Local roofers · Orpington
Roofers in Orpington.
Orpington is in the London Borough of Bromley, but it was historically part of Kent and many people still think of it that way, which is why we list it with our Kent towns. Much of it grew quickly between the wars, so a lot of its roofs are of a similar age and are reaching the same stage of life. We’ll tell you honestly whether yours needs a repair, new felt and battens, or a full re-roof.
- Photosof what we find under the tiles
- Freequotes with no obligation
- Same dayusual reply to enquiries
What sits under an inter-war roof
Roofs built before the war were often laid with no underfelt at all, relying on the tiles and sometimes a mortar coating on their undersides, known as torching. Others were felted during a later re-cover, and that older bitumen felt can go brittle and tear, especially near the eaves. If you can see daylight or crumbling mortar in the loft, the tiles may be fine but what lies beneath them is not.
- Loft checked for bare battens, torching and torn felt
- Tiles lifted, felt and battens replaced, tiles relaid
- Breathable membrane in place of old bitumen felt
- Eaves checked, as that is where old felt usually perishes first
Bungalows, chalet bungalows and dormers
Bungalows and chalet bungalows are a common sight around Orpington, Green Street Green and Chelsfield. With a low eaves line and a lot of roof compared with wall, the roof is a big part of how they look, and dormers added later bring their own flat roofs and side cheeks. On a chalet bungalow, a damp patch on a sloping bedroom ceiling is often a problem at the dormer rather than the main slope.
- Dormer flat roofs repaired or replaced in torch-on felt
- Flashings checked where dormers meet the main slope
- Sloping ceilings checked for damp where rooms sit in the roof
- Vented soffits to help moisture escape from the roof space
Felt repair, re-roof, or leave it alone
Replacing felt in one small area makes sense when the damage is local. If tears run the whole length of the roof and the tiles are also porous or cracking, a strip and re-roof is usually better value than paying to lift the same tiles twice. In Petts Wood, which has protected local character, ask Bromley Council before changing how a roof looks, as like-for-like work and a visible change are treated differently.
- A small tear with sound tiles: a local felt and batten repair
- Widespread brittle felt: lift and relay, or a full re-roof
- Porous tiles too: a full strip and re-roof is usually better value
- Roof sound but mortar failing: ridge and hip work only
How the job works
- 1Start in the loftWhere we have access, we look at the underside of the roof first, as that shows what the tiles are hiding.
- 2Lift a sample where it helpsIf we need to, we lift a few tiles to check the condition of the felt and battens, then put them back.
- 3Compare the optionsYou get a clear written price and plain reasons for the option we would choose if it were our own roof.
- 4Rebuild from the battens upNew membrane and treated battens go on before the tiles, and you get photos of each stage.
Why choose us in Orpington
- Photos of the felt and battens, so you see what is under your tiles
- Honest advice from people happy to say when a full re-roof is not needed
- Every price set out in writing before work starts
Common questions
Is Orpington in London or Kent?
Both, depending on who you ask. Orpington has been in the London Borough of Bromley since 1965, but it was historically in Kent and many residents still think of it that way. We list it under Kent on this site, and either way we cover it.
There is no felt in my 1930s loft. Do I need a new roof?
Not always. An unfelted roof can keep working for a long time if the tiles and fixings are sound. If tiles are slipping or the torching is falling away, the choices are to lift and relay with a membrane or re-roof, and we’ll show you what we find.
Can a dormer on a chalet bungalow be re-roofed on its own?
Yes. A dormer’s flat roof can usually be stripped and re-covered separately from the main roof. We’ll check the decking and the flashings where it meets the tiles, as that join is a common source of leaks.
Ready for a free, no-obligation quote?
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