Stevenage · Hertfordshire
Roof structure repairs in Stevenage
Roof structure repairs in Stevenage are often done entirely from inside the loft, with the tiles left in place. Doubling rafters, adding struts and fitting ties rarely needs the coverings off unless decay at the eaves is severe.
Guide price from£315per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- SG1, SG2
- Population
- about 92,000
- Area
- Hertfordshire
- Pricing region
- East of England
Why does the ground in Hertfordshire matter for roof structure repairs?
With roughly 92,000 people, Stevenage spans postcode districts SG1, SG2 in Hertfordshire. We also take enquiries from nearby Hitchin (5 miles), Letchworth Garden City (5 miles) and Welwyn Garden City (7 miles).
Much of Hertfordshire sits on clay that shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. What you mostly find across Hertfordshire: garden-city houses in Letchworth and Welwyn, 1930s semis, Victorian terraces and post-war new-town estates.
Is it time for roof structure repairs? Common signs
- Roof slope looking hollow or wavy between the ridge and the gutter
- Daylight through the tiles, or timber that is damp, stained or crumbling
- Top of an outside wall leaning out at eaves level
What should you budget for roof structure repairs in Stevenage?
Prices in Stevenage 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 |
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
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
What to expect when we carry out roof structure repairs
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.
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.
Your roof structure repairs questions
What is the price of roof structure repairs in Stevenage?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Stevenage 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.
Do you carry out roof structure repairs in Stevenage?
Yes, Stevenage is covered, along with postcode districts SG1, SG2. We also cover nearby Hitchin and Letchworth Garden City.
Does the ground around Stevenage cause cracking?
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.
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.
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 Stevenage
- Subsidence repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
Roof structure repairs near Stevenage
If struts were removed for a loft room in Stevenage, send photos of the space and we will price putting a proper load path back.