Advice on roof works needed

roofaroo

Hi everyone - we are first time buyers and have just received our level 3 survey, overall looked good with the only real area of work needed being in the roof void.

We are very new to this and just wanted advice on whether the below all sounds reasonable, and what work would need to prioritised. Really, any advice on what we should make of it and what to do next would be gratefully received! Also if anyone would have a ballpark idea of costs to expect it would be appreciated. House is a small two bed semi. 

Here is the information from the report:

The underside of the roof has been lined with felt in order to act as a secondary barrier to rainwater penetration. The lining was noted to be torn in a number of areas and there is now a risk of water

penetration and repairs are now necessary. However, it can be difficult to undertake patch repairs successfully and the only way to carry out an effective means of repair may be to completely strip the roof coverings and install a new lining.

The roof void is insulated with fibreglass. This is considered inadequate, and you should arrange for additional insulation to be installed to the current Building Regulations standard, currently

recommend to a minimum depth of 270mm. You should also refer to the EPC for the property for advice in this respect and information on any financial assistance available.

Woodworm and similar infestations are usually present in properties such as this and an infestation can spread through roofing, flooring, staircases and other timbers. Some deterioration of timbers

was noted in the roof space, and you should arrange for a suitably qualified and registered contractor to inspect and report if there are any active infestations and to check all exposed timbers within the property. They should also be asked to submit an estimate for the cost of any

necessary treatment works prior to exchange of contracts.

Water is stored in a plastic tank located within the roof void. The tank is poorly insulated and some improvements are now required.

There is evidence of wasps nesting in the roof void, and it is now recommended that they are removed under controlled conditions by a suitably qualified contractor.

Roofing felt can become brittle with age, particularly when exposed to sunlight, rainwater and wind action. Deterioration often occurs along the lower leading edges of the roof line where the lining is

most exposed.

You should ensure that any water storage tanks remain covered and well insulated in order to prevent freezing and condensation from.

FreeBear

roofaroo said: The roof void is insulated with fibreglass. This is considered inadequate, and you should arrange for additional insulation to be installed to the current Building Regulations standard, currently

recommend to a minimum depth of 270mm. You should also refer to the EPC for the property for advice in this respect and information on any financial assistance available.

Woodworm and similar infestations are usually present in properties such as this and an infestation can spread through roofing, flooring, staircases and other timbers. Some deterioration of timbers

was noted in the roof space, and you should arrange for a suitably qualified and registered contractor to inspect and report if there are any active infestations and to check all exposed timbers within the property. They should also be asked to submit an estimate for the cost of any necessary treatment works prior to exchange of contracts.

Nothing in the report sounds particularly serious. Just don't get spray foam installed (nasty, horrible stuff) as it will cause serious problems when you come to sell. Quite possibly resulting in a valuation of zero. Just add another layer of fibreglass/rockwool insulation on top of what is already there. It will cur your heating costs and improve the EPC rating by a point or two.

Woodworm only attacks damp timber - If the roof structure (and other timbers) are dry, infestations won't be a problem. Spraying toxic chemicals around, whilst killing any insects on the surface, won't kill woodworm that has burrowed in to the depths of a bit of wood. If you must get a damp & timber survey, just don't have a "free" one from a PCA registered company - They will find "issues" and recommend a bunch of expensive work. All of it pointless and just covers up any issues without fixing the root causes.

Long term, budget to have the roof stripped sometime in the next ten years or so to have the felt replaced.

propertyrental

Felt - many houses don't have any. Provided water is not penetrating, there's no urgency. Probably good for decades. Or if concerned budget to re-felt which, as survey says, is a big job.

Insulation - common sense really. The more the better. Cheap to buy B&Q/wickes etc) and a weekend DIY job.

woodworm etc - they love new and/or damp wood. Otherwise they are not interested, though there may be holes that indicate they were there once. Maybe when the property was first built. Beware many specialist companies will point to the holes and advise you to spray. Pointless

Water tank. When you add the insulation (above), pick up a tank insulation kit (and lid?) from your DIY store and fit it. Cost = peanuts

Wasps - so what? Leave the little blighters alone. They'll all die off in the autumn (by when you'll have either bought or walked) and they don't return to old nests

BarelySentientAI

Yeah - as above.

All I read from the survey comments is "the house and roof are not brand new".

ian1246

I moved into my house in December 2023. Within a short space of time my ceiling went mouldy- turned out there was water ingress due to the felt having failed.

It cost me £9000ish to get the whole roof stripped back, new felt put down & retiled. That included an extra row of tiles, increasing the overlap of tiles, whuch due to a relatively shallow incline had allowed water to be blown in. 

That cost also included taking down the chimney stack & replacing a old flat roof with a rubber roof.

propertyrental

ian1246 said:

I moved into my house in December 2023. Within a short space of time my ceiling went mouldy- turned out there was water ingress due to the felt having failed.

It cost me £9000ish to get the whole roof stripped back, new felt put down & retiled. That included an extra row of tiles, increasing the overlap of tiles, whuch due to a relatively shallow incline had allowed water to be blown in. 

That cost also included taking down the chimney stack & replacing a old flat roof with a rubber roof.

Interesting - but had your survey said anything about water ingress into the roof space...?

Albermarle

Felt - many houses don't have any. Provided water is not penetrating, there's no urgency. Probably good for decades. Or if concerned budget to re-felt which, as survey says, is a big job.

I have lived in two older houses with no roof lining and never had a leak. In fact I do not really follow the logic of roof liners, as if the roof does not leak they are not really doing anything?
Then if the roof does leak their 'secondary protection' is not going to last very long anyway.

As in the post by ian1246, the real problem was that the roof was not tiled correctly and leaked, not that the felt leaked.

So not sure of the reason for fitting a roof liner?

roofaroo

Thanks everyone for your input, this has been really helpful (and reassuring!)

youth_leader

I lived in a listed building and very sadly had to sell when my husband died.  We didn't have felt in our slate tiled roof, and when the new owner made investigations about the roof, he had to have a bat survey.  Felt isn't great for bats so I'd avoid if you could.

propertyrental

The rationale behind felt is that in certain circumstances water can get behind the tiles/slates. Most commonly on less steep roofs and/or where the wind blows water back upwards behind the tiles, or as in ian's example, whetre the tiles are poorly fitted.

The felt then captures the water and either 'holds' it till natural ventilation dries it out, or, theoretically, it runs down the felt and out into the gutter.

But these are exceptional, rare, circumstances, and a well roofed property has no need of felt