Borehamwood · Hertfordshire
Roof structure repairs in Borehamwood
If the top of a wall at your Borehamwood 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£315per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- WD6
- Population
- about 36,000
- Area
- Hertfordshire
- Pricing region
- East of England
Why does the ground in Hertfordshire matter for roof structure repairs?
Postcode districts WD6 cover Borehamwood, a Hertfordshire town of about 36,000 people. Neighbouring towns we cover: Barnet (4 miles), Potters Bar (5 miles) and Watford (5 miles).
Hertfordshire is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Across Hertfordshire, most homes are garden-city houses in Letchworth and Welwyn, 1930s semis, Victorian terraces and post-war new-town estates.
How much will roof structure repairs cost in Borehamwood?
Prices in Borehamwood are worked out on East of England 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 | £315 – £630 | per rafter |
| Purlin and strut strengthening | £1,250 – £3,150 | per roof |
| Tying in roof spread (straps and ties)est. | £840 – £2,600 | per roof |
Which repair method suits a home in Borehamwood?
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 happens when we carry out roof structure repairs in Borehamwood?
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.
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.
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.
Signs you may need roof structure repairs
- Struts, collars or ties cut out or missing in the loft
- Ridge line dipping in the middle when seen from the street
- Horizontal cracks in the wall just below the eaves or ceiling line
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.
Roof structure repairs in Borehamwood: questions and answers
How much should I budget for roof structure repairs in Borehamwood?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Borehamwood start from about £315 per rafter, including VAT, on East of England 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 Borehamwood?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Borehamwood, including WD6, and from nearby places such as Barnet and Potters Bar. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Why do houses in Hertfordshire crack?
South Hertfordshire around Watford, Borehamwood and Potters Bar is London Clay, while the north and west are chalk with clay-with-flints and the east has boulder clay. The clay areas are prone to seasonal subsidence near trees. 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 Borehamwood
- Chimney stack repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Floor joist repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Brick arch repairs
Roof structure repairs near Borehamwood
Every rafter, purlin and tie on the job in Borehamwood is listed in the written quote, which becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.