MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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We have recently moved into a new (to us ) 1930s house. Its got a rose hip tile roof and we thought all was well untill it started leaking in the back bedroom. Its taken me 3 months to get a roofer round to do the flashing around the back of the chimney where it was leaking.
Now heres where the problem starts. I got a call yesterday saying they cant do the job because the lats on the roof are rotten. Hes come to this concluson because tiles have dropped at the side of the chimney have dropped (about 5 rows) and he cause refix them (looks suspiciously like hes tried to tread on it tbh but i cant prove that). Ok so strip the tiles off and replace a section of it. Maybe cost another 100 quid or so i was thinking. Now hes come back and said that all the nails are gone on all the tiles and it needs a complete side of the rood re doing at about 5.5k!
Now we dont have any where near that sort of cash and im left with a roof thats leaking more than originally. Hes put some waterproof sheeting up but its not a repair obviously.
So how do you guys think this sounds? and what would your course of action be? Im feeling a bit peved that its ended up like this and im not sure what to do. Any advice of what my next steps could be?
All seems likley . Roof has been leaking now lathes are rotten.
Nail fatigue is not unheard of. Could ask to see said nails so you can see for yourself
Be straight with him and ask if he could repair area until you can afford to have a re-roof.
He won't want to work for free so should sort something out
Get a couple more quotes and see if they tie up with what the first guy is asking for.
Yea the price for a roofing side is about right for the type of roof we have.
Hes said he cant patch it up for the time being as its knackered. Just feeling sick about it all and am unsure what to do!
Have a look in attic with hand lamp, switch off light when youre safe and look for light coming in, if you can see light coming in theres the leak.
If you go up into the loft you'll be able to see if the lathes are rotten.
If money is really tight see if the bank will add it onto your mortgage.
Can you post pics, what type of tiles are they?
Have you considered getting scaffolding put up and do it yourself, your sure to get technical help off here.
I know it's a bit late now, but didn't you have a survey done before purchase.
Don't know much about those sort of tiles, but 5.5k sounds a lot....currently got the roofers in doing a fair bit more than one side of the house for a fair bit less than that. Not replacing all the tiles, re-using mostly, but replacing underlay, woodwork, lead, guttering etc. etc.
As above that's too much money for a mere quarter of a roof. He can't ascertain the whole roof is shagged from one small section. As a rule Rosemary's are like staffies and hook on the lugs as opposed to being totally nailed on. I'm presuming a bit here btw from your op re the roof material and make up.
As wrightyson, does the chimney pass through the ridge or is it part way down the roof slope? If the latter then it's likely it will require a new layboard to support a lead back-gutter, rafter ends may well have gone but unlikely to be unrepairable, tile battens can be cut back to sound timber and replaced, re-felting as necessary. Most older roofs with Rosemary/plain tiles will only be nailed every 5 courses and at the perimeters. A decent width scaffold tower shouldn't cost a fortune, to give you an idea I've just had a 3 Storey X 8 foot tower erected for £240. Ideally you want a roofer who is also a proficient leadworker, unfortunately the two don't always go together. Roofs wear out but water damage tends to be located close to the source of the leak, with any luck this won't have affected the whole roof. If you send some pics to the address in my profile I'd be happy to offer any guidance I can. For reassurance I've spent too many years clambering over roofs.
5.5k sounds too much to me, I had a quote for 7.5k for the entire roof.
Double post
Hi there, And thanks for the info.
The chimneys go through the roof and your correct that it needs a new back board. I got into the loft the other night and you can see where its gone at the side of the chimney though. The rest of it looks sound ish... Your right that the tiles are rosemary ones and im getting told that this is one of the most expensive style of roofs to repair. Seems fairly simple to my untrained eye though. The roofer is saying that the trouble is once he starts removing the tiles to refix the batons it could just go on and on so replacement is the best option.
Were getting a scaffold put on on thursday to take a look with him.
I would have a go (and will probably look at the garage bit next year. Im not too good with heights tho.
Popped some photos here
https://plus.google.com/photos/108267992033991783465/albums/6069646286751463009
Feel your pain mines currently leaking hopefully getting done this week, looking out the window that couldn't be done soon enough!
Get a couple more quotes my whole roof 3 bed semi £3,800 new tiles most quotes were below £5,000 for new tiles so £5,500 for just one side is loads!