Active leaks, storm damage, slipped or missing tiles, lifted ridge tiles and failed flashings all need attention before more water gets in. We cover Bury St Edmunds and the surrounding villages.
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
A leak that is getting worse, tiles on the ground after a storm, a ridge tile that has shifted or a flashing that has lifted away from the wall - these are not problems to leave until next week. Water finds its way through quickly, and once it is inside the roof structure the damage spreads. We handle emergency roof repairs across Bury St Edmunds and the surrounding villages.
Not every drip is a crisis, but some signs mean you should act now rather than wait. If water is coming through a ceiling and that ceiling is starting to sag or bulge, keep people out of the room.
Other signs that need immediate attention: water near an electrical fitting, a socket or a switch; a large area of tiles or slates missing rather than one or two; a flat roof membrane that is split or has lifted; a lead flashing that has pulled away from a chimney or parapet wall and is letting water run down inside.
The most important rule: do not go on the roof yourself. Even on a dry day a pitched roof is dangerous without the right equipment and training. Put a bucket or container under any drip, and lay towels or plastic sheeting to protect floors and furniture. Move belongings away from the wet area and take photographs of all the damage, including any fallen tiles or debris in the garden. Photographs with a date and time stamp matter if you need to make an insurance claim later.
If water is near any electrical fitting, do not touch the fitting, the switch or the socket. If the consumer unit (fuse box) is dry and you can reach it safely without going near the water, turn off the main switch, not just the circuit for that room. If there is any doubt at all about whether the fuse box is dry or safely reachable, leave it alone and call an electrician. Never touch a wet light fitting or switch under any circumstances.
When water collects above a plasterboard or lath-and-plaster ceiling, the weight builds up faster than most people expect. Do not poke, prod or pierce the ceiling, even if you can see where water is pooling, and do not try to drain it yourself.
Not all emergency leaks come from a damaged tile or failed flashing. Gutters and downpipes that are blocked with leaves and debris can cause water to overflow and run back under the eaves. A valley - the channel where two roof slopes meet - can block with debris and send water sideways into the roof structure rather than down to the gutter. On flat roofs, blocked outlets cause standing water, and standing water finds any weakness in the membrane. Only look at gutters from the ground; do not climb a ladder or go onto a flat roof to check them.
When a roofer arrives, the first job is usually to make the roof watertight enough to stop further water getting in, rather than to complete the full permanent repair in one visit. A heavy-duty tarpaulin or temporary sheeting fixed over the damaged area is a common first step. This is not a finished repair - it is a way of protecting the building while materials are sourced, or while scaffolding is arranged if the roof is high or steep.
Whether scaffolding is needed affects both the timing and the cost of make-safe work. A slipped tile low on a roof can sometimes be reached with roof ladders, but larger areas, high gable ends or steeply pitched roofs will need a proper scaffold. Safe access is not optional - it affects what can be done on the first visit and what has to wait.
There is no single price for emergency roof work because the cost depends on several things: whether scaffolding or a tower is needed for safe access; the extent of the damage and how much material needs replacing; whether the job is a temporary make-safe or a permanent repair; and whether hidden damage to the underlay, battens or roof timbers is found once the outer covering is lifted. A realistic price can only be given once the roof has been seen.
On a pitched tiled roof, common emergencies include slipped or missing interlocking concrete tiles (which are single-lapped, so a missing tile can leave a direct gap) and failed mortar on ridge tiles or around the base of a chimney. Most pitched roofs have an underlay beneath the battens, so water coming through a gap reaches the battens and underlay together, but underlay is not a permanent weatherproof layer and not every older roof has underlay at all.
Slates most often slip because the nail that holds them has corroded, a condition known as nail sickness. Slates have no nibs and rely entirely on their fixing nails. One or two slipping is a sign that others may follow. Plain clay tiles and slates are double-lapped, so a single slipped piece does not leave an immediate open hole, but water can still track sideways and find a way through.
Ridge tiles on older roofs are mortar-bedded. When the mortar fails, the ridge tile can rock, lift or slide and the gap it leaves lets water straight into the roof. Newer roofs use a dry-fix ridge system with mechanical fixings, which is more resistant to movement.
On flat roofs, a split or lifted membrane is the most common emergency. Once the membrane has failed, water gets in quickly. Standing water on a flat roof usually means a blocked outlet or insufficient fall, and it accelerates any existing weakness in the felt or EPDM rubber surface.
Failed lead flashing where a roof meets a chimney, a wall or a dormer is another frequent cause of leaks. Lifted lead can sometimes be dressed back into position; lead that is cracked or split needs replacing rather than patching.
A thorough repair does not stop at replacing the damaged tile or reseating the flashing. Once the outer covering is lifted, the underlay, battens and roof timbers beneath are checked for water damage, rot or movement. A leak that has been running for a while - even one the homeowner has not noticed - can have softened the battens or started to affect the timber structure. Identifying this during the repair visit prevents a bigger job later.
Storm damage to a roof is often covered by buildings insurance, but the claim process has some important steps. Photograph the damage as soon as it is safe to do so, note the date and time, and keep any receipts for emergency work. Contact your insurer before any permanent repair work starts where possible, as insurers may want to send their own assessor.
Insurers commonly decline or reduce claims where they decide the storm only exposed existing wear and tear rather than causing the damage itself. Each policy has its own definition of what counts as a storm, and insurers often judge this by recorded wind speed or rainfall in the area on that date. If a claim is refused and you believe that is wrong, you can use the insurer's complaints process and, if still unresolved, take the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
If your roof has been damaged or you have an active leak, call us now. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers, who ring you back to talk through what has happened and arrange a visit. We cover Bury St Edmunds and the surrounding villages.
No obligation · We'll call you to arrange a free visit
Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
A new roof is a significant investment, but the right installation will protect your home for decades. We fit new pitche
When a roof reaches the end of its life, a full replacement is more cost-effective than repeated repairs. We carry out p
Slipped tiles, cracked flashings, leaking valleys - roof repairs in Bury St Edmunds need to be done right first time to
Flat roofs need the right system and quality installation to perform for years without leaking. We install and repair fe
