When it comes to replacing a roof in the UK there are a lot of factors that need to be considered. Replacing a semi-detached home with no valley and chimney stacks can be done in a day.
The picture to the left is a semi-detached home with a small chimney stack we did in 1 day. The process starts by removing the old roof and disposing of the waste. We then put a breathable felt down and tac this down with clout nails. The treated wooden battens go on top of the felt and the new double Roman tiles sit on top of the battens. We then finish off the roof by adding ridge tiles, dry verge caps, and the lead work around the chimney stack. On average a roof like this cost around £5000.00 fitted and comes with a 20 years guarantee.
A new roof can take longer when your home has valleys, a few chimney stacks, and areas where the tiles have to be cut. A job like in the picture below can take around 4-5 days as there are more tiles to lay, valleys to cut up, and also an extension to cover.
On average a standard double hip semi-detached home will cost around £6500.00 to do and will take around 2 days to do. When we are replacing a new roof, we always have 2 fully qualified roofers, 2 laborers, and one person bringing the materials. We always get asked, when we remove the tiles will you leave our roof off overnight and we answer by saying no, as soon as your roof is stripped off we will add the breathable felt and wooden battens to make your roof fully watertight. We only strip off what we know we can make watertight on the same day. So the best answer to how long does it take to replace a roof is, it all depends on how big your roof is and how much detail there is to it. On average I have found that the average size roof in the UK takes around 3-4 days to finish and the cost is around £6000.00.
What is the best time to replace a roof?
The best time to replace a roof is always in the summer as we have less rainfall, but things don't always work out like this. Being a homeowner, we only seem to bother about our roofs when they start to leak, this always seems to happen when it's raining in the winter.
On average we replace more roofs in December than any other month in the year, this is because we find the weather is bad in December and this is when most leaks are discovered. In my opinion, a roof can be replaced anytime as we only need a few hours of no rain to strip the roof off and make it watertight.
What is the life expectance of a new roof?
The life expectancy of a new tiled roof is around 70 years, but it is ideal to carry out light maintenance work every year to keep your roof up to a good standard. A good quality slate or clay roof can last over 100 years if maintained correctly. When it comes down to how long your roof will last, I have seen roofs last a lot longer than they should of, but this is down to the homeowner maintaining the roof correctly. Homeowners will normally only maintain the roof when it starts leaking, but this is a bad idea as the damage the rain has caused before you see the leak could be costly. It is always a good idea to get your roof inspected every year to make sure it is ready for the harsh winter weather.
Can you live in a house while the roof is replaced?
Yes, you can live in your home whilst we replace your roof. There will be some noise but it is totally possible to live in your home while the roof is being replaced. We have never had a customer move out while we have replaced the roof. If you work from home it might be a good idea to take a few days off as the noise might disrupt you from working.
Do you need planning permission to replace your roof?
Yes. If you are refurbishing or replacing 50 percent or more of your roof which includes an insulation upgrade, or the roof is already insulated to the Building Regulations requirements in force at the time of your installation, then you must notify Building Control. This can be done either by using an NFRC CPS Registered Contractor, who can self-certify the work or by going directly to a Building Control body such as LABC. Once the work has been signed-off, you will receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate (BRCC), which is legally required.If there is no insulation upgrade to the relevant area and the existing roof is less than the Building Regulations requirement for insulation at the time of your refurbishment, then this work would be in breach of the Building Regulations. No BRCC would be forthcoming and you may be liable to a fine.
What is included in a new roof
In a new roof, you should always get new breathable felt, new roofing battens, new tiles, new ridge tiles, new dry verge caps, new valleys, and new lead work. Everything should always be replaced as when fitting a new roof you are looking for a long-term job to be done. I have seen some roofers leave old valleys and within a few years, these will start leaking. Make sure when you get a quotation for a new roof it states everything the roofer is gonna do on the quotation and doe not accept any verbal agreements.
Should you see daylight through your roof?
No, when you start to see daylight through your old roof it is time to phone a roofer, If caught early this could be a simple fix. When you can see daylight, this is normally because you have a hole in your roof and the felt membrane has ripped.
Do roofers work in the rain
Yes, you can carry out some roofing work in the rain but it's not ideal to do so. Pointing work cannot be done in the rain but you can do jobs like laying tiles/slates in the rain. It is always a good idea to stop roofing if the weather gets too bad.
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