Roof structure repairs in Gloucester

Postcodes: GL1, GL2, GL4
Population: about 130,000
Area: Gloucestershire
Pricing region: South West

Is Gloucestershire prone to ground movement?

With roughly 130,000 people, Gloucester spans postcode districts GL1, GL2, GL4 in Gloucestershire. Nearby, we also cover Cheltenham (7 miles), Stroud (8 miles) and Tewkesbury (9 miles).

Gloucestershire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Gloucestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. What you mostly find across Gloucestershire: Cotswold stone cottages, Regency terraces in Cheltenham, and brick estates around Gloucester.

What to look for before calling about roof structure repairs

Roof slope looking hollow or wavy between the ridge and the gutter
Ridge line dipping in the middle when seen from the street
Top of an outside wall leaning out at eaves level

Roof structure repairs prices in Gloucester

Prices in Gloucester 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.

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

How we usually approach roof structure repairs

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

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

What happens during roof structure repairs, step by step?

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.

Questions about roof structure repairs in Gloucester

How much should I budget for roof structure repairs in Gloucester?

Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Gloucester 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 Gloucester?

Yes, Gloucester is covered, along with postcode districts GL1, GL2, GL4. We also cover nearby Cheltenham and Stroud.

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.

Can the roof be strengthened without removing the tiles?

In most cases, yes. Doubling rafters, adding struts and fitting ties can all be done from inside the loft with the coverings in place. Tiles usually only come off where timber near the eaves is badly decayed, or the roof is being re-covered anyway.

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.

Related work in Gloucester

Roof structure repairs near Gloucester

For a guide price on roof structure repairs in Gloucester, try the quote tool or send photos of the ridge, the loft and the eaves.