Question 1

How long does a new roof actually last?

Accepted Answer

A Marley Edgemere or Duo Edge concrete tile roof installed to BS 5534 with a BBA-approved vapour-permeable underlay and dry-fix ridge should last 60 years. That is the manufacturer guarantee on the tile. Welsh slate done properly will outlast most owners; we have stripped 100-year-old Penrhyn slate, cleaned it, sorted it for breakage, and relaid it on the same property. The variable is not the tile but the underlay, the battens, the fixings, and the ridge detail. Get any of those wrong and a 60-year roof becomes a 25-year roof.

Question 2

What is the real-world difference between Welsh slate and concrete tile?

Accepted Answer

Welsh slate from Penrhyn quarry is harder, thinner, and heavier per square metre than concrete tile. It will outlast concrete tile by decades when laid correctly. The cost is roughly 30 to 50% more for materials and labour. In practice, we specify Welsh slate where the property is listed, sits in a conservation area, or where the homeowner wants a genuine like-for-like replacement on an original slate roof. Concrete tile at Marley Edgemere or Duo Edge is the right call for the majority of post-war semi-detached stock; it performs well, it is BBA approved, and the 60-year guarantee is manufacturer-backed.

Question 3

Do I need scaffolding for a reroof?

Accepted Answer

Yes, every time. A reroof requires stripping the deck to the rafter line and relaying every layer: underlay, batten, tile, ridge. That work cannot be done safely or correctly from ladders. Scaffold goes up before we start and comes down after the ridge and verge are finished and all waste is cleared. The scaffold cost is included in our fixed-price reroof quote.

Question 4

When does repair stop being economic and a reroof start making sense?

Accepted Answer

Our rule of thumb: if the repair cost is more than 40% of what a new roof would cost, the repair is rarely good value. You get a patched deck with ageing underlay that still needs replacing inside five years. Specific triggers that push us toward recommending a reroof: more than a third of the tiles are porous or cracked, the underlay is split and visible through the loft hatch, or the battens have rotted at the fixing points. We will always tell you clearly which side of that line your roof sits on after inspection.

Question 5

Can you keep my existing tiles if they are still in good condition?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes. On an original Welsh slate roof where the slates are sound and the deck is the problem, we can strip, stack, sort, and relay the original slate onto new battens and underlay. Typical breakage in a careful strip is 10 to 20%, which we make up with matching new slate. On concrete tile, it is rarely worth recovering because handling causes hairline cracking and the tile profile rarely sits true a second time. We inspect and advise on the day of survey.

Question 6

Will my new-roof warranty still be valid when I sell the house?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The 10-year workmanship guarantee through Q Assure is insurance-backed and transfers to the new owner on sale. We register the Marley tile system guarantee and the Q Assure workmanship cover in the homeowner name on the day the scaffold comes down, and we provide the certificates in writing. Solicitors accept these on conveyancing without issue.

Question 7

How long does the job take from scaffold up to scaffold down?

Accepted Answer

A standard three-bedroom semi reroof is typically three to five working days on scaffold. That covers strip and disposal of the old roof, new underlay and batten, tiling, ridge, verge, and any hip or valley work. Add one day if there is a chimney stack requiring lead flashing as part of the scope. Weather holds things up occasionally on the tiling day; we build a half-day contingency into every programme.

Question 8

Do you remove and dispose of the old roof materials?

Accepted Answer

Yes, full strip and disposal is included in the reroof price. We skip-hire direct; there is no separate charge. Old concrete tile, underlay, and batten go in the skip. Original Welsh slate that is salvageable we stack and offer back to the homeowner; it has resale value. If you do not want it, it goes to a slate merchant rather than landfill.

Question 9

Will your lorries damage my driveway?

Accepted Answer

We use scaffold board runs on gravel driveways and avoid reversing on block paving where the sub-base is suspect. The skip goes on the road wherever the highway authority permits it. If your driveway is the only access, we discuss protection measures before we start and we photograph the surface before the first lorry arrives. Any damage we cause is our liability.

Question 10

Do I need planning permission for a like-for-like reroof?

Accepted Answer

In most cases no. A like-for-like reroof using the same tile type and colour is permitted development. Exceptions are listed buildings, where listed-building consent is required for any material change, and conservation areas, where the local authority may restrict material changes. Chester city centre, several Wirral coastal towns, and a number of Cheshire village centres all have conservation area restrictions. We check the planning position at survey and handle the application if consent is needed.

West Kirby roofers, trusted on every street.

What we see on roofs in West Kirby

Roofing in West Kirby

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Welsh slate reroof, 1930s semi in Heswall

EPDM garage roof, Bromborough

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