Slate roof repair

Signs your slate roof needs attention

Slates lying in the garden or the gutter are the obvious one. Others are quieter: a row that no longer lines up, a pale scar where a slate has slid down, a copper strip or lead tab left from an earlier repair, or daylight showing through the loft when you look up. Several of these at once usually points to nail sickness, where the fixings across the roof have corroded.

• Slipped or missing slates
• Cracked or delaminating slates
• Many past tingle repairs in one area
• Damp patches in the loft after rain

Single slate repairs

One or two slipped slates can be refitted without disturbing the rest. The replacement is slid into place and held with a tingle, a small strip fixed to the batten and folded up to support the tail of the slate. It is a sound repair for isolated faults, and we match the slate size and colour as closely as we can.

Stripping and relaying

When slates are failing across the whole roof because the nails have gone, patching becomes a running cost. The better answer is to strip the roof, set aside every sound slate, fit new battens and breathable membrane, and relay the slates with new fixings. Any shortfall is made up with matching slate. That way the roof keeps its character and gains a new lease of life.

We will tell you honestly which route suits your roof. Many only need a repair, and we would rather quote for that than for a full relay.

What to expect

Every job starts with a free inspection and a written, no-obligation quotation. We work Monday to Saturday, 08:00 to 17:00, from our Costessey base, with an emergency call-out service advertised 24/7 if slates have come off in a storm.

Keeping slate roofs sound for longer

Slate itself is hard wearing. Most of the trouble comes from the parts around it: rusting fixings, perished battens, tired lead at the chimney and valleys, and ridges that have lost their bedding. Keeping an eye on those details is the cheapest way to look after a slate roof.

After heavy winds, it is worth a look from the garden for any slate out of line or lying in the gutter. Catching one slipped slate early is a small job, while leaving it can let water rot the batten beneath and loosen the slates around it. If you spot something, call 07437 005301 and we will come and check at no charge.

A repair quotation should explain what can be retained

Natural slate roof repair often concerns the fixings as much as the stone. Before agreeing a larger job, ask whether sound slates can be retained, where replacements are needed and how closely their size and colour can be matched. Reusing material is part of a relay where the existing slates remain usable, not a reason to keep cracked or delaminating units.

An isolated slipped slate and a pattern of slipping across several courses lead to different decisions. Record where recent slates have fallen and any earlier repairs you know about. This helps the inspection focus on whether failure is local or connected to the nails and battens across the slope.

Protect the roof while arranging access

Do not walk over slates or use the roof covering as a platform to investigate a fault. The repair needs safe access suited to its location, particularly around a chimney, valley or the upper courses. Ask how access is included in the proposed work rather than assuming that a small damaged area means a simple ladder job.

Slate roof cost cannot be understood from the replacement slate alone. Access, the amount of covering lifted, new fixings and the condition of concealed materials also affect the scope. On a protected building, the proposed material and appearance need checking before changes are agreed. Our heritage roofing service covers that wider context while this page concentrates on repairing the slate covering.

Common questions

What is nail sickness?

It is the corrosion of the nails holding slates to the battens. As they fail, slates slip across the roof, not just in one spot.

Can you reuse my existing slates?

Sound slates are set aside and relaid. We make up any shortfall with matching slate.

Is a tingle repair a proper fix?

For one or two slipped slates, yes. Where many slates are going, relaying is the lasting answer.

How do you replace broken roof slates?

The damaged slate is removed and a suitable replacement secured with the appropriate fixing detail. The surrounding slates and battens need assessment as part of the repair.

Can scaffolding rest on a slate covering?

Access should be designed to protect the covering and the people working above it. Do not use fragile slates as a working platform; discuss the access arrangements in the quotation.