How to Repair a Roof

A run down cottage in the Yorkshire Dales has been lovingly restored into a charming, family home
(Image credit: David Burton)

When it comes to the roof, it’s common to find defects flagged up in Home Buyer reports and building surveys, which have a unique capacity to evoke dread. Even straightforward repairs that involve working at height can induce bouts of financial vertigo, brought about largely by the substantial sums to pay for scaffold hire.

Fortunately, the need for complete re-roofing is comparatively rare. There are, however, potentially serious issues that routinely crop up in surveys, most of which require urgent attention to prevent leakage causing deterioration to the structure. Here, we explain what to look out for, the repairs required, and the potential costs* involved.

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Remedial Work RequiredLabour and Materials**
Strip roof of tiles/slates, battens and felt£18/m²
Refelt, batten and re-tile/slate stripped roof using new tiles/slates:Row 2 - Cell 1
Plain clay tiles105/m²
Natural slate£151/m²
Interlocking concrete tiles£44/m²
Artificial slate£106/m²
New ridge/hip tilesFrom £70/m²
Verges/undercloak pointedFrom £10/m²
Double eaves courses pointedFrom £14/m²
Ian Rock

Chartered surveyor Ian Rock MRICS is a director is Rightsurvey.co.uk and the author of eight popular Haynes House Manuals, including the Home Extension Manual, the Self Build Manual and Period Property Manual.


Ian is also the founder of Zennor Consultants. In addition to providing house surveys, Zennor Consultants provide professional guidance on property refurbishment and maintenance as well as advising on the design and construction of home extensions and loft conversions, including planning and Building Regulations compliance.


Ian has recently added a 100m2 extension to his home; he designed and project managed the build and completed much of the interior fit-out on a DIY basis.