Advice on Replacing roof please!

James26695

Hi, first of all wonder if anyone can tell me roughly how long welsh slate can last? I've just bought an 1880s end terrace (Leeds) - it has its original welsh slate still on. Quite a few tiles have slipped, the ridge tiles need re bedding along with the stone copings/or "parapit" to the gable end.
There is no felt/membrane under the tiles...quite surprised there's no damage to any bedroom ceilings as yet even though i think the roofs been in the same state for at least the last 4 years.
Anyway.. so these slate are already well over 130 years old...I know without actually seeing their condition up close its hard to tell but is there a general age to how long welsh slate lasts?
I've read up a bit and some suggest " a lifetime" and 100 years + .
I've had 3 or 4 different quotes to re roof...at first i was thinking to go with new (decent grade spanish slates) the quotes came in around 4.5k including vat. I've had a quote of 3k to strip the slate off, re felt using breathable membrane, new treated batons, re lay the existing slates (re claimed of the same for any that cant be used) - this includes re bedding the parapit coping stones to the gable end with membrane under, re bedding ridge tiles, lead flashings to chimney and i've negociated new plastic guttering to the front (only) and loft insulation putting in (on top off old stuff).
So to re- cap question 1 - will 130 year old welsh slate be ok to use? or has it past its best?
2) Does this seem a reasonable quote? (the roofer thinks welsh slate will last as long as the house will stand - but i want other opinions)
The roof is not huge...the house is 5 metres front to back and about 7 meters wide (31.5 sq meter footprint of house)
.Any input very much appreciated! Thanks :beer:

trailingspouse

Keep the slate!! As you say yourself, even with a few tiles slipped etc, there's no water ingress. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The problem with old roofs like this isn't the slate itself but the nails used to hold the tiles - they rust and weaken over time.



We had a similar issue with our house - 110 years old. There was a leak. We got a quote for £6,000. We got a quote for £10,000. And we got a quote for £125.


So I spoke to the guy who quoted us £125 and asked why he was charging so little - and he agreed that it was an old roof, but he could fix the leak for £125 (refixing slipped tiles and replacing a missing one), and yes, we might need to call him out again in a couple of years - but it would take us a long time to spend £6,000!! I liked his thinking, and we went with him - and yes, in 5 years he's been out twice.



But we still have the original roof, and we still have (most of) the £6,000!!

sevenhills

James26695 wrote: »

Hi, first of all wonder if anyone can tell me roughly how long welsh slate can last? I've just bought an 1880s end terrace (Leeds) - it has its original welsh slate still on.

I assume the house is not in a conservation area?

Doozergirl

Slate does deteriorate. It takes time though.

https://imgur.com/gallery/oNM5TaV

Those are pictures from a survey carried out by a top roofing consultancy last week. It's my next project.

The house is 1850s. The Welsh slates with the hairline cracks visible are on their way out. We saw similar on previous 1850s house project, probably by the same architect using the same slate. These slates will be replaced with another high quality slate, not Welsh, but from the same seam beneath the earth which is in Canada! They'll go another 170 years.

It really depends on what your slates look like as to whether you consider replacing them too. Not all slates are the same quality.

It sounds like you're paying the labour already to re-roof, it's your decision on whether to pay for the materials and the ultimate peace of mind. The decision might be made by how long you intend to stay. You certainly want to see what's up there.

teneighty

I agree with Doozer, get someone to carefully inspect the existing slates. They can vary in quality so yours might be good for another 100 years and it is just the nails that have rusted away so the roof can be stripped and the existing slates re-used with a few new ones added.

Another fault you sometimes see on them is the underside goes soft and powdery which depending how bad it is can lead to the slate delaminating.

Be very careful with cheap Spanish slates. They also vary in quality with some having iron sulphide inclusions which over time rust and lead to pin holes in the slates and/or broken slates. I looked at a roof the other week that is only about 10 years old and already needs complete re-roofing.

James26695

Seven hills yes the house is in a conservation area....i dont need permission to re roof it though..as long as i'm not putting a dorma on it .

sevenhills

James26695 wrote: »

I've had 3 or 4 different quotes to re roof...at first i was thinking to go with new (decent grade spanish slates) the quotes came in around 4.5k including vat.

I would check if I were you.


Spanish and other imported slates are not acceptable on listed buildings as they are darker than British slates and generally contain more impurities. All forms of artificial slate and reconstituted slate are unacceptable on Listed Buildings and buildings within Conservation Areas, including new buildings.


https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/your-home/making-changes-your-property/types-of-work/renew-my-roof/

Doozergirl

You should replace like with like. Be careful!