When a roof is genuinely done
Roofs rarely fail all at once — they fade. The felt (underlay) goes brittle and tears, tiles become porous and start shedding their surface, nail fixings rust through, and suddenly every storm knocks something loose. Around Crawley a lot of housing went up in the 1950s–70s, which means a lot of original concrete-tiled roofs are now past their design life at the same time.
Tell-tale signs: daylight or drifting dust in the loft, tiles that crumble at the edges when handled, repeated leaks in different places, and felt that crumbles like a digestive biscuit. If two or more of those sound familiar, it's time to price a replacement rather than keep patching.
What a Bonwycks re-roof includes
- Full strip of old coverings, battens and felt, with everything carted away — not left in your garden.
- Timber inspection — we check rafters and repair or treat anything soft before covering it up. This is the step cheap quotes quietly skip.
- Modern breathable membrane so your loft stays dry and ventilated, plus treated battens fixed to current British Standards.
- Your choice of covering — concrete interlocking tiles, handmade or machine-made clay, or natural slate — with dry-fix ridge and verge systems as standard.
- New leadwork, valleys and ventilation, insect-proof eaves comb, and insulation top-ups while the roof is open if you want them.
Scaffolding, waste and building-control notification are all handled by us and included in the written price. The only surprise should be how tidy the garden is afterwards.
Choosing your covering
Concrete interlocking tiles are the workhorse — economical, tough, and what most estates around Crawley were built with. Clay tiles cost more but keep their colour for a century and suit the older streets of towns like Horsham and Reigate. Natural slate is the premium option: thin, elegant, and the right answer on Victorian houses in Brighton, Redhill or Tunbridge Wells. Not sure what suits your house or your budget? Try our cost calculator for a quick steer, then chat with us for exact numbers.