A tiled re-roof, laid course by course

The brief: a complete tiled re-roof

A re-roof means the whole covering comes off and a new one goes on, from membrane to ridge. Done properly it gives you a roof that sheds water, resists wind and needs nothing but a glance for decades.

This project is a full re-roof in tile on a house with a chimney stack and a dormer, finished in brown interlocking tiles. The photographs follow it from the first tiles going on to the finished roof.

Membrane, battens and tiles loaded out

The first photographs show the roof mid-job. Yellow breathable membrane covers the slope, new battens are fixed across it and the tiles are loaded out along the battens in rows, so the team lays tiles without carrying them up and down. A roofer in hi-vis walks the slope while the first courses go on.

The membrane is the second line of defence. It catches wind-driven rain and condensation and lets moisture out of the loft, which is why a re-roof without it is only half a roof.

Fixing the battens to a true gauge matters more than it looks. Every tile course sits on a batten, so the spacing there decides the line you see on the finished roof.

Eaves, valleys and the details that leak

At the eaves the first course sits over the fascia line and the membrane is dressed into the gutter, so water that gets behind the tiles runs out instead of in. The valleys come next: tiles from two slopes are cut to meet in a clean line over a valley liner, and this is where a rushed job leaks first.

Our photographs show the valley from two angles, with tiles cut tight on both sides and the membrane visible where the next courses are still to go on. Cutting the tiles to the line takes time, and it is time we take.

A finished tiled re-roof

The finished tiled re-roof shows consistent courses, a straight valley, a neat junction at the dormer and the chimney standing clear above the tiles. Brown tiles suit the house and the street, and the roof has the same quiet finish from every angle.

All work is backed with a 20 year written guarantee. The paperwork is issued when the job is complete, so the roof comes with proof.

Before the scaffold comes down we walk the roof once more, check the ridge and the valleys, clear the debris and take away all waste. You are left with a tidy property and a roof you can look at with confidence.

Planning a re-roof?

A re-roof is the biggest job most homeowners commission, so get it quoted properly. Our quote is free, with materials and labour costed separately, and we promise to beat any written quote. Read about new roofs and re-roofs and tiled roofing, check the new roof cost guide, then ask for your quote.