Dundee · Angus and Dundee
Roof structure repairs in Dundee
Many older roofs, in Dundee and across Angus and Dundee alike, were built with slim purlins and few ties. A little historic movement is normal, so we check whether the roof is still moving before recommending how far the strengthening needs to go.
Guide price from£285per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- DD1, DD2, DD3, DD4, DD5
- Population
- about 150,000
- Area
- Angus and Dundee
- Pricing region
- Scotland
Is Angus and Dundee prone to ground movement?
We cover Dundee and its postcode districts DD1, DD2, DD3, DD4, DD5, part of Angus and Dundee, with a population of roughly 150,000. If you are just outside Dundee, we also cover Carnoustie (11 miles), Forfar (12 miles) and Arbroath (16 miles).
Most of Angus and Dundee is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Angus and Dundee: sandstone tenements in Dundee, fishing-town houses and post-war estates.
From first photo to finished repair
Send photos
Photograph the roof from across the street, both slopes if you can, and the loft timbers with a torch. Include the eaves and any cracks just below them. From these we can usually tell sag from spread and whether an engineer is needed.
Engineer’s design where needed
Where purlins, struts or ties must be redesigned, or the roof carries a heavier covering, an independent chartered structural engineer is appointed to specify the work. We can arrange this, and their design sets the sizes and fixings.
Written quote
You receive a no-obligation written quote listing each timber repair, any ties or straps, propping, scaffolding and making good. Once the repair is specified, the figure becomes a fixed price in writing.
Symptoms that point to roof structure repairs
- Ridge line dipping in the middle when seen from the street
- Struts, collars or ties cut out or missing in the loft
- Top of an outside wall leaning out at eaves level
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Dundee
Prices in Dundee are worked out on Scotland rates. They include VAT and are a starting point: access, the extent of the damage and whether an engineer or building control is involved all move the figure.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Repairing or doubling a rafter | £285 – £570 | per rafter |
| Purlin and strut strengthening | £1,150 – £2,850 | per roof |
| Tying in roof spread (straps and ties)est. | £760 – £2,400 | per roof |
Methods for roof structure repairs
Repairing or doubling rafters
Cracked, sagging or rotten rafters are strengthened by fixing a new timber alongside, often called doubling, and rotten rafter feet are cut back and spliced. The work is usually done from inside the loft with the tiles left in place, unless the covering is coming off anyway.
Best for: Individual rafters that have cracked, sagged or rotted at the feet
Wall plate replacement
Rotten or crushed wall plates are replaced in short lengths while the rafters above are propped, and bedded on the wall in mortar. The plate is then strapped down to the masonry. It is often combined with rafter foot splices along the same run.
Best for: Rot along the eaves where rafters bear on the wall
Rules for roof structure repairs in Scotland
In Scotland, underpinning and other structural alterations generally need a building warrant from the council’s building standards service before work starts, and a completion certificate at the end; small like-for-like repairs often do not. There is no Party Wall Act in Scotland; shared walls are covered by title deeds and, for flats, the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004.
Frequently asked questions
How much will roof structure repairs cost in Dundee?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Dundee start from about £285 per rafter, including VAT, on Scotland rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Do you cover Dundee?
Yes, Dundee is covered, along with postcode districts DD1, DD2, DD3, DD4. We also cover nearby Carnoustie and Forfar.
Is the ground in Angus and Dundee prone to subsidence?
Angus and Dundee sit on Old Red Sandstone and igneous rock with glacial and raised-beach deposits. Hillside sites in Dundee mean retaining walls are common. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
What is roof spread?
Roof spread is when the feet of the rafters move outward because nothing is tying them together firmly enough. As they spread, the ridge drops and the tops of the walls are pushed out, often with a horizontal crack below the eaves. It is fixed by adding ties, collars or straps, sometimes with rebuilding.
Do I need a structural engineer for roof repairs?
For like-for-like repairs to a few rafters, often not. Where purlins, struts or ties are being redesigned, the covering is getting heavier or the walls are being pushed out, you usually do. Where the repair needs an engineer’s design or sign-off, an independent chartered structural engineer is appointed, and we can arrange this.
Other structural repairs in Dundee
- Wall tie replacement
- Underpinning
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Chimney stack repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
Roof structure repairs near Dundee
Every rafter, purlin and tie on the job in Dundee is listed in the written quote, which becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.