Market Harborough · Leicestershire
Roof structure repairs in Market Harborough
If the top of a wall at your Market Harborough 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£295per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LE16
- Population
- about 25,000
- Area
- Leicestershire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
Why does the ground in Leicestershire matter for roof structure repairs?
Postcode districts LE16 cover Market Harborough, a Leicestershire town of about 25,000 people. Neighbouring towns we cover: Corby (10 miles), Kettering (10 miles) and Wigston (10 miles).
Leicestershire has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Leicestershire lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across Leicestershire, most homes are Victorian terraces in Leicester and Loughborough, inter-war semis and large post-war estates.
What happens when we carry out roof structure repairs in Market Harborough?
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.
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.
Signs you may need roof structure repairs
- Struts, collars or ties cut out or missing in the loft
- Daylight through the tiles, or timber that is damp, stained or crumbling
- Horizontal cracks in the wall just below the eaves or ceiling line
How much will roof structure repairs cost in Market Harborough?
Guide prices below are for homes in Market Harborough, on East Midlands rates and including VAT. A survey or good photos let us turn them into a fixed written price.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Repairing or doubling a rafter | £295 – £590 | per rafter |
| Purlin and strut strengthening | £1,200 – £2,950 | per roof |
| Tying in roof spread (straps and ties)est. | £785 – £2,450 | per roof |
Which repair method suits a home in Market Harborough?
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
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
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 Market Harborough: questions and answers
How much should I budget for roof structure repairs in Market Harborough?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Market Harborough start from about £295 per rafter, including VAT, on East Midlands 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 Market Harborough?
We do. Market Harborough and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Corby and Kettering. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in Leicestershire crack?
Leicestershire has Mercia Mudstone, Lias clay and glacial till across much of the county, with the Coalville and Swadlincote coalfield in the north-west. Clay soils near large trees can move with the seasons. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Can heavy concrete tiles damage a roof?
Yes, if the frame was designed for lighter slate or tiles and was not strengthened. The extra weight makes rafters and purlins sag and can bring on roof spread. Before re-roofing in a heavier material, have the structure checked and notify building control.
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.
Related work in Market Harborough
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Chimney stack repairs
- Crack stitching
- Structural crack repairs
- Lintel replacement
Roof structure repairs near Market Harborough
Send photos of the roof from the street and the loft timbers at your Market Harborough property for a free initial assessment and a no-obligation written quote.