Roofing service
Felt & Batten Repairs in London.
Torn underfelt and rotten battens replaced under your tiles.
Felt & Batten Repairs done properly
Underneath your tiles, roofing felt and battens do the real waterproofing. When felt tears or battens rot, we lift the affected tiles, replace the felt and battens, and relay the roof covering.
What's included
- Underfelt replacement
- Rotten batten replacement
- Breathable membrane upgrades
- Tile lift and relay
How roof felt repair and batten replacement works
Tiles are lifted from above the damage and stacked for reuse, working back until the felt and battens are sound. New underlay is lapped under the existing sheet above and over the sheet below, so any water keeps running down the roof and out to the gutter. Battens are then fixed back at the correct spacing, and the tiles relaid and fixed in their original courses.
- Underlay laps kept in the right order, top over bottom
- Graded treated battens fixed at the original gauge
- Sound tiles reused, and broken ones replaced
- Rafters checked while the area is open
Felt or breathable membrane?
Older roofs use bitumen felt, which keeps water out but doesn’t let moisture vapour through, so the loft relies on ventilation at the eaves. Breathable membrane lets vapour escape, which can help a damp loft, though a partial repair still depends on what is around it. If there is no underlay at all, that is a wider conversation about the roof.
- Bitumen felt: simple, but it needs a well-ventilated loft
- Breathable membrane: lets vapour out, and is a common upgrade
- New sheets must lap correctly onto what is staying
- Ventilation paths should stay clear at the eaves
How far the repair should go, and what affects the cost
This repair suits a defined area, such as a perished strip at the eaves or a patch of rotten battens below a leak. If the felt is failing across whole slopes, it usually makes more sense to look at a new roof, as the tiles are coming off anyway. The cost is driven by the area lifted and how well the old tiles come off.
- Area of tiles that need lifting
- Old tiles or slates that break when lifted
- Rotten rafters found under the battens
- Tile that has slipped with sound felt beneath: see roof repairs
Signs you need felt & batten repairs
- Torn felt visible in the loft
- Damp or rotten battens
- Tiles sitting unevenly
- Drips at the eaves
Spotted any of these? Call 07450 208032 for a free inspection.
Other services
- Roof RepairsLeaks, slipped or broken tiles and storm damage, found and fixed properly.
- New RoofsFull strip and re-roofs in tile or slate, built to last decades.
- uPVC Guttering, Fascias & SoffitsNew uPVC roofline that looks sharp and stops rot and overflow.
- Dry Ridge SystemsMechanically fixed ridge tiles, no more crumbling mortar.
Common questions
What does roof felt do if the tiles keep the rain out?
Tiles shed nearly all of the rain, but wind can drive water and snow through the gaps. The felt is a second line of defence that catches this and carries it down to the gutter, so a roof can look fine while the felt has failed.
Why is my felt falling apart at the eaves?
That is the most exposed part of the sheet. Old felt that runs into the gutter gets wet and is reached by sunlight, which breaks it down, and water can then soak into the fascia or the wall top. It is a common repair on older roofs.
Can battens be replaced from inside the loft?
Not usually. Tiles hang on the battens and the felt sits beneath them, so the tiles have to come off from above to reach them. Extra timbers fixed from inside don’t address the cause, and they can make things harder later.
What size should roof battens be?
It depends on the rafter spacing and the tile. Sizes of 25mm by 38mm or 25mm by 50mm are common on houses, and battens should be graded for roofing rather than general timber from a builders’ yard.
Ready for a free, no-obligation quote?
Speak to our team today. London, Essex, Kent, Sussex and the Cotswolds.