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Why not take advantage of our free roof surveys.  We will perform a thorough inspection of your roof to include checks of the condition of as many of the components of your roof as we can access. These surveys are usually for landlords and homebuyers but for a limited time this summer we are offering them free to local homeowners.

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External checks include:

  • check tiles, felt and battens,

  • check gutters and fascias,

  • check mortar, lead flashings and valleys,

  • check chimneys, etc

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Internal checks from within the loft include:

  • check age and condition of roof felt,

  • check for signs of rainwater leaks,

  • check for damaged timbers,

  • check for woodworm, rodent and bird damage,

  • check for signs of condensation,

  • check appropriate ventilation and insulation, etc

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We will provide you with a written condition report which will detail any suggested maintenance and the timescale we recommend.

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These checks are free. Early recognition of minor defects can ensure appropriate maintenance is carried out and the roof is kept in good order for as little expense as possible. Failure to deal with minor issues leaves them to become major and expensive issues, or sudden, severe leaks during heavy rain. 

 

Most homeowners like to keep their homes in good order but neglect the roof thinking if they don't have water pouring in, the roof must be OK. Unseen and undetected problems can cause serious damage to the roof and building. Get your roof checked now - for free!

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If you have received one of our leaflets through your postbox, it means we have been working in your area and it is a street where roofs are showing signs of deterioration so it would be wise to take advantage of our free offer.

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To request a free roof survey, email your name and address to:  improvepropertycare@gmail.com

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What we check for:

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Our roof surveys are intended to give the homeowner knowledge of the construction, function and condition of their roof and will point out any issues which are likely to cause leaks or decay to the building. We will advise on any suggested short term maintenance and provide information on what maintenance to expect in the future. 

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What's in it for us? On some houses, we discover maintenance issues which need to be dealt with in the short term to ensure longevity and performance of the roof long term. We get the opportunity to provide a quotation for this work, and hope that due to our professional and diligent approach, the homeowner will favour us with the work. We are confident that homeowners will be pleased with our survey and the knowledge and advice we provide and will tell their friends and colleagues about our service. 

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The benefits for you:

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  • You have your roof checked by a professional roofing surveyor and receive a written report on the condition of the roof. 

  • You gain early awareness any issues which require maintenance, enabling you to keep your home in good order and avoid roof leaks and expensive repairs.

  • You are advised on the long term health and performance of your roof, things you can monitor yourself ongoing, and an indication of what maintenance you should budget for in the future. 

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We will provide a written quotation for any issues we consider need attention. We do not hard sell and you are welcome to seek second opinion. 

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Most people think that because the roof looks OK from the outside and there are no leaks that everything is fine. But there can be hidden issues - after decades of exposure to the elements, those tiles which may look OK are not as waterproof as when they were first fitted. Decay of the underlying felt layer means any water penetrating the tile layer can leak into the house. The condition of the underlying roof felt is just as important as the condition of the tiles. Such leaks may be gradual at first and although not bad enough to appear in a room, may be causing damage to the structural roof timbers.  

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Our surveys typically take less than an hour. We will need internal access to the loft.

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Common Problems We Find:

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A bit like a garage carries out an MoT test on your car, we check and inspect many areas of the roof and report on any immediate problems and give advisories for future maintenance.

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Our checks look out for:

  • Cracked and broken tiles (usually not noticeable from ground level)

  • Tears and decay in the roof felt

  • Leaking and blocked gutters and downpipes

  • Woodworm infestation

  • Loose ridge and hip tiles (the rounded tiles on the roof angles) which can be displaced by high winds

  • Failure or loosening of lead flashings

  • Quality, suitability and performance of previous repairs and adaptions

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If left, these issues will cause expensive repair. Finding and dealing with them early is far cheaper. If left, felt and tile decay is not noticed by the homeowner until it manifests as water pouring through a ceiling (usually via the light fitting) during a heavy rain storm. The heavy rain means a roofer cannot attend for safety reasons and all roofers are suddenly inundated with calls and too busy to help. Emergency repair charges can be very high. 

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Much of the underside of the roof is visible from the loft and the outside tiles are visible from ground level. But most common problems manifest in the hidden areas such as under the lower tile rows and around the valleys. These issues can only be found during inspection by ladder. See some examples of typical roof defects below.

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Typical Reports Results We Provide.

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The types of advice we give can be summarised as:

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  • Your roof is fine and in good order. No maintenance is required at present and we suggest having a further inspection in five years time.

  • There are minor issues which are not urgent but would be wise to get sorted in due course.

  • There are moderate issues which should be dealt with as soon as you are able. The roof is showing signs of age but with some care and attention will give many more years of service.

  • There are more significant issues which should be dealt with promptly. 

  • The whole roof is in poor condition. The felt is perished and no longer serving its purpose. You should renovate the roof as soon as you are able.

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With each of these, we will provide detailed written quotation for the work suggested.

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Common Issues.

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The most common fault we find is decayed felt under the 

bottom row of tiles. Usually caused by water and dust

congregating in the dip in the lower felt and rotting the

felt. This means that any rainwater managing to get

through the tile layer now runs into the soffits, causing

decay of the roof timbers and fascias. In this picture

taken on Heartsease estate, nesting starlings had made

matters worse. Easily and cheaply remedied. 

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A damp patch on the wall of this terraced house in

Norwich indicated a problem with either the gutters or

the lower roof. It was a gutter issue which was easily and

cheaply fixed. 

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These 1960's and 1970's shallow pitch roofs suffer many issues.

Less substantial roof timbers fitted in that era sag under the

weight of the heavy concrete tiles, causing all sorts of problems.

The Norwich house in these pictures was in a dangerous state and

tiles were falling onto the pathway below. Earlier investigation and

intervention would have prevented a major repair.

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© 2019 IMPROVE PROPERTY CARE.

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