Slate Roof Covering Repairs

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Slate roof covering repairs

Slate roof covering repairs
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Q I have to have a new roof put on my house; but I am hoping emergency repairs will hold out until the days are longer and the weather improves.

Is this the reality or are you being told you need a new roof?
Do you mean roof structure or roof covering or both
Is this an opportunity to extreme insulate the roof to prevent all heat loss and solar heat gain and noise?
Wise to wait for better weather if it can be waited for.

Q The question is do I have a slate tile roof (as original) or do I have a slate fibre tile – perhaps you have a better idea on this?

They probably do not know how to get reclaimed slates because builders merchant do not sell them
Find architectural salvage yards and find suitable matching size, thickness, colour (or contrasting see below) slates
Is there any reason the slates cannot be patch repaired?
Is it due to the nailing making repairs difficult?
Consider having the slates clipped in the patch repair areas not nailed.
Clips hook over the top edge of batten (or nail into batten) in the gap between slates below and hook under the bottom edge of the replacement slate above
In europe all new roofs are clipped (its not inferior to nailing its just different, innovative, simple, faster, visible, repairable, DIYable)
The same people that supply fibre slates probably sell the clips, but they might resist hoping for a bigger sale opportunity
You may need to go to european suppliers to get the clips, (they did appear on UK project on Grand Designs so they can be obtained)
Patchy roof?
Nothing like a bit of archaeology to read in the slates.
Conservation specialist insist on showing the repairs as new compared to the existing old.
Slates are more expensive but….
A few patch repair slates will cost less than a whole roof of slate fibre tiles

Q Our emergency roofer seems to think slate fibre is the better option as he believes that slate will crack within 5 years.

The slates have survived 100 years why will they crack in 5 years?
Thats their scam to make you pay more and get more business income.
If they do crack in 5 years patch repair them too.
Fibre slates will turn grey in 10-20 years, they will turn grey as they fade or salts come to the surface or lichens grow on their surface
Slates will look great forever with or without lichens.
Don’t choose concrete or clay tiles instead, they will be too heavy and cause the roof timbers to creep and sag

Q Either way it will be costly.

A Not if you patch repair

Underpinning Party Walls

Q My next-door neighbour wants to build a basement in his house; but they will have to underpin our party wall, so I feel that my house is under attack from all sides – my fear is that it will cause a problem like damp or subsidence.

A The neighbour is obliged to get into party wall agreement with you, record the current state of repair, make every effort to prevent problems and compensate you for any failures.