Roof Replacement in Bushey

A leaking roof sorted before winter

This job came in from a customer in Bushey, within the WD postcode area, after their old roof started letting water in. With winter on the way and a current offer running, the timing made sense. Nobody wants a leak hanging over them once the weather turns, so the decision to get it done was straightforward once the quote was agreed.

The brief was a full roof replacement rather than a patch-up repair. Once our roofers got up there and had a proper look, it was clear a patch job wouldn't have cut it anyway. The whole covering needed to come off and go back on new.

Scaffolding, strip-out and timber repairs

Scaffolding was put up first, arranged by our team so the job could run safely and without delay. With the old tiles stripped off, we found some damage to the timbers and decking underneath, which is fairly common on a roof that's been letting water through for a while. This was repaired before anything new went on top. Skipping this step is how roofs end up failing again a few years down the line, so it's not an area we cut corners on.

New covering and ridge detail

For the new covering, we fitted Redland 49 tiles in rustic red, laid over a breathable membrane felt underlay conforming to British Standards. This combination gives the roof proper protection against wind and rain while still letting moisture escape from inside the loft space, which helps avoid damp problems building up over time.

Along the ridge line we used a dry ridge system rather than traditional wet mortar bedding. It's a more reliable fix in the long run, less prone to cracking and coming loose in bad weather, and it ties in neatly with the ventilation improvements made elsewhere on the roof.

Flashing, ventilation and chimney work

Lead flashing, valleys and box gutters were all replaced as part of the job. These are the details that tend to cause the most trouble if they're left old or poorly fitted, since they sit at the joins where water is most likely to find a way in. We also carried out work around the chimney, making sure the junction between the stack and the new tiles was properly sealed and weathertight.

Ventilation was improved across the roof too. Better airflow through the roof space helps stop condensation forming on the timbers, which over time can cause the same kind of rot that led to this job in the first place. It's a small addition during the works but makes a real difference to how the roof performs over its lifetime.

Flat roof insulation and extra works

Insulation was fitted to the flat roof section as part of the same visit, improving heat retention in that part of the property. While the scaffolding was up, we also replaced the facias and guttering, which made sense to deal with at the same time rather than leaving them for a separate job later on.

No building regulations sign-off was required for this project, and the whole job, from strip-out to finished roof, was completed in two days.

The finished roof

Compared to the leaking roof we started with, the finished result is a different roof altogether. New tiles, new flashing, new facias and guttering, and a roof structure that's sound underneath rather than just covered over. The quality of the workmanship was something the customer picked up on straight away, and it's backed by a 10 year guarantee, so there's peace of mind built into the job as well as the materials.

If you're in Bushey, Watford or anywhere else across the WD postcode and dealing with a roof that's past its best, HighPoint Roofing And Building offer free, no obligation quotations and over 40 years of combined experience behind every job we take on.