Roof Replacement Basildon

An old roof that had given up

This property in Basildon had reached the end of its road. The roof was leaking, the tiles had holes in them, and there wasn't much point patching it up again. The homeowner had been putting off the job for a while but decided to go ahead once they saw our 20% discount was on offer. It made sense to get it sorted properly rather than keep firefighting small leaks every winter.

Our team went out to survey the property first, checked the structure and confirmed there was no damage to the timbers or decking that needed addressing before we started. That meant we could get straight on with the strip and re-cover without any delays.

Stripping back and starting fresh

We stripped the old covering off completely and laid a breathable membrane felt conforming to British standards across the whole roof. On top of that went charcoal Marley tiles, finished with a dry ridge system and dry verge system rather than the old mortar-bedded ridges that tend to crack and fail over time. Dry systems hold up better against wind and weather, and they cut down on future maintenance.

As part of the job we also removed the chimney, which the customer wanted taken down while we had the scaffold up. It made sense to do it at the same time rather than come back another day. We fitted new uPVC guttering while we were up there too, so the whole exterior got sorted in one go rather than in stages.

Scaffolding and timescale

Scaffolding was needed for a job of this size and we arranged that ourselves, so the customer didn't have to deal with a separate contractor or extra hassle. Once everything was in place, the roof replacement itself took two days from strip-off to finished ridge line. Weather played nicely and the team worked straight through without any hold-ups.

Two days is quick for a full re-roof with chimney removal on top, but with a decent-sized team and everything planned out in advance, there's no reason it should drag on longer than necessary.

Ventilation improvements

While we were up there we also improved the roof ventilation. A lot of older roofs in Essex were built without proper airflow, which leads to condensation building up under the tiles and rotting the timbers from the inside out over the years. Getting the ventilation right at the same time as the re-roof means the new structure should stay in good condition for a lot longer than the last one did.

We didn't need to touch any lead flashing or valleys on this particular roof, as the existing detailing around the structure didn't require replacement.

Guarantee and peace of mind

The finished roof comes with our 10 year guarantee, which covers workmanship as well as the materials fitted. Given the age and condition of the old roof, that guarantee gives the homeowner a lot more confidence than patching up leaks every year. We carry public liability insurance on every job we take on, so the customer had that cover throughout the two days we were on site.

Taking advantage of the discount meant the timing worked out well for the customer, but the underlying reason for the work was straightforward: the old roof was leaking and beyond sensible repair.

The finished result

Compared to the old tiles with holes and patches of damp coming through, the finished roof looks completely different. Charcoal Marley tiles with a dry ridge and verge system give the property a tidy, uniform line across the whole roof, and the new guttering finishes it off properly. The chimney removal has simplified the roofline too, which the customer was pleased about.

It's the kind of job that stands out not because of anything flashy, but because every part of it was done properly in one visit, from the ventilation to the guttering, with nothing left half-finished.