When you refurbish everything else, don’t take your roof for granted

If it’s one piece of advice we give our customers, it’s this: don’t take your roof for granted.

It doesn’t get as much press as your boiler and isn’t as obvious as your broadband, but when it comes to protecting your property, it’s your first defence against the elements.

Here’s how one of our customers found out the hard way...

We were recently called out to SW19 for an emergency roof repair on a recently refurbished bungalow. The owner had just spent £40,000 redoing everything from the kitchen and bathroom to getting new furnishings and repainting the walls.

Then the roof began to leak. And that’s when we were called. Even a small leak can ravage the structure of your house if left unattended, and our client wasn’t about to risk his investment. And we weren’t about to let him down.

So at very short notice, we conducted a full roof replacement using fired clay tiles – one of the most high specification roofs available.

Brand new clay roof tiles and two new Velux windows

If you’re thinking of ways to make your home greener and save on your energy bills, clay tiles are a natural insulator – keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer. Plus they give your roof that classic look and stretches back all the way to ancient Rome.

We also installed 2 Velux windows, adding some much-needed natural light to the bungalow while we were at it.

An eyebrow is a particularly challenging architectural feature

But this wasn’t an ordinary roof. It required the tiles to be laid over a so-called ‘eyebrow’, a curvature in the roof that raises the tiles out of their ordinary pattern. As any roofer will tell you, this requires an expert. Luckily, our team has both the expertise and experience to handle whatever architectural challenges are thrown our way.

In the end the replacement roof was completed, and the property, it’s architectural features and the refurbishment was left safe and sound – along with a very happy client.

Tip of the day
If you think your roof is getting on in age, don’t wait until it starts falling apart to buy an expensive replacement. Call us today and ask about our Roof Renovations service. It’s a fraction of the cost of a replacement roof, and will ensure your roof will last for years to come.

Keep a look out for next week's post. There are some horror stories on the horizon you won’t want to miss...

An emergency roof cover-up by The Roofing Centre

When the part of the roof blew off the National Construction College in Woolwich, they called the company who can offer expert assistance at short notice.

On Thursday, 11 November 2010, high winds came gusting across the rooftops of east London at 60 mph and played havoc with the roof of the National Construction College.

The many woes of aluminium sheet cladding.

A surface area of 60m2 of aluminium sheet cladding was tossed around like scrap paper but luckily no one was hurt by the flailing bits of metal and they mostly managed to stay (barely) attached to the roof.

Emergency roofing at short notice
That evening the fire brigade was called out to make the roof safe, and they were followed by a scaffolding company to secure the structure of the area inside and out. After that, the next call was to The Roofing Centre.

We carried out a full emergency coverup. This involved removing the remaining damaged cladding from the roof and covering the area with layers of of extra-tough tarpaulin.

Polypropylene tarpaulin: strong, flexible and waterproof

Wind was a problem – so we made sure even our temporary roofing fit the bill by employing wooden beams to make sure the tarpaulin stayed flush with the cladding. This made sure the winds couldn’t get a grip and the temporary roof could do its job.

A temporary roof that’ll have to last a little longer
The National Construction College was very grateful for both our prompt service and the quality of our work – no leaks have been reported so far.

The next step is to find more aluminium sheet cladding to repair the damage permanently. The problem is, it’s not made anymore, and there’s not much left. So we have to go roof hunting – but don’t worry, we’re on the case.

Commercial roof cover – an easy fix when you need it
Men and women who work in large commercial structures often take them for granted – but wind is just one of the things that can take the roof off your work place.

It’s why we offer Commercial Roof Cover from just 86p per day. It’ll cover a lot more than traditional buildings insurance, and you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that experts like The Roofing Centre are there when you need us. Did we mention the free repairs?

Until next time, keep sending in your ideas – we always look forward to hearing from you.

The Roofing Blog – better roofing begins here

Welcome to The Roofing Blog – our new, weekly blog where you can find out what we’re up to, the latest innovations in roofing and pick up valuable tips and tricks to protect your roof.

Most importantly, this blog is about how we can offer you a better service.

So why does a London roofing company need a blog?
It’s not for us – it’s for you. We know how tough it can be to find good builders to come and fix your roof, especially at short notice and for the right price. And we want to make sure our service is the best around.

So use our comments section below to make yourself heard. You can talk to us about anything that’s roofing-related – whether it’s about service you’ve received in the past, materials, the current state of your roof, and much more.

Ask us a question, test our knowledge, or if you’ve had an experience with your roof that you think would be useful to others, get in touch and maybe your story can be our next post.

What you can expect from our new blog
We’re going to be covering a lot of ground (and roofs) over the months and years to come. Here’s a brief taste of what you can expect.

We’re going to write about...

• Advice to keep your roof in tip-top condition
• Current projects
• Horror stories we’ve encountered – and how to avoid them
• DIY tips
• Common maintenance issues
• Modern vs traditional materials
• Architectural/period challenges
• The weird, the strange and the wonderful in the world of roofing
• Regulations and planning permission
• Roofs through history – the occasional historical post
• Eco-roofs – helping you stay green.

And of course, us. But we’re always interested in new ideas, so if you have a fun one, let us know.

Sp, let’s kick off with our very first tip...

Tip no. 1: Roof Cover – the best way to protect your roof
Did you know? The most common home insurance packages don’t cover damage to your roof. And if that wasn’t bad enough, those that do only cover storm damage and even then only if you kept your roof in good condition.

Luckily, we’re one business that won’t take your roof for granted. That’s why we’ve created Roof Cover – only from The Roofing Centre.

Roof Cover is insurance for your roof – not with some middleman who just sells insurance, but instead with a roofing company who really understands the challenges your roof faces in our unpredictable climate.

The best way to take care of your roof is to have the professionals on call.

With residential cover from as little as 38p per day, landlords’ from 72p and commercial from 86p you can get our outstanding callout service anywhere in London.

If a 24 hour helpline, cover on all parts and labour and service from our expert tradesmen don’t give you the peace of mind you’re looking for, we’ll also give you 20% off replacement works.

Yes, we know it sounds too good to be true. You’ll just have to get yours to find out. And with winter already here, there’s no better time to start dialling.

Next week on the Roofing Blog, your ideas begin. It’s never too early – or too late.

Welcome to The Roofing Centre blog

We'll be using the blog to keep you up to date on the latest from the Roofing Centre