Kempston · Bedfordshire
Roof structure repairs in Kempston
If the top of a wall at your Kempston property seems to lean out at the eaves, the roof may be spreading. Ties, collars and straps can usually hold it back, sometimes with an engineer’s design for the new load path.
Guide price from£315per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- MK42
- Population
- about 20,000
- Area
- Bedfordshire
- Pricing region
- East of England
What should you know about the ground under Kempston?
We cover Kempston and its postcode districts MK42, part of Bedfordshire, with a population of roughly 20,000. Neighbouring towns we cover: Bedford (2 miles), Newport Pagnell (10 miles) and Biggleswade (10 miles).
Bedfordshire is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Across Bedfordshire, most homes are Victorian terraces in Bedford and Luton, large inter-war and post-war estates, and newer estates on former clay pits and brickfields.
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
- Horizontal cracks in the wall just below the eaves or ceiling line
What should you budget for roof structure repairs in Kempston?
The ranges below reflect typical East of England costs for roof structure repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Repairing or doubling a rafter | £315 – £630 | per rafter |
| Purlin and strut strengthening | £1,250 – £3,150 | per roof |
| Tying in roof spread (straps and ties)est. | £840 – £2,600 | 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
Purlin and strut strengthening
Undersized purlins are strengthened with extra timber or replaced, and new struts are taken down to a load-bearing wall. Where there is no suitable wall, an engineer designs the load path. Temporary props hold the roof while members are changed.
Best for: Sagging slopes, slim purlins and struts removed from the loft
What to expect when we carry out roof structure repairs
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.
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.
Rules for roof structure repairs in England
In England, underpinning and other work that alters or strengthens a wall or foundation is building work under the Building Regulations (Part A, structure), so building control approves and inspects it. Like-for-like repairs often are not, and we tell you which applies before a price is agreed. Work to a party wall, or excavation close to a neighbour’s foundations, can also need a notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Your roof structure repairs questions
How much should I budget for roof structure repairs in Kempston?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Kempston start from about £315 per rafter, including VAT, on East of England rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Can you survey a property in Kempston?
Yes, Kempston is covered, along with postcode districts MK42. We also cover nearby Bedford and Newport Pagnell.
Why do houses in Bedfordshire crack?
Much of Bedfordshire sits on Oxford Clay and Gault Clay, with chalk rising towards the Chilterns in the south. The clay vales shrink in dry summers and swell in wet winters, which is why seasonal cracking is common around Bedford. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Do roof structure repairs need building control?
Usually yes, where the structure is strengthened or altered, or the covering becomes significantly heavier. In England and Wales that falls under Part A, in Scotland it generally needs a building warrant, and in Northern Ireland council building control approves it. We deal with building control where the work needs it.
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.
Related work in Kempston
- Lintel replacement
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Structural surveys and crack monitoring
- Crack stitching
Roof structure repairs near Kempston
Get a free initial assessment of a sagging or spreading roof in Kempston from your photos or a call, and find out whether an engineer is needed.