Understanding what a proper lead work job involves - from the first inspection to clearing up on the last day - helps you know whether the work being done on your roof in Elmswell is being done right.
Lead work is one of the most skilled parts of roofing, and the quality of the job is largely invisible once it is done. That makes it hard for a homeowner to judge whether they have had excellent work or a poor imitation. Walking through the process step by step gives you a clear picture of what to expect - and what questions to ask.
Before any lead is ordered or scaffolding goes up, the area needs a proper look. For chimney flashings, that means getting close enough to see the condition of the existing lead, the mortar chase, the pointing, and the masonry itself. From the ground with binoculars, you can spot obvious failure, but you cannot see whether the lead is still properly tucked into the chase or whether it has lifted away at the back.
A proper inspection should identify:
A roofer who quotes from the ground alone, without getting onto the roof or at least using a ladder to inspect closely, is guessing. That kind of quote often changes once the job starts, when the real condition becomes clear.
For most chimney and dormer lead work, scaffolding or a scaffold tower is needed. Working from a ladder on pitched sections is both unsafe and impractical - you cannot dress lead accurately while balanced on a ladder rung, and the Health and Safety Executive is clear about working at height requirements.
Scaffold is a real cost - typically £200 to £600 for a basic chimney scaffold on a two-storey house, more for a full lift or complex access - and any quote that omits it should be questioned. Some contractors use mobile elevated work platforms where scaffold is impractical or too costly for a small job, and this can be a legitimate alternative. What is not acceptable is working off a ladder on a section of roof that requires both hands free.
Before access goes up, the work area at ground level should be protected. Lead offcuts and old mortar will fall, and a dust sheet or boards protect the garden, path, or patio below.
Existing lead is carefully cut back and removed. In most cases, the lead that comes off is recycled - lead has a strong secondary market and responsible contractors account for this, though the scrap value rarely offsets the cost of new material by much at domestic scales.
Once the old lead is off, the chase in the masonry is cleaned out. This is a critical step that is easy to rush. Old lead wedges, dried mortar, and debris must all be cleared from the chase before the new lead goes in. If the chase is not clean and the correct depth - typically 25mm - the new lead will not sit properly and the wedging and pointing cannot be done correctly.
Any tiles that need lifting to access soakers or valley lead are removed carefully and stacked flat. Tiles broken during removal should be noted before work starts, so there is no dispute about what was already cracked before the job began.
With the lead off, the condition of the underlying masonry is exposed. Spalled or eroded brickwork at the chimney haunching, failed flaunching at the pot, or crumbling joints in the stack itself can all be addressed at this stage, when access is already paid for. It makes sense to deal with masonry issues now rather than returning with another scaffold a year later.
This is also the point at which any rot in valley boards or damage to roof decking beneath old valley lead becomes visible. Wet rot in valley boards is common where valley lead has been failing slowly for years. Replacing a rotted board adds to the job but is not optional - laying new lead on a rotten substrate defeats the purpose of the repair.
All lead used should meet BS EN 12588. The correct code for the application matters - code 4 for standard flashings, code 5 for valleys and back gutters, code 3 for soakers only where appropriate. Sections should be cut to the right lengths: no individual piece of flashing should exceed around 1.5 metres without a proper drip or lapped joint to allow for thermal expansion.
Hand-dressing is used to shape the lead accurately. A bossing mallet and dressers work the metal cold into tight contact with the roof surface and masonry. Corners on chimney back gutters, internal angles at dormer cheeks, and saddles at ridge junctions all require this kind of careful shaping - they cannot be neatly formed with heat on most domestic jobs.
Once dressed into position, each flashing is tucked into the chase and secured with lead wedges driven in at regular intervals. The lead must sit firmly and not move when pressed. Wedges are set every 150mm or so, more frequently on exposed sections.
With the lead wedged in place, the chase is pointed. Hard mortar is not used for this - it cracks as the lead moves with temperature changes. A flexible sealant, or a lime-based pointing mix on older properties, accommodates the seasonal movement that is normal in lead sheet.
Any tiles that were lifted are relaid, re-bedded where necessary, and checked for correct alignment. Ridge tiles disturbed during chimney work are re-bedded in mortar or re-pointed as needed.
The surface of the new lead should be patinated before the job is finished. Patination oil applied to fresh lead prevents white lead carbonate staining from washing onto tiles below, which is both unsightly and a sign that the surface has not been properly treated.
Before access comes down, the completed work should be checked thoroughly. Every joint should be tight, every wedge secure, the pointing consistent, and all laps correctly oriented so they shed water rather than collect it. Any off-cuts, old mortar, and packaging should come off the roof.
At ground level, the work area should be cleared of all debris, offcuts, and dust sheet material. Lead offcuts should not be left behind - aside from the environmental and safety considerations, leaving lead scraps in a garden is poor practice.
You should expect a clear explanation of what was done, what was found, and whether anything was identified that may need attention in future - a neighbouring section of flashing that is borderline, for example, or masonry that will need pointing within the next few years.
Typical UK prices for domestic lead work: chimney re-flashing on a standard house runs from around £300 to £600. Valley lead replacement including tile lifting and re-setting is usually £400 to £900 depending on the length and complexity of the valley. Dormer soakers and step flashings can range from £200 to £500 per face. Scaffold is charged on top of the lead work itself on most jobs. These are honest market ranges - your specific roof may fall outside them depending on access, pitch, and the extent of any associated masonry or tile work.
Bury St Edmunds Roofers carries out lead flashing, valley, and soaker work in Elmswell and the surrounding villages. We use hand-dressing techniques and BS EN 12588 lead sheet throughout. If you want to know what your roof needs before committing to any work, call us to arrange a proper roof survey.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
