Saltash · Cornwall
Roof structure repairs in Saltash
If the top of a wall at your Saltash 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£310per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- PL12
- Population
- about 16,000
- Area
- Cornwall
- Pricing region
- South West
How do local ground conditions affect roof structure repairs in Saltash?
With roughly 16,000 people, Saltash spans postcode districts PL12 in Cornwall. We also take enquiries from nearby Plymouth (4 miles), Bodmin (22 miles) and St Austell (25 miles).
Most of Cornwall is on firmer ground than the clay belts of the south-east. Old metal-mine shafts and workings are recorded in places, so mining searches are routine for some properties. Housing stock in Cornwall: Granite and slate-stone cottages, cob buildings, Victorian terraces and post-war estates.
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.
Is it time for roof structure repairs? Common signs
- Struts, collars or ties cut out or missing in the loft
- 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 Saltash?
Prices in Saltash are worked out on South West 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 | £310 – £620 | per rafter |
| Purlin and strut strengthening | £1,250 – £3,100 | per roof |
| Tying in roof spread (straps and ties)est. | £825 – £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
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 Saltash?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Saltash start from about £310 per rafter, including VAT, on South West 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 Saltash?
We do. Saltash and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Plymouth and Bodmin. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Cornwall crack?
Cornwall is mostly granite and slate with little shrinkable clay, so clay subsidence is less common than in the south-east. Historic tin and copper mining has left shafts and workings in places such as Camborne and Redruth, and mining searches are routine there. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Can heavy concrete tiles damage a roof?
Yes, if the frame was designed for lighter slate or tiles and was not strengthened. The extra weight makes rafters and purlins sag and can bring on roof spread. Before re-roofing in a heavier material, have the structure checked and notify building control.
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.
Related work in Saltash
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Subsidence repairs
- Underpinning
- Chimney stack repairs
- Brick arch repairs
Roof structure repairs near Saltash
Get a free initial assessment of a sagging or spreading roof in Saltash from your photos or a call, and find out whether an engineer is needed.