Ferndown · Dorset
Roof structure repairs in Ferndown
Roofs in Ferndown that were re-covered with heavier concrete tiles, or had struts cut out for a loft room, often start to sag years later. Spotting which change caused the movement is the first step to a repair that holds.
Guide price from£310per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BH22
- Population
- about 18,000
- Area
- Dorset
- Pricing region
- South West
Is Dorset prone to ground movement?
Ferndown is in Dorset and takes in postcode districts BH22. About 18,000 people live there. Nearby places we cover include Wimborne Minster (4 miles), Bournemouth (6 miles) and Christchurch (7 miles).
Dorset has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Across Dorset, most homes are stone and brick villages, Victorian villas in Bournemouth, and inter-war and post-war semis.
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Ferndown
These are guide prices for Ferndown, using South West 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 | £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 |
Methods for roof structure repairs
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
Tying in roof spread
New ties, collars or steel straps connect opposite rafters, or fix the rafter feet and wall plate firmly to the ceiling joists, so the outward thrust is resisted. Leaning wall heads are strapped back to the roof, and a badly spread roof may need partly rebuilding first.
Best for: Walls pushed out at eaves level by spreading rafters
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.
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.
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
- Horizontal cracks in the wall just below the eaves or ceiling line
- Daylight through the tiles, or timber that is damp, stained or crumbling
- Struts, collars or ties cut out or missing in 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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of roof structure repairs in Ferndown?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Ferndown 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.
Do you carry out roof structure repairs in Ferndown?
Yes, Ferndown is covered, along with postcode districts BH22. We also cover nearby Wimborne Minster and Bournemouth.
Does the ground around Ferndown cause cracking?
Dorset mixes chalk downs, Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays in the vales, and the sands and gravels of the Poole basin. Clay vales can shrink and swell, and parts of the coast are known for landslip. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Ferndown
- Retaining wall repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Underpinning
- Floor joist repairs
Roof structure repairs near Ferndown
Every rafter, purlin and tie on the job in Ferndown is listed in the written quote, which becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.