New roofs and re-roofing, stripped back and done once
A full re-roof in tile or slate, stripped to the rafters and rebuilt from the timbers up. Old covering off and into the skip, rafters and wall plates checked, breathable membrane and treated battens on, then the new tiles set out so the courses run true and the ridge sits straight. Priced from a written estimate after James has been up and looked, with nothing to pay until the roof is finished.
Every re-roof, covered
Stripped to the timbers, not covered over
Every tile, batten and scrap of old felt comes off so the rafters can actually be seen. Rotten rafter feet, split battens and failed valley boards get found now rather than three winters later. If anything needs replacing you are told first, with a price, not presented with it afterwards.
Membrane, battens and the half you never see
Breathable membrane lapped and dressed into the gutter, treated battens gauged to the tile so the courses come out even, and eaves trays and ventilation where the roof needs them. This is the part of a new roof that decides whether it lasts thirty years, and it never shows in the finished photograph.
Tile or slate, set out to run true
Plain clay tile, interlocking concrete, natural or fibre cement slate, laid to the gauge the manufacturer asks for. Verges dry fixed or bedded and pointed, hips and ridges mechanically fixed rather than relying on mortar alone, and valleys formed so the water goes where it should.
Left clean, guaranteed in writing
Scaffold, skips and a magnet sweep for nails are part of the job, not an extra. When the roof is finished the guarantee goes in writing before the scaffold comes down, and the final bill matches the written estimate unless you asked for something extra along the way.
Asked and answered
How long does a re-roof take?
A typical three bedroom semi or bungalow around Horley is four to six working days once the scaffold is up, weather permitting. Larger detached houses, cut and pitched roofs with several valleys, and anything with dormers run longer. The written estimate gives you a realistic run of days rather than a best case that falls apart in the first wet week.
Is scaffolding included in the price?
Yes. Any full re-roof needs a proper scaffold with a working platform and edge protection, and it is in the written estimate, so the figure you are given is the figure you pay. Nobody strips a roof off a ladder.
Should I go for tile or slate?
Mostly the house decides. If the roof is currently plain clay tile or natural slate, and especially in the conservation areas around Reigate, Lingfield or Charlwood, like for like is usually what the planners expect and what suits the house. Interlocking concrete tiles are quicker and cheaper on postwar and modern housing. James will tell you what suits the roof before anything is ordered.
What happens if it rains halfway through?
The roof is stripped in sections rather than all at once, and whatever is open at the end of the day gets sheeted and weighted. Membrane goes on the same day as the battens. If the forecast is genuinely bad we would rather not open the roof up that morning, which is why the day count in the estimate has some room in it.
Do I pay anything up front?
No. There is nothing to pay until the roof is finished and you are happy with it. That has been the way J&L works on every job, and it is one of the reasons the Checkatrade reviews read the way they do.
New Roofs & Re-Roofing across east Surrey
Based in Smallfield, just outside Horley, so most of the work is within half an hour of the yard. If your postcode is not on the list, give us a ring anyway.
Planning a re-roof?
Free written estimate, and nothing to pay until you are happy with the job.