Roofers in Frenchay

The houses around Frenchay Common were built in the 18th century, principally by wealthy Quaker families, and include the former Rectory, Bradford's House and Frenchay Common House. They are substantial buildings, and their roofs are large and carefully made. A repair on one of them has to be thought through in the way the original builder would have thought it through.

Before anything else we need to know what the roof actually is. Old houses have often been re-covered at some point, and the material that sits there now may not be the first. We look at the laying pattern, the size and thickness of each piece, the nails or pegs that hold it and the battens beneath. A close look at one course tells us a lot about the roof's age and about the right way to repair it.

Matching is the principle. On a natural slate roof, repairs use slate sized and coloured to suit; on clay tile, the new tiles are picked to blend with the old. A roof of this scale and visibility shows a poor match from the common, and a patch of modern tile on an old slope looks like a mistake whatever its cost. Where there are not enough sound original pieces, we reclaim.

Hidden detail counts here more than on a modern house. Valleys, flashings and chimney abutments are usually lead, and the lead on a house this age has often been patched with sealant or bitumen. We look at the lining under the patch, and explain whether it needs relaying with new lead or a local repair. Soakers, the small lead pieces set between the courses beside a chimney or wall, are worth lifting to look at.

If your house is listed, which several here may be, the rules on consent apply. We describe the work precisely so you can raise it with the council, and our pitched roofing page explains how we approach a covering of this kind, from stripping to relaying.

Frenchay sits between the B4058 and the wooded valley of the River Frome. Woods and tall trees are good for a village and hard on a roof. Leaves, twigs and seed fall onto the slopes and wash into the valleys and gutters, where they collect and rot. A gutter filled with wet leaf mould can hold water against the fascia for weeks.

Valleys are the places to watch. The lined channel where two slopes meet carries a lot of water, and the debris from overhanging trees settles in it. If the lead or metal lining is old, the weight of wet leaves and the acid in the rotting matter can speed up its wear. We clear the debris and look at the lining under it for pinholes and splits.

Gutters are the next point. We check that they run to their outlets, that the joints are tight and that the downpipes are not blocked at the bottom. Leaf guards can help in some places, but a guard that is itself covered in moss does nothing, so we say clearly where they would help and where they would not. Cast iron gutters, which are common on older houses, need painting and occasional re-jointing and will last a long time if looked after.

Shade holds moisture on the roof. Slopes that never get direct sun stay green with moss and algae, and the covering below stays wet. The simple fix is to cut back branches that overhang the roof, which may need a tree surgeon and, in a conservation area, notice to the council before certain work on trees. Check first with South Gloucestershire Council, because trees in a conservation area are protected in ways that other trees are not.

Gutter repairs and renewals are covered by gutters, soffits and fascias. For roofs where growth has taken hold, soft washing is the gentle method we choose first, and the survey tells us whether a clean is worth doing at all.