Roofers London

Our independent roofing London contractors have the experience to take on a wide range of jobs no matter the size. Our roofers treat all jobs with same level of respect, care, and attention to detail, meaning that no job is considered too big or too small for our excellent roofers London team. We cover all areas of the city including, roofing East London, west, south, north and Central London. Call today to discuss your requirements with a member of the team. To remain as one of the best roofers in the region, we regularly monitor industry prices for materials and labour. This helps us to stay competitive with our pricing and enables us to offer our customers with the best service possible.  Contact Roofers London today for excellent service and prices you will love.

We provide extensive roof and general building services, saving you the hassle of sourcing multiple tradespeople. Roofing London try to be as versatile as possible, providing you with a ‘one stop shop’ for all things related to building work. The comprehensive range of services offered by our roofers London team include:

Roofing Terminology

At Roofing London we try to educate our clients, as well as learn from every single job that we do. Educated customers are able to make better decisions and are less likely to part with money for substandard roofers. With that in mind, here is a list of roofing terminology that Roofers in London think is useful to know: 

Pitched Roofs – these are roofs which have a pitch of more than 10°. Most domestic homes in the UK have pitched roofs. These roofs are usually covered with tiles of some description. 

Flat Roofs – roofs with a pitch of less than 10° are considered flat roofs. These are normally found on high rise blocks and commercial buildings and are typically covered with a proprietary roofing membrane such as single ply or bituminous mineral felt. 

Roof Hip – external angle of a roof covered with hip tiles. 

Roof Valley – internal junction of a roof usually lined with a lead or a plastic gutter. 

Roof Ridge - this is board spanning the apex junction of the roof and is covered with a ridge tile. Ridge tiles are often vented to allow air flow through the roof structure. 

Gable Roof – a gable roof is triangle in shape where sides meet at the ridge apex. 

Roof verge – the verge is where the top of a gable wall meets the roof covering. This junction is sealed with a plastic cap or mortar. 

Roofing Single Ply Membrane – a form of flexible proprietary roof covering usually used on flat or low-pitched roofs. Single ply membranes are made from different forms of plastic. 

Roofing felt – a flexible bituminous membrane containing minerals with a durable surface. Used for flat roofs and low-pitched roofs. 

Fascia and Soffits – the capping used to protect the ends of rafters and to provide ventilation to the roof. The gutter is fixed to the fascia. 

Rafters – these are the structural timber members which make up a roof and support the roof tiles.

Tile battens – treated timber battens which are used to pin down the underlay and act as a fixing point for the roof tiles. 

Roofing Underlay – this is the breathable membrane which is laid over the structural rafters and provides a secondary barrier to water ingress. 

Guttering – fixes to the fascia and carries water away from the roof. Usually made out of plastic, timber, aluminium or cast iron. 

Gutter Cleaners London

Blocked gutters can be an overlooked cause of many building related problems, however the fix is usually simple and quick. Gutters aid the flow of water from your roof to common drains, if these become blocked, then water may overspill and leak onto the external façade. This can cause internal damp issues and unsightly staining down the exterior of the building. Here at Roofing London as part of our wide-ranging roofing service, we offer gutter and downpipe installation and cleaning. Gutters regularly become blocked by leaves and sediment from water runoff. Having your gutters cleaned is a logical thing to request if you are having any associated roofing works. Roofers in London advise all our clients to have this done at the time of any roofing works.   

How Roofing is Done

The first stage in any roofing project begins with a thorough survey of the roof to determine the extent of any damage. At Roofing London, our specialists can provide you with a survey inspection to assess the condition of your existing roof. Alternatively, on new build projects, our roofers can work to designs presented by the client’s architect. The design stage should also encompass structural surveys, dew point calculations and wind loading assessments.  Once an appropriate course of action has been agreed, it is imperative to make sure that the roofing work can be carried out safely. Secure access systems such as scaffolds and mast climbers need to be erected. These will enable the roofing works to take place as safely as possible. Thought must also be given as to how materials will be safely transported up to the relevant height and how waste materials will be disposed of. Contact Roofers London today for professional advice and guidance on your next project.

On existing properties, the roofing contractors will need to safely strip the existing roof covering. This will involve removing the tiles, sheeting, or flat roof covering and safely disposing of the material. On pitched roofs, the tile battens and felt underlay will next be removed. Roofing London, advise planning the works around the anticipated weather conditions, as once the felt underlay is removed, the inside of the property will be open to the elements. New breathable membrane underlay is then laid over the roof rafters, and nailed down with tiling battens ready for the new roof tiles to be installed. Valley gutters and secret gutters should be also be installed at this stage along with the fascia boards, barge boards and soffits. The timber battens should be spaced according to the size of the tile to minimise the number of tile cuts required and to ensure that each tile can be fixed securely through the underlying tile. 

Next, the roof tiles are installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. It is important to note that tiles are often designed for specific roof pitches, so make sure to always seek the technical guidance prior to selecting your roof tiles. Here at Roofers in London, our roofing experts are familiar with the newest roofing technologies and will be able to advise on the appropriate tile to use on your new roof. Dry ridges, verges and flashings should be installed as the work progresses. Once the roof tiles are fitted and the property is weathertight, visual checks should be carried out to make sure there are no outstanding defects. 

On a flat roof, any insulation and vapour barriers will be removed back to the existing structural deck. At this stage, Roofing London recommend inspecting the structural deck for signs of damage and remedial repairs should be carried out where necessary. Once the structural deck is repaired (if necessary), the roof surface should be primed ready for the instalment of a vapour control layer. The vapour control layer prevents passage of water vapour from inside the property to outside areas, reducing the risk of condensation. Once the vapour barrier is down, the insulation can be laid. This may be bedded in adhesive, mechanically fixed, or both. The results of any structural and wind loading calculations will determine the appropriate fixing method for the insulation. The insulation may need to be graded to allow the flow of water from the roof. Roofers London understand that current building regulations specify that new roofs must meet a minimum u-value requirement of 0.18W/m2.K with a minimum fall of 1:60. Allowances must be made for insulating around any service penetrations through the roof such as soil and vent stacks and gas flues. Where the roof was not previously insulated, pipe extensions and collars will need to be fitted to accommodate the additional height added to the roof by the new insulation. 

Once the insulation is fitted, the final covering can be applied. This is usually a ‘torch on’ or heat activated system, where a heat gun or blow torch is applied to the underside of the covering to enable it to fully adhere to the insulation. Roofing contractors in London may need to apply for a hot works permit to enable them to be able to carry out such work. Alternative cold applied liquid systems are available where the use of naked flames is prohibited, impractical, or deemed too unsafe. Once the final roof covering is laid, an electronic integrity test can be carried out to detect any leaks with the roof. The results of this test can help to provide you with the peace of mind that your new roof is fully weathertight. Roofers in London consider it to be worth the additional investment for all our customers. 

We appreciate the process of repairing or renewing a roof can be a daunting task with many technical steps involved in the process. Furthermore, the health and safety implications of any errors can be fatal. That is why Roofers London are on hand to help through each stage of the process. We recommend that all our customers enlist the services of a professional roofing company. Roofing London offer all our customers the opportunity to inspect the completed roof to make sure the work is to their satisfaction. Only then will the job be considered complete. Call one of our professional roofers in London today to find out more about our services, and for expert advice on your next roofing project. 

What Roofers Do

Roofers are the professional tradespeople responsible for carrying out the practical aspect of repairing and replacing roofs. A good roofer will have undertaken some form of practical City and Guilds qualification or equivalent relevant to their trade. This is in addition to years of practical on the job experience. One of the most important aspects of what roofers do is health and safety. Roofing brings about the inherent risk of working from height and professional roofers should have the knowledge and resources to be able to work safely, on any number of roofs. If you have done any research, then you may have asked yourself why roofers charge so much, and it is true that even minor roofing jobs can be relatively expensive. What you must consider, is that roofers are professionals just like other tradespeople, who have taken years to become competent at their craft. In addition, they carry the risk of having to work at significant height, which brings about high degrees of responsibility for themselves and members of the public.   

Roofing companies will often source materials and scaffolds to enable them to work safely, which must also be factored in to the price of the completed works. Once this is considered, it is understandable to see why roofers charge the fees they do. Roofing London aim to be competitive in all our pricing, because we recognise that roofing work sometimes brings a financial burden to people from all backgrounds. Call Roofers London today to find out about our competitive rates. 

We would like to take an opportunity to remind all Roofers in London clients about the dangers of attempting to carry out roof works alone. Whilst it may be tempting to work from a ladder, it can be extremely dangerous when carrying out any form of technical roofing work. Roofers London recommend that our customers call in the experts if they need any work from height, in the interest of health and safety. 

What Roofing Material Lasts the Longest ?

Here at Roofing London, we understand that the lifespan of a roof can vary drastically, based on the exposure level of the roof, the materials used on the roof and the standard of workmanship. Traditional roof materials such as slate tiles can last in excess of 100 years, whereas the typical guarantee for a mineral felt roof will be in the region of 20 years. 

Generally speaking, pitched roofs have a longer design life than flat roofs, so for longevity, tiles made of concrete, slate, synthetic slate, galvanized corrugated metal sheeting and clay are all great choices. Another factor to consider is whether a roof will be used for pedestrian access. Roofs which serve as walkways, balconies, or are used frequently by service engineers may need to be designed with a robust surface covering such as asphalt or concrete paving slabs to enhance longevity. 

Roofing London recommend to always consult with the material supplier when determining the intended longevity of the surface covering. Ask for product guarantees and BBA certificates to give yourself a good understanding of the expected lifecycle for your roof. Our reliable roofers in London, are able to supply you with high quality materials for your roofing project, giving you peace of mind that your roof will stand the test of time. 

Are Roofing Companies Essential Service ?

Under the latest UK government guidelines, construction work is considered an essential service. Moreover, Roofers London understand that a leak to your roof can cause serious damage to your property and may be a health and safety risk if left unattended. Consequently, we advise that you get your roof inspected as soon as possible, if this is the case. If roofing work is required to your home, then this may still go ahead, however, operatives should maintain a Covid-19 secure environment at all times.

At Roofing London, you can be assured that all our tradesmen and women will maintain strict health and safety standards when it comes to Covid-19. We politely request that all our customers inform us if they are shielding, have symptoms, or are in the vulnerable category. This will enable us to organise works in the safest manner possible. For further details on our comprehensive range of roofing solutions, contact Roofers London today.