Gravesend · Kent
Roof structure repairs in Gravesend
Roofs in Gravesend that were re-covered with heavier concrete tiles, or had struts cut out for a loft room, often start to sag years later. Spotting which change caused the movement is the first step to a repair that holds.
Guide price from£335per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- DA11, DA12
- Population
- about 54,000
- Area
- Kent
- Pricing region
- South East
Is Kent prone to ground movement?
We cover Gravesend and its postcode districts DA11, DA12, part of Kent, with a population of roughly 54,000. Neighbouring towns we cover: Swanscombe (3 miles), Longfield (4 miles) and Strood (6 miles).
Kent is one of the parts of the UK where clay soils are most likely to move with the seasons. Parts of Kent lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across Kent, most homes are Victorian terraces in the Medway towns, weatherboarded and Wealden houses, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows.
What happens during roof structure repairs, step by step?
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.
What to look for before calling about roof structure repairs
- Top of an outside wall leaning out at eaves level
- Daylight through the tiles, or timber that is damp, stained or crumbling
- Struts, collars or ties cut out or missing in the loft
Roof structure repairs prices in Gravesend
For Gravesend we use South East 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 | £335 – £670 | per rafter |
| Purlin and strut strengthening | £1,350 – £3,350 | per roof |
| Tying in roof spread (straps and ties)est. | £895 – £2,800 | per roof |
How we usually approach roof structure repairs
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
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
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 Gravesend
What is the price of roof structure repairs in Gravesend?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Gravesend start from about £335 per rafter, including VAT, on South East 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 Gravesend?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Gravesend, including DA11, DA12, and from nearby places such as Swanscombe and Longfield. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Gravesend cause cracking?
North Kent sits on London Clay, central Kent on Gault and Weald Clays and the Downs on chalk, so shrinkable clay is widespread. East Kent around Deal and Dover had a small deep coalfield, worked until the late 1980s. 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.
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.
More repairs we carry out in Gravesend
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Crack stitching
- Bowing wall repairs
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
Roof structure repairs near Gravesend
For a guide price on roof structure repairs in Gravesend, try the quote tool or send photos of the ridge, the loft and the eaves.