Washington · Tyne and Wear
Roof structure repairs in Washington
Roofs in Washington 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£275per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- NE37, NE38
- Population
- about 67,000
- Area
- Tyne and Wear
- Pricing region
- North East
What is the ground like in Tyne and Wear?
With roughly 67,000 people, Washington spans postcode districts NE37, NE38 in Tyne and Wear. We also take enquiries from nearby Chester-le-Street (4 miles), Houghton-le-Spring (5 miles) and Sunderland (5 miles).
Tyne and Wear has a mix of ground, with clay in some places and firmer rock in others. Historic coal workings are recorded beneath parts of Tyne and Wear, and a coal mining search is worth checking where movement is unexplained. Across Tyne and Wear, most homes are Tyneside flats and terraces, Victorian villas, inter-war council estates and post-war semis.
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Washington
These are guide prices for Washington, using North East rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Repairing or doubling a rafter | £275 – £550 | per rafter |
| Purlin and strut strengthening | £1,100 – £2,750 | per roof |
| Tying in roof spread (straps and ties)est. | £735 – £2,300 | per roof |
Methods for 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
From first photo to finished repair
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.
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.
Symptoms that point to roof structure repairs
- Top of an outside wall leaning out at eaves level
- Struts, collars or ties cut out or missing in the loft
- Ridge line dipping in the middle when seen from the street
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of roof structure repairs in Washington?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Washington start from about £275 per rafter, including VAT, on North 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 Washington?
Yes. We take enquiries from across Washington, including NE37, NE38, and from nearby places such as Chester-le-Street and Houghton-le-Spring. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.
Does the ground around Washington cause cracking?
Tyne and Wear lies on the Durham and Northumberland coalfield, with old shallow workings recorded beneath parts of Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland, mostly under a cover of glacial clay. 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.
Can the roof be strengthened without removing the tiles?
In most cases, yes. Doubling rafters, adding struts and fitting ties can all be done from inside the loft with the coverings in place. Tiles usually only come off where timber near the eaves is badly decayed, or the roof is being re-covered anyway.
More repairs we carry out in Washington
- Floor joist repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Extension pulling away repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
Roof structure repairs near Washington
For a guide price on roof structure repairs in Washington, try the quote tool or send photos of the ridge, the loft and the eaves.