Full re-roofs in Teesside

What a re-roof actually is

A proper re-roof is not a re-cover. The old covering comes off completely, the rafters and structure get inspected by daylight, perished underlay and tired battens are stripped, and the roof is rebuilt with modern components: breathable membrane (not the old bitumen felt that sweats), treated battens fixed for the exposure, the covering of your choice, and ridge and verge systems suited to the plot. On Teesside's exposed coastal properties that means dry-fix systems and corrosion-rated fixings as the standard recommendation.

That thoroughness is the point. A re-roof done properly resets the roof for forty years or more, and it is the one time the whole structure can be seen and sorted: sagging sections, historic bodge repairs, insulation and ventilation brought up to current standards.

The week it takes

Scaffolding goes up first, usually a few days before the start. Day one strips the old covering into the skip. The middle days replace underlay and battens and lay the new covering, slate or tile, with valleys, abutments and leadwork renewed as they are reached. The final days do ridges, verges, verges, pointing or dry systems, and the tidy-up. A typical semi runs three to five working days in fair weather, and the house is left weathertight every single night, that is professional standard, not a favour.

Building regulations

Replacing more than half a roof triggers current building regs, principally insulation to modern U-values and correct ventilation. Compliance routes vary (cold-deck top-ups versus warm-roof designs) and a proper quote states which applies and how it is met. A quote that never mentions building regulations is telling you something.

Choosing the covering

Concrete interlocking tile is the value workhorse for most 20th-century stock. Reclaimed Welsh slate keeps period terraces authentic and often costs less than expected when the sound original slates are reused. New natural slate is the premium. The options are priced side by side in the cost guide, with dedicated pages for slate and tile.