Slate roofing, new and repaired, with a 20 year written guarantee
Slate roofing and slate roof repair across Dunstable, Luton, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and North London. Book your free, no obligation quote: all work is backed with a 20 year written guarantee, and we will beat any written quote.
All work is backed with a 20 year written guarantee
Over 25 years' experience, family business
Fully insured, risk assessment before every job
We will beat any written quote
Free slate roofing quote
Step 1 of 3
Three quick steps. We ring you back to arrange a free survey.
Free, no obligation20 year written guaranteeWe beat any written quote
New natural slate roofs, stripped back to the rafters and rebuilt
Slate roof repair: slipped, cracked and missing slates replaced and fixed
Stripping and relaying existing slates on new battens and membrane
Reclaimed slate to match older roofs, and fibre cement slate where the budget calls for it
Lead valleys, hips, soakers and flashings at chimneys, dormers and abutments
Ridge, hip and verge finishes in clay, lead or dry-fixed systems
Chimney repointing and flaunching, so the stack is as sound as the new roof
Scaffold, risk assessment and a clean site with all waste removed
Slate roofing done properly from the rafters up
A slate roof is the longest-lasting covering you can put on a house, and the least forgiving to fit. Each slate is thin, brittle and fixed by two nails. The roof is only as good as the battens, the membrane, the lap and the lead around it.
We carry out slate roofing for houses, extensions, dormers and commercial buildings. That means new slate roofs, slate roof repairs, stripping and relaying old slates, and the lead work that keeps the details watertight. Over 25 years' experience on roofs shows in the detailing: valleys, hips and chimney junctions are where slate roofs fail, and they are where we take the most care.
Natural, reclaimed and slate-effect: choosing the right slate
The right slate depends on the age of the house, the pitch and the budget. We tell you the real trade-offs, and quote the options side by side.
Slate type
Best for
What to know
Natural slate
Victorian and Edwardian houses, extensions, dormers
Long life, fine edges, and the right look for older properties
Reclaimed slate
Matching an existing roof, conservation-sensitive work
Real age and weathering, sorted and graded before relaying
Fibre cement and slate-effect
Budget re-roofs and modern builds
Lower cost, a slate look and a shorter life than natural
How a slate roof is built
Under every good slate roof sits a breathable membrane, laid over the rafters, then treated battens fixed at a gauge set by the slate size and the roof pitch. The slates hang from the battens in double-lapped courses, so every joint is covered by the slate above and the slate two courses up.
Each slate is fixed with two copper or stainless steel nails, which will not rust through in the roof's lifetime. Cheap galvanised nails do, and that is how a roof with plenty of life left in the slates starts losing them. Where the roof meets a wall, a chimney or a dormer, lead soakers and flashings are formed to the slate courses. Take a look at our lead work page for the detail.
How slate roofs fail, and how we diagnose it
Slate itself lasts for generations. What fails is the fixing, the timber and the lead. Before we quote, we find out which.
Nail sickness
Iron nails rust through where they pass the slate. The slate stays on by friction until a storm tips it off. It often shows in the loft first, where small rusted nail tips and slate fragments collect on the floor and insulation. If the nails have failed across a slope, spot repairs are a waste and the slope needs stripping and relaying.
Delamination and cracked slate
Poor-quality slate splits into layers and crumbles at the edges. Cracks also come from people walking across a slate roof in the wrong places. We replace the damaged slates and tell you if the whole slope is a poor-quality batch.
Rotten battens and torn membrane
Many old slate roofs sit on soft timber battens and hessian-based felt, which rots from the inside while the slates above still look fine. When we lift a slope and find soft battens or a torn membrane, we replace them before a single slate goes back.
Slate roof repair: slipped slates, lead and local patching
A few slipped slates do not mean a new roof. We lift the courses around the fault, fix a replacement with a slate hook or copper clip, and check that the neighbouring nails are sound. The repair is done from ladder or scaffold, and you see the cost on your written quote beforehand.
Lead is the other common failure. Cracked soakers, lifted flashings and split valley linings let water in at chimneys and dormers long before the slate does. We replace the lead and make the junction right. One of our reviewers had a new slate roof panel, replacement lead, new gutters, chimneys and soffit repairs on an old house in one connected run of work.
Slate roofing across Luton, Harpenden, St Albans and Hitchin
Slate is the original covering on many Victorian and Edwardian terraces and villas across the area, from Luton to Harpenden, St Albans and Hitchin. Roofs in conservation areas call for the right material and the right detailing, and we match both.
If you are replacing the whole roof, our new roofs page covers the full re-roof process, and the new roof cost guide explains what changes the price. To see a slate job from first photo to finished roof, read our new slate roof project.
Signs you need us
Slates slipped down the slope, leaving gaps in the courses
Pieces of slate or small rusted nails lying in the gutter or on the loft floor
Slates that are flaking in layers or have gone soft at the edges
Damp patches or daylight showing in the loft under the slate slope
Lead around chimneys and dormers lifting, cracked or split
A sagging slope or battens that look dark and wet from inside the loft
How it works
How it works, from first call to guarantee
We survey the slate roof
Call or send the form. We visit at a time that suits you and carry out a full assessment of the slope, the battens, the membrane and the nails.
Written quote with the right option
You get a detailed quote with materials and labour split out, a timetable, and a clear answer on repair, relay or a new slate roof. We promise to beat any written quote.
Strip, repair and fit
After a risk assessment, we strip the slope, repair the timbers, lay breathable membrane and fit new battens and slates, with every lead detail formed to the roof.
Finish and guarantee
We clear the site and take the old material away. Your 20 year written guarantee covers the work, and if you have a concern afterwards you call and we fix it.
Our own photos
Recent slate roofing work
Every photo is from a job we worked on. Tap any image to see it full size.
Word for word from TrustATrader and our old website. Reviews from TrustATrader and Google link to the source.
TrustATrader review
Complex work on an old house, new slate roof panel, replacing flat roof lead, new gutters, chimneys sorted, soffit repairs, new ridge tiles, repointing and painting. A major amount of work done in rapid succession with no missing days in between under the auspices of Hugh. I would thoroughly recommend him and his team. One gutter joint came apart in the hot weather following and Hugh came very promptly to fix it. How work should be done.
Our roof used to be the one of the worst on our street, now it’s the best. The team from Doyle Homes did an excellent job in replacing my old roof, fascia’s and guttering. They used top quality tiles that suited the property and its surroundings. They also put in grade 4 lead flashings and repointed my chimney. Robert and his team were very professional & courteous. The work carried out was of the highest standard. They were also meticulous about leaving the whole property clean and tidy. We would highly recommend using Doyle Homes for all your building needs.
Verified customer · September 2024
TrustATrader review
I had invited them to inspect my roof and guttering. They provided me with information and photographs of the work that was required. The quote was good value. When they undertook the work, it was very professional, with further photographs to allow me to inspect the work undertaken and completed. Happy to recommend.
All work is backed with a 20 year written guarantee
Every job, from a single slipped tile to a full re-roof, comes with a 20 year guarantee in writing. You get it with your paperwork when the job is signed off, and if anything we did lets you down inside those 20 years, you ring the same number and we come back and put it right.
Good natural slate outlasts the nails and battens that hold it up. With sound timber and copper or stainless nails, a slate roof gives generations of service. When a slate roof fails, the fixings, battens or lead have failed before the slate.
Can you repair a few slipped slates?
Yes. We replace individual slipped or cracked slates with a slate hook or clip and check the nails around the repair. If the nails have failed across the slope, we tell you relaying is the better value.
Is natural slate roofing worth the extra cost?
On a Victorian or Edwardian house, yes. Natural slate suits the property, holds its value and lasts far longer than slate-effect alternatives. We quote natural and slate-effect side by side so you see the difference.
Do you reuse the existing slates?
Where the slates are sound we strip them, sort them and relay them on new battens and membrane. Broken ones are replaced with reclaimed or new slates to match.
Do you do the lead work as well?
Yes. Valleys, hips, soakers and flashings at chimneys and dormers are formed in lead as part of the roof, so one team is responsible for the whole watertight finish.
Is slate roofing work guaranteed?
All work is backed with a 20 year written guarantee. We are fully insured, and we will beat any written quote.
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