Falling roof slate tiles

Oaksey403

Does anyone have a similar experience that they can offer advice from? We bought a new-build home 2 years ago, and since moving in, five roof tiles have fallen from the roof one at a time for no apparent reason! The first fell just after we moved in, the most recent earlier in November. Each time a slate/tile falls, we contact the builder who calls around and replaces it as per the new build and NHBC terms, however, he is now trying to convince us that slate is a natural product, and we should expect the occasional one to break and fall? These tiles do not fall during bad weather - we do not understand the root cause. The last tile that fell hit the roof of my car causing several hundred pounds of damage. I have told the builder that he is responsible as the property is still under his guarantee period, and knowing that tiles could fall, prevented a reoccurrence, or at least informed us of the risk earlier so we could have taken action ourselves.

My house is one of 7 in a small cul-de-sac, and my neighbours have the same problems - tiles falling without any reason. I called the NHBC, however they just referred me back to the builder.

Can anyone offer help/advice? I want the builder to pay for the damage, he is refusing.

Thanks!

fluffymuffy

Are you talking about tiles or slates?

Oaksey403

Sorry for the confusion - the builder referred to them as "slate tiles". They are slates.

teneighty

If these are natural slates they are possibly cheap Chinese or Spanish slates.


They are very poor quality and have flaws in the grain of the slate. The roofer should check every slate to sort the defective ones before laying but often don't bother as it takes up too much time and can waste a lot of slates. Even if they seem sound on laying they can develop cracks within the first few years.


Good quality slates, Canadian, Welsh, Cornish etc. will not fail prematurely and will easily last 100 years.


I would get a good independent roofer to inspect. Also get them to advise on repairs as replacing individual slates is difficult and the original builder may just be gluing the new slates in place which is a common cowboy's bodge.

BuildingFife

As above, I would contact an independent roofer & have a roofing report done on the quality of the roof, as this shouldn't be happening.

Oaksey403

Thanks teneighty - I agree with you completely. I have asked the builder to fully inspect the roof - apparently inspection is likely to cause more damage than good- so he is not very enthusiastic! I am keen to hear what people think regarding the builders liability towards my car damage? If they knew this was a risk when building, and failed to take any action to prevent more tiles falling I believe they are negligent and should pay?

As before - any thoughts/similar experience is welcome.

cyclonebri1

Even "cheap" Spanish tiles should last half a century.
It's not the materials, it's the fixing thereof.

On a new build, so, are they real slates or artificial slate, ie, plastic.

Either way if these fall of after a couple of years in good weather conditions you have a real problem.

Log and record every single snippets of conversation and written word.,

tony6403

I doubt that it's anything related to the origin of the slates.
My bet is that they have been nailed with too much force ,which has punched through the slates, or that they have been walked upon during installation.
Hard to prove - it would be best if you could get one before it hits the deck to see where it has failed.
These problems are usually repaired with unsightly slate hooks.

cyclonebri1

tony6403 wrote: »

I doubt that it's anything related to the origin of the slates.
My bet is that they have been nailed with too much force ,which has punched through the slates, or that they have been walked upon during installation.
Hard to prove - it would be best if you could get one before it hits the deck to see where it has failed.
These problems are usually repaired with unsightly slate hooks.

Problem is tony, there isn't really a proper/better way, unless it's very near the ridgeline?