Oban · Argyll and Bute
Roof structure repairs in Oban
Roof structure repairs in Oban are often done entirely from inside the loft, with the tiles left in place. Doubling rafters, adding struts and fitting ties rarely needs the coverings off unless decay at the eaves is severe.
Guide price from£285per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PA34
- Population
- about 8,500
- Area
- Argyll and Bute
- Pricing region
- Scotland
What should you know about the ground under Oban?
We cover Oban and its postcode districts PA34, part of Argyll and Bute, with a population of roughly 8,500.
Most of Argyll and Bute 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. Housing stock in Argyll and Bute: Victorian villas, stone terraces and cottages, and post-war estates.
What should you budget for roof structure repairs in Oban?
These are guide prices for Oban, using Scotland rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| 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 |
Repair options we may recommend
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
What to expect when we carry out roof structure repairs
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.
Loft and outside survey
On site we check rafter sizes and spacing, purlins, struts, ties and wall plates, look for rot and past alterations, and measure any lean at the wall head. The covering is noted too, because its weight affects the repair.
Prop, strengthen and tie
The roof is propped where members are being changed, then rafters, purlins, struts and ties are repaired or added as specified. Coverings disturbed by the work are relaid, and building control inspects where the work needs it.
Is it time for roof structure repairs? Common signs
- Top of an outside wall leaning out at eaves level
- Daylight through the tiles, or timber that is damp, stained or crumbling
- Ridge line dipping in the middle when seen from the street
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.
Your roof structure repairs questions
What is the price of roof structure repairs in Oban?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Oban 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 carry out roof structure repairs in Oban?
Survey visits to Oban are by arrangement because of travel and access. We can still give a free initial view from photos, and we tell you any travel cost before a visit is booked.
Does the ground around Oban cause cracking?
Argyll is hard rock with thin glacial soils and raised beaches along the coast; mainland towns such as Helensburgh and Oban sit on steep coastal slopes. 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.
More repairs we carry out in Oban
- Lintel replacement
- Gable end wall repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Wall tie replacement
Every rafter, purlin and tie on the job in Oban is listed in the written quote, which becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.