Leaking slate roof.

[David]

In the very heavy rain just before Christmas we developed, for the first time, a leak in the slate roof of our house, which was totally rebuilt in about 1969.

A local company turned out on Christmas Eve and made emergency repairs, but told us that the slates were in a bad condition and that the entire roof needs renewing before next winter. They will now come to prepare a devis for complete renewal, which sounds very expensive. The roof consists of slate tiles nailed to wooden battens with no lining at all.

As we have just had a new heating system installed (by the same company who also installed new insulation in the roof space), and new roller shutters (installed by a different company but who were recommended by the same company), we really cannot aford a new roof. I am in a wheelchair so I cannot get up to the roof to inspect it for myself.

We do not think that this company are roofing experts, though they can make repairs to slate roofs. So we would like to find a roofing expert.

We live near Bressuire in the North Deux-Sevres, and we wonder if anyone can recommend a trustworthy roofing expert, who is up to date with latest technology, and who will tell us honestly what needs to be done, or if there are any short term remedies. Our neighbours have suggested that we look for companies in Angers, as the town of Angers has a lot of slate roofs.

I would be very grateful for any comments or suggestions.

Many thanks,

David

[NuBeginnings]

I thought this might help you.

http://www.slateroofcentral.com/install.htm

[David]

Many thanks for that, a lot of info to take in.

[DraytonBoy]

Our new house has a leaking slate roof and we have decided to have it renewed rather than repaired. Ours is different to yours in that the slates are held on with 'crochets' and not nailed. Alot of the crochets are now rusting and the slates are slipping one by one so although a repair is a third of the cost of renewal it makes more sense to have the whole roof done rather than pay for constant repairs. Is it possible that the nails are also rusting on your roof and this is why you're now experiencing leaks?

In theory a slate roof should last decades if properly installed and maintained.

[NuBeginnings]

One of our roofs is suffering from a lack of headlap, new roof fitted by the previous owner could have to come of and be re laid ! Its all due to the contractor trying to save on the number of slates used.

This is a good link to understand more.

http://www.traditionalroofing.com/TR6_headlap.html

[David]

Thank yopu both for your help.

DraytonBoy - our roof is also held on with crotchets, with some nails thrown in. Some of the crotchets and nails are rusting, but we were told that the slates themselves were in poor condition. Unfortunately we cannot get up to see for ourselves, only with binoculars from below. Can you give some indication of costs for repair and also for renewal per square metre?

We do suspect that the roof slates were disturbed by this company when they were in the loft space putting in extra insulation, and that the roof may not be as bad as they say.

Thus we are hoping to find an expert to guide us.

Many thanks for your help,

David

[DraytonBoy]

David,

The renewal cost is roughly 100 Euros per sqm and includes stripping off the old slates, replacing with new (where needed) and all zinc work. A large part of the cost (1700 Euros) is the hire of scaffolding which would obviously increase the higher up you went.

A repair will cost proportionately much more as you will always have the scaffolding charge even to replace a few slates.

Hope this helps.

Tim

[pachapapa]

Round here done with a Manitou.

[David]

Thanks for that. Here the small scale repairs were done with ladders and roofing boards, but I presume any large scale repairs will need scaffolding.

I presume that the 100 euros per square metre does not include scaffolding, and that the scaffolding is extra.

Thanks for your help.

David

[Owens88]

[quote user="David"]

DraytonBoy - our roof is also held on with crotchets, with some nails thrown in. Some of the crotchets and nails are rusting, but we were told that the slates themselves were in poor condition. Unfortunately we cannot get up to see for ourselves, only with binoculars from below.

We do suspect that the roof tiles were disturbed by this company when they were in the loft space putting in extra insulation, and that the roof may not be as bad as they say.

David[/quote]

Sorry if this sound pedantic but do you mean slate or tiles? Apparently tiles can degenerate and become soggy. I didn't know that slate could!

[powerdesal]

[quote user="pachapapa"]Round here done with a Manitou.[/quote]

According to my French storeman, a Manitou is what we would call a fork lift truck. Not the best thing to use for access to a roof.

[DraytonBoy]

David - the scaffolding cost is included in the 100 Euros per sqm cost.

Manitou is a brand of forklift which includes machines with telescopic arms to reach roofs etc.

[Théière]

[quote user="powerdesal"][quote user="pachapapa"]Round here done with a Manitou.[/quote] According to my French storeman, a Manitou is what we would call a fork lift truck. Not the best thing to use for access to a roof.[/quote]

Despite the issues that seems to be the French way.

Hope you get some good honest help David. Only the edges of the slates get damaged over time and the occasional delamination due to natural faults otherwise they last for hundreds of years. There is also a lucrative second hand market for real slate, it get's retrimmed and sold on.

[David]

Many thanks for all your help. Thanks Tim for the costing advice, that will give me some idea of what sort of costs to expect.

Sorry for the typo John, they are slates and I have edited the post.

Theiere, I was told that the slates themselves, as well as the crotchets and nails were in poor condition. They showed me a couple of slates which they had replaced, and they seem to be very thin and light, certainly not Welsh slate standard. They may have been artificial slates, and they seemed to be soft and friable, and delaminating. At the most they are only forty years old.

Will try to get an expert to go up and have a look.

Thanks,

David

[pachapapa]

[quote user="powerdesal"][quote user="pachapapa"]Round here done with a Manitou.[/quote] According to my French storeman, a Manitou is what we would call a fork lift truck. Not the best thing to use for access to a roof.[/quote]

Manitou is the name of a french equipment manufacturer; perhaps they started with fork lifts when your storeman passed his trade test.

A collection of plus one million piccies of assorted manitou.

http://www.google.fr/images?hl=fr&source=imghp&q=Manitou&btnG=Recherche+d%27images&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

[Maddog79]

Hello

Does anyone know of a firm who can erect some scaffolding so that I can repair the chimneys on our house in Mauleon.

Regards

Martin

[fisherman]

At one time you could get a rubberoid paint to paint over slates. I don’t know if this would be recommended by any roofing experts on here and I don’t know that if in the long term it could cost more as it may prevent reuse of slates. But it may prove to be an economical medium term fix particularly if it is applied from a cherry picker as shown in the photo.