Kippax · West Yorkshire
Roof structure repairs in Kippax
If the top of a wall at your Kippax 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£285per rafter inc VAT
- Postcodes
- LS25, WF10
- Population
- about 16,000
- Area
- West Yorkshire
- Pricing region
- Yorkshire and the Humber
What is the ground like in West Yorkshire?
Kippax (LS25, WF10) has around 16,000 residents and sits in West Yorkshire. If you are just outside Kippax, we also cover Castleford (3 miles), Pontefract (6 miles) and Leeds (8 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of West Yorkshire. Historic coal workings are recorded beneath parts of West Yorkshire, and a coal mining search is worth checking where movement is unexplained. Typical buildings in West Yorkshire: Stone back-to-backs and terraces, mill housing, Victorian villas and post-war estates.
Is it time for roof structure repairs? Common signs
- Horizontal cracks in the wall just below the eaves or ceiling line
- Top of an outside wall leaning out at eaves level
- Struts, collars or ties cut out or missing in the loft
What should you budget for roof structure repairs in Kippax?
The ranges below reflect typical Yorkshire and the Humber 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 | £285 – £570 | per rafter |
| Purlin and strut strengthening | £1,150 – £2,850 | per roof |
| Tying in roof spread (straps and ties)est. | £760 – £2,400 | per roof |
Repair options we may recommend
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
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.
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.
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 Kippax?
Guide prices for roof structure repairs in Kippax start from about £285 per rafter, including VAT, on Yorkshire and the Humber 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 Kippax?
We do. Kippax and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Castleford and Pontefract. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Why do houses in West Yorkshire crack?
West Yorkshire lies largely on the Coal Measures, with shallow historic workings around Leeds, Wakefield and Kirklees, and gritstone hills to the west. Steep sites mean retaining walls are common. 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.
Is a sagging roof ridge dangerous?
A slight, even dip in an old roof is often historic movement that stopped long ago. A sag that is getting worse, cracking timbers, walls pushing out at the eaves or recently removed struts should be checked soon. Avoid storing heavy items in the loft until then.
Related work in Kippax
- Subsidence repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Boundary and garden wall repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Bowing wall repairs
Roof structure repairs near Kippax
If struts were removed for a loft room in Kippax, send photos of the space and we will price putting a proper load path back.