autumn, in order to clear leaves, debris and dirt that may prevent proper drainage or cause deterioration. And also to identify at an early stage any signs of failure. It also recommends that surveys should also be carried out after storms.
How much it costs to repair your roof depends on a number of factors. These include the size of your roof, how much of it needs to be replaced and what your roof is made of.
In the table below we’ve given ballpark figures for roof repairs with a range of different roof types and sizes.
| Type of roof | Area to be replaced (m²) | Total roof area (m²) | Repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat | 1 | 1 | £100 |
| Pitched (clay) | 1 | 10 | £180 |
| Picthed (clay) and felt | 1 | 10 | £1,465 |
| Picthed (concrete) | 1 | 10 | £140 |
| Picthed (concrete) and felt | 1 | 10 | £1,245 |
| Pitched (slate) | 1 | 10 | £170 |
| Pitched (slate and felt | 1 | 10 | £1,395 |
Source: Checkatrade
The best thing to do is get a few written quotes. Remember to compare like for like. For example, check what type of tile or felt is being quoted for and any extra charges for skipping or scaffolding. And then negotiate the price.
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The quality of flat roofs has vastly improved since the millennium. This is good and bad news for anyone with an older flat roof. “It means your old (pre-1990s) flat roof is likely to be at risk,” says Checkatrade. “The good news is that you’ll end up replacing it with something far superior that should last you for the foreseeable lifetime of the house itself.”
You can expect to pay around £100 per square metre to repair a flat roof.
Prices to repair or replace a roof tile start from around £200. A damaged or missing tile could be letting in water so get it repaired as soon as you can. Otherwise, the water ingress could cause far bigger problems and subsequent repair bills.
Lead flashing is used to protect the edges of your roof around protruding items such as your chimney or roof vents. It is designed to divert water away from seams and back onto the roof. If it gets damaged it can cause leaks.
Repairing flashing costs from around £250 a metre.
The cost of repairing a leaky roof will depend on what is causing the leak and how severe it is. Usually, water gets in when you have a loose or missing tile or a problem with your flashing.
You’ll pay around £200 for new roof tiles or £250 per litre for new flashing.
A sagging roof is a serious problem and, as a result, the repair bill will be substantially higher than other roof repairs. How much it costs to repair a sagging roof will depend on what is causing it to sag.
“If the issue is around the weight of the roof material weighing down on the timber frame, then additional joists may be required,” says Checkatrade. This can cost between £1,000 and £2,000 depending on how many joists you need.
If the sag is due to “the internal structure becoming waterlogged” then you could face a bill of £5,000 to £12,000 depending on the size of your home, according to Checkatrade.
When budgeting for roof repairs don’t forget about the supplementary costs associated with getting the job done. For example, you may need scaffolding which can add around £625 a week to your costs.
If you need to repair or replace a sky light as part of the repair this could cost £800 – £1,000.
Get accurate quotes for your job from local contractors with our find a builder tool.
As mentioned above, a stone slate roof can last 100 years or longer. There is no set timeframe on how long a roof lasts. But you should keep an eye on your roof as it is exposed to all weathers and a small problem left unaddressed could reduce its lifespan. See our home maintenance checklist.
On older buildings, signs to look out for to determine when wholesale renewal of a roof is necessary can include tiles ‘coming down’ increasingly more often. If the fallen tiles are worn then it is likely time to invest in a new roof.
But if only the odd tile is falling off, you should be able to coax a few years extra life from it by simply replacing individual defective old tiles with new.
That depends on how much of your roof has been replaced. If you have repaired or replaced less than 25% of an existing roof, then building regulations approval isn’t needed. If you have worked on more than 25% of your roof, then you will need building control to inspect the work in order to get it approved.
Repairing a roof can be a dangerous job and you want to ensure it is done properly to prevent further expense in the future. This means you want an experienced roofing contractor to do the job.
Remember – if people knock on your door and offer you unsolicited services always turn them away. There are lots of con artists who operate in this way, and no reputable trader gets work by cold-calling on strangers. Ask friends for recommendations or search online.
We’ve teamed up with Checkatrade to help you find local tradesmen near you. Last year over 12 million people trusted Checkatrade to help them find a reputable tradesperson.
For extra protection, you could look for a firm that is an up-to-date member of a registered trade Trade Body. See our guide on How to Check your Tradesperson.
Roof repairs and replacements can usually be done under permitted development rights as long as there is no evidence it will cause an issue to a protected species, and you don’t live in a conservation area. For example, if you had bats in your attic you will need to get specialist advice.
If you live in a conservation area you may need permission to alter your roof.
Anyone living in a listed building will need to use matching materials for roof repairs, which won’t involve getting consent. However, if you want to alter your roof’s shape, height, pitch, internal structure or type of covering you would need Listed Building Consent.
Ready to speak to a roofing contractor about the job? Here’s the lingo you may need to know:
Eaves – That’s the bit under-hanging your roof where it meets the walls.
Fascias – These are wooden or plastic boards that cover the point where your walls meet the roof. Your guttering is fixed to them.
Flashing – Typically made from lead this covers the junctions between your roof and a vertical wall, chimney or dormer to prevent water getting in.
Gable – The solid wall that comes up to the level of a pitched roof. Also called the gable end.
Hips – This is similar to the ridge but appears on a lower, sloping part of the roof.
Pitch – The angle of your roof slope. This is usually between 30-45 degrees. A flat roof should have a pitch of around 3 degrees.
Ridge – The highest part of your roof where the two slopes meet. Special tiles called ridge tiles cover this part.
Soffits – These bridge the gap between the top of the wall and the underside of the roof.
Valley – This is the v-shape at the bottom where two roof slopes meet.
Verges – The edge of a sloping roof where it meets the gable end.
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