Cheltenham · Gloucestershire
Roof structure repairs in Cheltenham
If the top of a wall at your Cheltenham 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
- GL50, GL51, GL53
- Population
- about 120,000
- Area
- Gloucestershire
- Pricing region
- South West
Why does the ground in Gloucestershire matter for roof structure repairs?
Cheltenham is in Gloucestershire and takes in postcode districts GL50, GL51, GL53. About 120,000 people live there. We also take enquiries from nearby Tewkesbury (7 miles), Gloucester (7 miles) and Stroud (12 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Gloucestershire. Parts of Gloucestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Gloucestershire: Cotswold stone cottages, Regency terraces in Cheltenham, and brick estates around Gloucester.
Repair options we may recommend
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
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
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.
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.
Is it time for roof structure repairs? Common signs
- Daylight through the tiles, or timber that is damp, stained or crumbling
- Horizontal cracks in the wall just below the eaves or ceiling line
- Top of an outside wall leaning out at eaves level
What should you budget for roof structure repairs in Cheltenham?
For Cheltenham we use South West rates. Treat the table as a budget guide, inc VAT; the price you pay is the one on your written quote.
| 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 |
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 Cheltenham?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Cheltenham 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 Cheltenham?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Cheltenham, including GL50, GL51, GL53, and from nearby places such as Tewkesbury and Gloucester. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Gloucestershire crack?
The Severn vale around Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury is Lias and Mercia Mudstone clay, the Cotswolds are limestone, and the Forest of Dean has a historic coalfield. Parts of South Gloucestershire around Kingswood also lie on old Coal Measures. 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.
Related work in Cheltenham
- Concrete repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Underpinning
- Lintel replacement
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Roof structure repairs near Cheltenham
Seen the ridge dip at your Cheltenham home? Photograph it from across the road, add a few loft shots, and we will tell you what it likely needs.