Roof structure repairs in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Area: Edinburgh and the Lothians
Pricing region: Scotland
Ground: Mostly firmer ground
Towns listed: 12

Is Edinburgh and the Lothians prone to ground movement?

Edinburgh is volcanic and sedimentary rock with glacial till, while the Midlothian and East Lothian coalfields and oil-shale workings in West Lothian have left recorded mine workings and bings.

Parts of Edinburgh and the Lothians lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Edinburgh and the Lothians: Sandstone tenements and Georgian terraces, miners' rows, bungalows and post-war estates.

What happens during roof structure repairs, step by step?

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.
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.

What to look for before calling about roof structure repairs

Daylight through the tiles, or timber that is damp, stained or crumbling
Horizontal cracks in the wall just below the eaves or ceiling line
Roof slope looking hollow or wavy between the ridge and the gutter
Top of an outside wall leaning out at eaves level

Roof structure repairs prices in Edinburgh and the Lothians

These are guide prices for Edinburgh and the Lothians, using Scotland rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.

Guide prices inc VAT on Scotland rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
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

How we usually approach roof structure repairs

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

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

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

Roof structure repairs: purlin and struts added, roof spread tied in. Indicative drawing, not to scale.

Do you need approval 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.

Find roof structure repairs in your Edinburgh and the Lothians town

Questions about roof structure repairs in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Why do houses in Edinburgh and the Lothians crack?

Edinburgh is volcanic and sedimentary rock with glacial till, while the Midlothian and East Lothian coalfields and oil-shale workings in West Lothian have left recorded mine workings and bings. Parts of Edinburgh and the Lothians lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Only an investigation on site can say why a particular building has moved.

How much will roof structure repairs cost in Edinburgh and the Lothians?

On Scotland rates, roof structure repairs starts from about £285 per rafter, including VAT. The written price depends on the extent of the damage, access and whether an engineer or building control is needed.

Is a sagging roof ridge dangerous?

A slight, even dip in an old roof is often historic movement that stopped long ago. A sag that is getting worse, cracking timbers, walls pushing out at the eaves or recently removed struts should be checked soon. Avoid storing heavy items in the loft until then.

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.

Why are there cracks just below the eaves?

A horizontal crack just below the eaves, along the front or back wall, is a common sign of roof spread. The rafters push the top of the wall outward and the masonry cracks where it hinges. Corroded wall ties can cause similar cracks, so the cause needs checking.