Pitched roofing in Lincoln

Pitched roofing in Lincoln

Pitched roofing in Lincoln, carried out by our own directly employed roofers. Free survey, photographs of the problem, and an itemised quote in writing before the work is booked in.

It sits in the LN1 postcode district. Lincoln is in the middle of our Lincoln patch, covered by the Lincoln team on 01522 303 418, and the survey is free whether or not you go ahead with the work.

The roofs in Lincoln

Lincoln's position on the edge of the limestone escarpment matters more than people expect. Properties uphill and out along the Cliff take the westerly weather with very little in front of them, which is why so much of the work up there is at the ridge, the verge and the chimney rather than in the middle of the slope.

Lincoln's roofs change dramatically between the uphill conservation area around the cathedral, where slate, pantile and lead detailing are the norm, and the post war estates downhill and to the south.

Pitched roofing in Lincoln means two different jobs. Uphill on conservation area property the covering and the detailing have to be sympathetic, which usually points at pantile or slate. Downhill and out to the Hykehams it is concrete tile of the post war era where the fixings and the underlay have both run out.

Pitched roofing across Lincoln's changing West Parade roof levels

West Parade's older houses illustrate why a pitched roofing survey in Lincoln needs to follow changes in building height as carefully as the covering itself. Slate slopes beside a taller brick wall rely on a different junction from two roofs meeting at the same level, and later rear additions can create further steps. In the West Parade conservation setting, keeping the established slate appearance also means considering the thickness and edge of any replacement. On these nineteenth century properties, a neat front slope tells only part of the story if the lower roof behind it discharges into an awkward wall corner.

We measure a West Parade roof from eaves to ridge and record each adjoining wall height before deciding how the pitched covering should be laid. Differences between street level and rear gardens affect scaffold design, so the loading route and access to the lower roof need establishing together. With the agreed conservation details in place, we work through the slope in sections, inspect the supporting timber and form the wall junctions alongside the new slate courses. At a stepped West Parade abutment, the usual aim is to let each layer shed water onto the next without a concealed uphill return.

The smaller plane of a West Parade roof can take several working days once its wall junctions and scaffold are included, with awkward rear levels extending the sequence. Slate selection, the number of changes in height and access across the sloping Lincoln plot influence the price. After completion, keep the low roof's drainage corner clear and observe the wall beneath the stepped abutment for new marks after rain. A free survey provides photographs of what we find and an itemised written quote that identifies the separate pitched slopes and the junctions connecting this West Parade property's different levels.

What pitched roofing in Lincoln involves

• Ventilation put rightEaves, ridge and, where the build up needs it, tile vents, so the loft breathes and the membrane is not asked to do a job it cannot do.
• Full strip and re-coverOld covering, battens and underlay off, decking checked, new breathable membrane and treated battens fixed, new or reclaimed tiles laid to the manufacturer's fixing spec.
• Roof windowsNew rooflights fitted into the covering with the correct flashing kit, or existing ones re-flashed.

That is the short version. There is a fuller explanation of the work, the materials and the detailing on our pitched roofing page.

Signs your Lincoln property needs this

• Mortar dropping out of the ridge or verge onto the drive
• Underlay sagging between rafters, torn, or crumbling when touched
• Tiles slipping or sitting proud after wind, usually a sign the nails have gone

What actually goes wrong with a pitched roof

Most roofs in this region are either concrete interlocking tiles from the 1960s to 1980s, clay pantiles on older stock, or natural and fibre cement slate. Concrete interlockers are usually fine long after the fixings are not, which is why a roof can look sound from the pavement and still be shedding tiles. Clay pantiles last far longer than the mortar holding the ridge and verge, so the failure point is the bedding, not the tile. Slate almost always fails at the nail first, and once one or two slates slip the ones around them lose their support.

Pitched roofing in Lincoln at a glance

What affects the price in Lincoln

• Leadwork, valleys and chimney work picked up while the roof is open
• Whether the battens and decking can stay or need replacing once the covering is off
• Roof area and pitch, and whether the covering is tile, slate or a mix

Everything is priced after we have seen the roof, in writing, with the scope written down so there are no new numbers once work starts.