Question 1

Do you charge for quotations?

Accepted Answer

No. Quotations and roof assessments are free and carried out without obligation across Carlisle, Cumbria and South West Scotland.

Question 2

How soon can you look at my roof?

Accepted Answer

Emergency call-outs where water is coming into the property are prioritised the same day wherever we can safely get there. Non-urgent assessments are usually booked within a few days, depending on weather and workload.

Question 3

Do I have to be at the property?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. For external work we can assess and often carry out the job without access to the inside, and we send photographs of what we found and what we did. Where the leak needs tracing internally, or where scaffolding needs positioning, we will agree access with you first.

Question 4

Do you work on commercial buildings as well as houses?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We work on domestic property, rental and holiday-let portfolios, and commercial buildings including flat-roofed units. The approach is the same: diagnose the cause, evidence it, price the work clearly.

Question 5

How do you price roofing work?

Accepted Answer

Pricing depends on the size and pitch of the roof, the materials, access and scaffolding requirements, and how much hidden damage is likely. Where the extent cannot be known until the covering comes off, we say so in the quotation rather than issuing a surprise variation later.

Question 6

What area do you cover?

Accepted Answer

We are based in Carlisle and work across Cumbria — including Penrith, Workington, Whitehaven, Kendal, Keswick, Windermere, Brampton and Wigton — and over the border into South West Scotland including Annan, Gretna, Lockerbie and Dumfries.

Question 7

How quickly can you look at a roof leak?

Accepted Answer

Timescales depend on current workload and the urgency of the fault. Active water ingress is treated as an emergency and prioritised. Contact us with photographs and your postcode and we will tell you honestly when we can attend.

Question 8

Do I need a repair or a new roof?

Accepted Answer

As a rule of thumb, if faults are isolated and the underlay and battens are sound, repair. If slates or tiles are failing across multiple slopes, the underlay has perished, or you have had several repairs in a few years, reroofing usually costs less over the life of the roof.

Question 9

What should I do while I wait for a roofer?

Accepted Answer

Keep people away from anything that could fall, move belongings out of the affected room, contain water in buckets, and turn off electrics to the affected area if water is near light fittings or wiring. Do not climb onto the roof yourself.

Question 10

Do you cover emergencies outside normal hours?

Accepted Answer

Emergency availability and hours are to be confirmed by the client. Contact details and response times will be published here once supplied.

Question 11

How long does a reroof take?

Accepted Answer

A typical domestic pitched roof usually takes several days to a couple of weeks depending on size, pitch, complexity, the number of chimneys and the weather. We give an expected duration with the quotation.

Question 12

Do I need scaffolding?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A full strip and recover requires proper scaffold access with edge protection for safe working and to protect the building and anyone below.

Question 13

Can my existing slates be reused?

Accepted Answer

Often yes. If slates ring solid, are not delaminating and have enough sound edge to take a new fixing, a large proportion can usually be relaid, with the shortfall made up in matching new or reclaimed slate.

Question 14

What is the minimum pitch for a slate roof?

Accepted Answer

Slate needs a reasonable pitch to shed water, and the required head lap increases as pitch decreases and exposure increases. On very low pitches an alternative covering is usually the correct specification.

Question 15

Can you match my existing roof tiles?

Accepted Answer

Usually. Most common concrete and clay profiles are still manufactured, and reclaimed tiles are available for discontinued patterns. Colour on older tiles will have weathered, so new tiles can look brighter until they settle.

Question 16

Why do my ridge tiles keep coming loose?

Accepted Answer

Because sand-and-cement bedding cracks with thermal movement and wind, and once cracked it lets water in and loses grip. A dry-fix ridge system mechanically fixes each tile and is ventilated.

Question 17

Which flat roof system is best?

Accepted Answer

EPDM suits most simple domestic roofs, GRP suits roofs that need a hard trafficable surface, single-ply suits larger commercial areas, and liquid systems suit complicated detailing. The right answer depends on the roof, not on a favourite product.

Question 18

How long does a flat roof last?

Accepted Answer

Modern EPDM, GRP and single-ply systems are specified for several decades when correctly installed with proper falls, compared with roughly ten years for traditional built-up felt.

Question 19

How do I know if my chimney needs repointing or rebuilding?

Accepted Answer

If the mortar is eroded at the surface but the stack is plumb and solid, repointing is normally enough. If joints are hollow deep into the wall, bricks are spalling, or the stack is leaning, it needs rebuilding.

Question 20

Can you remove a chimney we no longer use?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A stack can be taken down to below the roof line and the roof made good, or removed entirely. Where the stack is shared with a neighbouring property, party wall considerations apply.

Question 21

How long should lead flashing last?

Accepted Answer

Correctly specified and fixed lead commonly lasts many decades — often longer than the roof covering. Premature failure is nearly always a specification or fixing fault rather than the material.

Question 22

Can lead flashing be repaired or does it need replacing?

Accepted Answer

Small splits can sometimes be lead-welded, but if the lead has split because the bay is too long or the code too thin, patching only delays the next failure. Reforming the detail correctly is the durable answer.

Question 23

How often should gutters be cleared?

Accepted Answer

At least annually for most properties, and twice a year where there are overhanging trees. Autumn clearance after leaf fall is the most valuable single visit.

Question 24

Can you replace guttering without replacing the fascia?

Accepted Answer

Yes, provided the fascia is sound enough to hold the brackets. If the timber is soft or the brackets pull out, the fascia needs renewing first.

Question 25

How long does a drone roof inspection take?

Accepted Answer

The flight over a typical domestic property usually takes under an hour on site. Reviewing the imagery and preparing the findings takes additional time, so the report follows the visit.

Question 26

Do I need to be at the property?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily, provided safe access to a take-off and landing position is available and any permissions needed are in place. This makes it particularly useful for landlords and buyers.

Frequently asked questions

Working with us

Roof Repairs

Emergency Roof Repairs

New Roofs and Reroofing

Slate Roofing

Tiled Roofing

Flat Roofing

Chimney Repairs

Leadwork

Fascias, Soffits and Guttering

Drone Roof Inspections

Need a roofer in Carlisle or Cumbria?

Working with us

Do you charge for quotations?

How soon can you look at my roof?

Do I have to be at the property?

Do you work on commercial buildings as well as houses?

How do you price roofing work?

What area do you cover?

Roof Repairs

How quickly can you look at a roof leak?

Do I need a repair or a new roof?

Can you repair a roof in bad weather?

Will my insurance cover the repair?

How much does a roof repair cost?

Emergency Roof Repairs

What should I do while I wait for a roofer?

Do you cover emergencies outside normal hours?

Is storm damage covered by home insurance?

How much does an emergency call-out cost?

New Roofs and Reroofing

How long does a reroof take?

Do I need scaffolding?

Can I stay in the house during the work?

Does reroofing need building regulations approval?

How long should a new roof last?

What guarantee is provided?

Slate Roofing

Can my existing slates be reused?

What is the minimum pitch for a slate roof?

Slate or tile — which should I choose?

Do you work on listed buildings?

Tiled Roofing

Can you match my existing roof tiles?

Why do my ridge tiles keep coming loose?

Should I remove moss from my roof?

Can concrete tiles be laid on any roof?

Flat Roofing

Which flat roof system is best?

How long does a flat roof last?

Can you overlay my existing flat roof?

Do I need building regulations approval?

Why does my flat roof leak only in heavy rain?

Chimney Repairs

How do I know if my chimney needs repointing or rebuilding?

Can you remove a chimney we no longer use?

Should a disused chimney be capped?

Why is damp appearing on my chimney breast but the roof looks fine?

Do I need scaffolding for chimney work?

Leadwork

How long should lead flashing last?

Can lead flashing be repaired or does it need replacing?

Are there alternatives to lead?

Why is there white staining on the wall under my new flashing?

Fascias, Soffits and Guttering

How often should gutters be cleared?

Can you replace guttering without replacing the fascia?

uPVC or timber roofline?

Will new soffits stop my loft condensation?

Drone Roof Inspections

How long does a drone roof inspection take?

Do I need to be at the property?

Is a drone inspection as good as someone going on the roof?

Will an insurer accept drone photographs?

Can you fly in any weather?

Is it legal to fly a drone over my property?

How much does a drone roof inspection cost?

What happens if you find a problem?

Need a roofer in Carlisle or Cumbria?