Services for Roof

Hi, we have for each category of service, compiled relevant information that you may find useful.
Please note: All information contained within this section is for guidance only. It is best that you check current sources of information.
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Roof
Services
Useful Links
Products
Jargon Buster
FAQ

Areas covered under this Category are as follows:
  • Chimney
  • Chimney Sweeps
  • Cladding
  • Cleaning
  • Emergency
  • Fascias & Soffits
  • Flashings
  • Flat Roof
  • Green Roof
  • Guttering
  • Lead work
  • Lightning Protection
  • Pitch Roof
  • Plastic
  • Re-Roof
  • Repair
  • Slated
  • Steel
  • Steeplejack
  • Thatched
  • Tiled
  • Windows
For this Category
Confederation of Roofing Contractors is a Partner of Comcero
National Home Improvement Council
Lead Contractors Association
The National Federation of Roofing Contractors Limited
Competent Person Scheme

Confederation of Roofing Contractors (CRC) - www.corc.co.uk By using a member of the Confederation of Roofing Contractors you are assured that all member companies have been strictly vetted and carry out works to a high standard and at a competitive price. All new works can be protected by a fully insured 10 year back up guarantee.

NHIC membership comprises many of the most important companies and organisations operating in the home improvement sector - www.nhic.org.uk

Lead Contractors Association (LCA) - www.leadcontractorsassociation.com LCA comprises of specialist contractors committed to providing quality craftsmanship for their clients, supported by associate members supplying materials and ancillary services.

The National Federation of Roofing Contractors Limited (NFRC) - www.nfrc.co.uk - the UK's largest roofing trade association representing over 60% of the roofing industry by value. By using an NFRC registered contractor you have the comfort of guaranteed protection and quality.

Competent Person Scheme - www.competentroofer.co.uk - CompetentRoofer is the prime Government-approved scheme for England and Wales that legally allows professional roofing contractors to self-certify for Building Regulations for refurbishment roofing work. This encompasses all roofing types for domestic, industrial and commercial properties and the scheme is open to all roofing contractors to apply within England and Wales.

Architects Registration Board - www.arb.org.uk

Glass and Glazing Federation - www.ggf.co.uk - Is the leading Trade Federation for companies who manufacture, supply or fit flat glass, windows and related products.

Guild of Master Sweeps - http://guildofmasterchimneysweeps.co.uk

National Access & Scaffolding Confederation - www.nasc.org.uk

National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS) - www.chimneyworks.co.uk

Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) - www.architecture.com

SAFEcontractor - www.safecontractor.com

Single Ply Roofing Association - www.spra.co.uk

Siphonic Roof Drainage Association - www.siphonic-roof-drainage.co.uk


Sponsored by Confederation of Roofing Contractors:

A-B | C-D | E-F | G-H | I-J | K-L | M-N | O-P | Q-R | S-T | U-V | W-X | Y-Z
Confederation of Roofing Contractors is a Partner of Comcero
A to B
  • Arris hip tile: a purpose made tile, used with plain tiles, which 'wraps' around a hip.
  • Asphalt: a mixture of bitumen and fine minerals such as clay which is hot-trowelled onto roofs. The melting point is higher than tar so it has higher weather resistance.
  • Asphalte Shingles: Made from asphalte, this product is used widely on garden sheds and come in a variety of colours.
  • Backer: narrow slates laid roughly centrally over a wide slate to accommodate the increasing number of slates in each course as work progresses up the roof.
  • Barge board: wide board fitted on the end of a gable roof just beneath the edge of the tiles/slates following the slope of the roof from the eves to the ridge.
  • Base flashing: that portion of the flashing attached to or resting on the deck to direct the flow of water onto the roof covering.
  • Batten: long strips of soft wood, to which roof coverings or plasterboards are usually fitted. When used to support roof coverings battens are fixed to the rafters and referred to as roof tile battens.
  • Bed: a random heap of thatching material from which straws are pulled to remove unwanted rubbish and ensure the stems are paralle.
  • Bedding of slating: use of mortar in spots or fillets to prevent stone slates from rocking. In some areas, it is used to improve weather tightness.
  • Biddle: working platform hooked into thatch and or battens instead of a ladder.
  • Blisters: bubbles that may appear on the surface of asphalt roofing after installation.
  • Bolting: bundle of tied, threshed straw from the thrashing process.
  • Bond: twist of straw, reed, withy or bramble used to tie a bundle of thatch to roof can be sparred on or stitche.
  • Bonnets: the rounded quadrant shaped tile, which is laid over the hip.
  • Built up felt: used on flat roofs to provide weathering and so-called as it is laid in two or three layers..
C to D
  • Ceiling joist: a bearing timber spanning an area to which a ceiling is fixed to the underside only.
  • Chimney backdraft: if chimney caps are incorrectly installed they can be the cause of chimneys not breathing properly and lead to backdrafts which occur when smoke comes back down the chimney and enters the home.
  • Chimney caps: protective coverings for chimneys usually made of stainless steel, galvanized or copper. Most chimney caps have a mesh screening that serves the dual purpose of spark arrestor and barrier against animals. Chimney caps also prevent rain from entering the flue of the chimney.
  • Chimney relining: the process of replacing the inner wall of the chimney flue. Usually chimneys are relined with stainless steel of an alloy suitable for the fuel being burned.
  • Coat: layer of entire thatch sometimes over an existing roof see half coat & face.
  • Collar: horizontal timber tie attached at each end to opposite spars in a pitched roof.
  • Corrugated iron roofing: most often used on functional structures like military hangars or farm buildings like barns, for its low cost and strength.
  • Covering: the external material laid or fixed on a roof to protect the building e.g. Slates, interlocking and plain tiles, zinc, corrugated sheets etc.
  • Cross rods: mainly hazel rods split and used for fixing and ornamentation between liggers.
  • Damper cable: that part of a top-sealing damper that runs from the damper down the chimney to the firebox. It has a handle on the firebox end for the purpose of opening and closing the damper.
  • Dormer: a vertical window built into the slope of a pitched roof.
  • Double-camber: a tile arched both horizontally and vertically to break up the dominance of the course line and give the roof an undulating look.
E to F
  • Eaves: refers to the area under the overhanging part of roofing.
  • Fascia: the vertical board secured to the ends of the rafters under the lower end of the roof to which the guttering is normally fixed - traditionally timber, nowadays usually uPVC.
  • Felt roof: normally a two or three layers system for boarded flat roofs using hot bitumen or a flame torch. Each layer has traditionally been bitumen based, however high performance polymer based materials are available which offer better performance.
  • Fireplace smoke chamber: that portion of the fireplace located above the firebox and at the base of the chimney flue where smoke gathers before it is exhausted up and out of the chimney.
  • Flashing: a metal sheet, usually lead, cut into brickwork and then dressed over a surface below, used to deflect water from a joint between two adjacent materials, such as brickwork and tiles.
  • Flat roof: a roof which has negligible slope, usually covered in felt, metal, or other material which is impermeable to water.
  • Flaunching: the sand & cement fillet around a chimney pot.
  • Flue: any device used for containing and venting the products of combustion from gas, oil, or solid fuel appliances or fireplaces. Are present in chimneys as the inner part that contains the products of combustion from gas, oil, or solid fuel appliances or fireplaces.
G to H
  • Gable: the vertical end of a building with a pitched roof, where the end wall goes up to form a triangle.
  • Gambrel roof: a type of roof containing two sloping planes of different pitch on each side of the ridge. The lower plane has a steeper slope than the upper.
  • Half coat: to thatch in any material over the existing thatch after it has been stripped to a reasonable level and re-fastened to the rafters if neede.
  • Hip board the board along the line of a hip from the fascia to the ridge of the pitch.
  • Hip end: a sloping end to a pitched roof which is covered with slates or tiles.
  • Hip: on a roof which has slopes on all surfaces, i.e. like a pyramid, the long sloping ridge is called the hip and inside, the rafter is the hip rafter.
I to J
  • Jack rafters: these are short spars that run from a hip to the eves or from a ridge to a valley..
K to L
  • Knuckle: handful of straw, bent double.
  • Lean-to roof: the simplest form of pitched roof consisting of rafters inclined at 30º against a wall.
M to N
  • Mansard roof: a roof that has two pitches on each slope.
  • Mathematical tiles: hanging vertical tiles which give the appearance of brick cladding.
  • Mitred hip: an abutment of two tiles at the hip.
  • Mossing: use of moss or other vegetable material to windproof the joints and gaps between stone slates..
  • Multi-flue chimney caps: a chimney cap designed to attach to the crown of a chimney and cover more than one flue on the same chimney.
  • Nail sickness: this is what can happen to copper nails used to fix slates when they corrode. Nail sickness is caused by the acid effect of rainfall, particularly in cities.
  • Needle: used to stitch on the thatch, an iron rod with an eye to apply stitching material around the sway and rafter/batten.
  • Nib: portion of roof beside window or chimne.
O to P
  • Pantiles: Can be laid on pitches of about 40 degrees.
  • Parapet: a low wall that projects beyond the eves at the edge of a roof.
  • Pegged clays/tiles: clay plain tiles that have wooden pegs to hook over the battens instead of the hook formed in tile material. These tiles are found on older buildings and are expensive to replace.
  • Pitched roofing: where two slopes meet the ridge of a roof.
  • Plain Tiles: Standard size of 10.5 inches by 6.5 inches.
  • Ply: the number of layers of roofing.
  • Pricker: length of gadd about a yard long, used to fix sways on rick thatches not twisted as in spar.
  • Purlin: Part of the timber roof frame.
Q to R
  • Queen-post roof truss: Used for spans of 30-40 feet, the tie beam and rafters being supported at two intermediate points in their length instead of only one.
  • Quarry Tiles: Used on top of a concrete roof to give a good finish.
  • Ridge board: the horizontal board along the line of the ridge - normally along the top of the rafters or trusses.
  • Ridge tile: normally a semicircular or angled tile used to seal the top of pitched roofs. The tile is secured by mortar and covers the fixings and top edge of the tiles/slates on both sides.
  • Ridge: the top line of the roofing.
  • Roof void: the space beneath the roof structure and above the ceiling joists of the uppermost rooms in a building.
S to T
  • Sarking: the waterproof felt laid immediately under the roof tile battens to keep out rain, dust and snow.
  • Shed roof: a roof containing only one sloping plane. So, no hips, ridges, valleys or gables.
  • Single-camber: a traditional plain tile, arched along its length from head to tail providing a neat, clean aspect with emphasis on the course line of each row of tiles.
  • Single-flue chimney cap: a chimney cap designed to attach to and cover one clay tile flue.
  • Slate roofing: slate can be made from natural slate or manufactured slate using pressed fibre. Slates are secured with nails onto wooden battens.
  • Soffit: the under-surface of any part of a building such as the arch or eaves.
  • Soil stack: a vent pipe that penetrates the roof.
  • Span: the horizontal distance from eaves to eaves.
  • Spanish Tile: A rounded tile.
  • Spars: sometimes referred to as common rafters similar to joists but inclined rising from the eaves (foot) to the ridge (head) to support a pitched roof covering.
  • Stelch: thatching in a vertical strip up the roof rather than horizontally as in course mainly long straw.
  • Strut: intermediate supporting timber for a purlin.
  • Sway: hazel or steel rod used to secure thatch to the rafters in the roof. The sways are fixed by stitching with tarred cord, screw ties, or by crooks driven into each rafter at intervals dictated by the length of the materials to be fixed, these are covered by each succeeding course or stelch.
  • Thatched roofing: thatched roofing is constructed out of vegetation such as straw or rushes..
  • Thrashing: methods of removing grain from straw manually or mainly mechanical now in a thrashing dru.
  • Tile roofing: tile roofing is made from tiles (clay or concrete) and designed to be overlapping. The tiles are secured using copper or zinc nails on wooden battens.
  • Tingles: strips of zinc or copper, bent into long 's' shaped hooks, to catch the bottom of a slipped slate. This often occurs when there is nail sickness.
  • Top-sealing dampers: a device installed at the top of a chimney for the purpose of sealing the flue shut when the fireplace is not in use..
  • Torch on Roofing: A method of laying a felt roof using an open flame rather than hot bitumen.
  • Truss: normally, a factory made roof frame.
U to V
  • Ullapool Slates: A slate mostly used in Scotland.
  • Under cloak: where tiles or slates overhang the gable bargeboard, the underside is bedded in mortar and finished with special tiles, slates or a inert board, called the undercloaking.
  • Valley Gutter: Can be made of Zinc, Lead, Felt or Fibre Glass.
  • Vent: any outlet for air that protrudes through the roof deck such as a pipe or stack. Any device installed on the roof, gable or soffit for the purpose of ventilating the underside of the roof deck.
  • Ventilators: Used to allow air to circulate.
  • Verge: the wall (or rafter) under the edge of a roof where it tops a gable end.
  • Viscountess Slates: A type of slate measuring 18" x 9".
W to X
  • Wallplate: A length of timber that sits in the top of the brickwork, roof trusses are the attached to make the framework of the roof design.
  • Welsh Slates: Regarded as the best slate, Welsh slate at one time covered two thirds of roofs in the UK.
  • Westmorland Random Slates: Random slates of all kinds are sold by the ton. Supplied by Westmoreland Green Slate Quarries Ltd. Keswick. Cumberland.
  • Wood Shingles: Shingles are commonly of English oak or imported cedar, the former being more expensive.
  • Wood Shingles: Available in either Oak or Cedar, widely used in the USA.
Y to Z
  • Zinc Nails: The Zinc nail is made in a similar way to the copper nail, but it tends to deteriorate more quickly.
  • Zinc Roof Coverings: A roof system comparable with lead.
Confederation of Roofing Contractors is a Partner of Comcero

Sponsored by Confederation of Roofing Contractors:

Q. How much does it cost to replace a roof?

A. There is no simple answer to how much the bottom line will be for your roofing project. A quotation from your roofing contractor should be based on square footage, the pitch of roof, accessibility, type of roofing material needed, 1- or 2-story home, removal of old roof (if necessary), The average cost to replace a roof runs from approximately £2,000.00 to £20,000.00 depending on the size of the roof and the quality of the workmanship and materials.

Q. Can I replace missing and damaged tiles without calling a roofing contractor?

A. This is something we do not recommend, it is easy for a accident to happen when an unqualified person attempts roofing repairs, our advice is to call in a roofer.

Q. How can I choose the right roofing contractor?

A. Be sure to get detailed quotes from at least two but preferably three different contractors. Once you have three quotes sit down and compare the quotations paying special attention to the materials used and the labour costs. Just as important be sure to talk to past customers if you can. Ask if they had any complaints, if they cleaned up nicely, if they finished on time, kept to the contract etc. Any roofing business relies on referrals, so find out what you can, and choose what suits you best.

Q. Can my roof be repaired?

A. It's usually best to have an experienced roofer inspect your roof when deciding whether to repair or replace your roof. However, you (and the contractor) should do an inside roof investigation and an outside inspection as well. Look for signs that the roof is failing such as stains on the ceiling, paint that is peeling, tiles/slates that are missing in several locations, etc... You also need to take into consideration the age of the roof. If the roof is well within it's lifespan and you aren't seeing other warning signs chances are good you can simply repair and/or replace those tiles/slates that are causing a problem.

Q. Should I have my old roof removed before the new one is installed?

A. Should you remove your current roof before installing another? Although the advantages to leaving your old slates/tiles are obvious (cheaper, less labour, faster), unless the initial roof is a single, problem-free layer, you could be setting yourself up for trouble.

You should discuss removing the old roof with your contractor if any of the following are true:

  1. Inspection of the roof shows that it is in bad shape-slates/tiles missing or broken, etc.
  2. The decking is sagging, rotting or deteriorating.
  3. The new roof is of a heavier material than the original roof. If you put heavyweight tiles over a previous slate roof, you will probably need to have your roof timber strenghthened.
  4. Your roof already has more than one layer.
Generally speaking, experts estimate that the life of your new roof will be cut by as much as 20% if it is installed on top of the existing roof.

Q. How long does it take to replace a roof?

A. Replacing a roof, whether on a commercial or residential building, is a labour-intensive project and, depending on the type of roof, could take anywhere from a few days to 2 or more weeks. The time involved is substantially affected by the weather, as well. Wind, snow, rain, or even just the threat of one of these and will slow the process considerably.

For built-up roofs, removing and replacing the roof will probably proceed at a rate of approximately 1,500 square feet per day. For single-ply roofs, the rate is closer to 2,000 to 4,000 square feet per day. Careful planning and close project management can reduce some of the delays caused by bad weather.

Q. Should I have my chimney looked at before I have roof work done?

A. If the chimney requires any maintenance or repair, the best time to work on it is before a new roof is installed. The roofing contractor will make sure all chimney flashings and chimney repairs are completed properly before the new roof is installed.

Q. Do I need a building regulations to have my roof replaced?

A. You should check with your local council but almost assuredly you will. Pricing for building regulations will vary from area to area. Some will be a flat fee whereas others may be based on the size or value of the project. If you are having the roof replaced by a contractor they will typically take care of the building regulations for you but it is important to confirm that with the company. If they do not take care of the building regulations and/or you are replacing the roof yourself you will need to talk to local planning office.

Q. Do my solar panels have to be removed to install the new roof?

A. Although there are rare exceptions to the rule, most solar panels are either bolted to or mounted on the existing roofing material and must be removed before a new roof can be installed. Because solar panels are charged using a type of antifreeze, they will have to be removed and reinstalled by a qualified contractor who can insure that the job is accomplished properly.

Q. What can I do about mildew on my roof?

A. Moss does not have a detrimental effect on your roof, copper strips can be fitted that will kill existing moss and prevent new growth. Under no circumstances should you employ contractors to remove the moss using high pressure hoses, this will have a detrimental effect on the roof covering.

Q. What kind of preventative maintenance can I do for my roof?

A. Just keep an eye on it, if you spot any broken slates/tiles call in a contractor immediately before further damage is done by water ingress.

Q. How often should I clean my roof gutters?

A. You should clean your gutters and downpipes at least annually, just after autumn when the leaves have dropped is a good time.

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