Liverpool · Merseyside
Roof structure repairs in Liverpool
If the top of a wall at your Liverpool 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£290per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- L3, L69, L70
- Population
- about 500,000
- Area
- Merseyside
- Pricing region
- North West
Why does the ground in Merseyside matter for roof structure repairs?
Liverpool is in Merseyside and takes in postcode districts L3, L69, L70. About 500,000 people live there. We also take enquiries from nearby Birkenhead (2 miles), Wallasey (4 miles) and Fazakerley (4 miles).
Merseyside has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Parts of Merseyside lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Across Merseyside, most homes are Victorian terraces and villas, inter-war council estates and post-war semis.
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.
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
- Roof slope looking hollow or wavy between the ridge and the gutter
- Struts, collars or ties cut out or missing in the loft
- Horizontal cracks in the wall just below the eaves or ceiling line
What should you budget for roof structure repairs in Liverpool?
Guide prices below are for homes in Liverpool, on North West 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 | £290 – £575 | per rafter |
| Purlin and strut strengthening | £1,150 – £2,900 | per roof |
| Tying in roof spread (straps and ties)est. | £770 – £2,400 | 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
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.
Your roof structure repairs questions
How much should I budget for roof structure repairs in Liverpool?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Liverpool start from about £290 per rafter, including VAT, on North West 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 Liverpool?
Yes, Liverpool is covered, along with postcode districts L3, L69, L70. We also cover nearby Birkenhead and Wallasey.
Why do houses in Merseyside crack?
Merseyside is mostly sandstone with glacial till on top, with soft coastal deposits in Sefton and the Lancashire coalfield extending under St Helens and parts of Knowsley. Old docks and industry left made ground in places. 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.
Related work in Liverpool
Roof structure repairs near Liverpool
If struts were removed for a loft room in Liverpool, send photos of the space and we will price putting a proper load path back.