Wigston · Leicestershire
Roof structure repairs in Wigston
If the top of a wall at your Wigston 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
- LE18
- Population
- about 37,000
- Area
- Leicestershire
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
Is Leicestershire prone to ground movement?
With roughly 37,000 people, Wigston spans postcode districts LE18 in Leicestershire. Nearby places we cover include Leicester (4 miles), Earl Shilton (9 miles) and Mountsorrel (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 to expect when we carry out roof structure repairs
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.
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.
Is it time for roof structure repairs? Common signs
- Daylight through the tiles, or timber that is damp, stained or crumbling
- Horizontal cracks in the wall just below the eaves or ceiling line
- Top of an outside wall leaning out at eaves level
What should you budget for roof structure repairs in Wigston?
The ranges below reflect typical East Midlands costs for roof structure repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| 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 |
Repair options we may recommend
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
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.
Your roof structure repairs questions
How much should I budget for roof structure repairs in Wigston?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Wigston 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 Wigston?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Wigston, including LE18, and from nearby places such as Leicester and Earl Shilton. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
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.
Why are there cracks just below the eaves?
A horizontal crack just below the eaves, along the front or back wall, is a common sign of roof spread. The rafters push the top of the wall outward and the masonry cracks where it hinges. Corroded wall ties can cause similar cracks, so the cause needs checking.
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 Wigston
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Underpinning
- Crack stitching
- Subsidence insurance claim repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
Roof structure repairs near Wigston
Every rafter, purlin and tie on the job in Wigston is listed in the written quote, which becomes a fixed price in writing once the repair is specified.