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Ultimate Roofcare Ltd
Call us
01234 634 016
Quote
Ultimate Roofcare Ltd
Call us
01234 634 016 Get a quote
4.9 from 29 reviews on Google
On Checkatrade Free written quotes Fully insured Written guarantee Based in Bedford

About slate roofs

Slate roofs, old and new

Slate is the roof on many of the older houses we look after, and it rewards careful work. We have re-slated houses that are 200 years old, and stripped and re-slated a house in Milton Keynes in a single day. We work in natural Spanish slate and in man-made slate, and we will help you choose between them.

What's included

Slipped and broken slates

When a nail rusts through, a slate slides. We refit slipped slates and replace broken ones to match the rest of the roof.

Full re-slating

When nail fatigue or failed felt runs across the roof, it is time to strip and re-slate. Sound slates can sometimes be saved; new ones are chosen to sit well with the house.

Natural Spanish slate

A natural material with the look old houses need, fixed over a new breathable membrane and treated battens.

Man-made slate

A lighter, more uniform option that suits extensions, side roofs and newer houses.

Lead and gutters

Slate roofs often have lead valleys and box gutters. We form them in Code 4 or Code 5 lead as the detail needs, so they carry water away for years.

Ridges, verges and chimneys

Dry ridge systems or bedded verges to suit the roof, and chimneys repointed while the scaffold is up.

Why slate roofs fail

A good slate can outlast several sets of nails. Most slate roofs we see are let down by the fixings, the felt or the lead rather than the slate itself. Nails rust, slates slip, and old felt under them gives up. Knowing which of those is happening on your roof is the difference between a sensible repair and a full re-slate, and we will show you the photos so you can see it for yourself.

How the job runs

  1. We look closely at the slates, the nails, the felt and the timbers, and photograph what we find.
  2. We explain the options: repair, part re-slate or full re-slate, natural or man-made.
  3. Itemised written quote, with scaffold, materials and skip listed.
  4. Building Control booked if it is a re-roof.
  5. The roof is stripped and re-slated, lead is formed on site, and the site is cleared daily.
  6. Sign-off and handover, with our written company guarantee.

Recent work

Recent jobs

See every project →

Roofs we work on

Slate roofs we have laid

How we work

An honest Bedford roofer: what the roof needs, not what pays best

Read our Google reviews and the same things come up: the honest answer, the detailed quote, the lads who turn up smart and leave the place tidy.

  1. 01 A repair when a repair will do

    A Bedford customer with a chimney leak got new lead and a metre of felt, not a new roof. "There was no need to start doing loads of unnecessary work," in her words.

  2. 02 Itemised, line by line

    Scaffold, skip, materials, even the portable toilet on a big job. You see exactly what you are paying for.

  3. 03 Quick when it is leaking

    Customers who rang at teatime with water coming in had us round the next day.

  4. 04 Done the proper way

    Dry ridge and verge systems, eaves support trays, welded lead, breathable membranes, and moss scraped off by hand. We never jet-wash a roof.

What people say

4.9

29 reviews on Google

A 120-year-old roof, matched to the original

“The finished roof looks great, and is an excellent match to the original which is important in Letchworth.”
Kevin Google review
We noticed the felt in our loft was deteriorating quite badly, so decided it was time to get the roof replaced. We had three different companies out to quote, with Jude from Ultimate Roof Care being the last. Jude came across really well, very polite and well spoken, and took the time to explain everything properly. His quotation was by far the most detailed, with everything clearly itemised so we knew exactly what we were paying for. The team did exactly what was promised and we're really pleased with our new roof. We'd seen their vans working around Bedfordshire before, which was reassuring too. More than happy with the whole experience and would definitely recommend Ultimate Roof Care.
Lee Google
We had a bad leak coming into the roof and couldn't work out where it was coming from. We called Jude and he came out, had a proper look and identified the problem around the chimney. Our house was built in the 1980s and he showed us where the old felt had started collapsing around that area. One of his guys then came out and replaced the lead around the chimney as well as roughly a metre of felt around it. Jude explained that there was no need to start doing loads of unnecessary work and that a localised repair should sort the problem, which we really appreciated. The exact area where the water was coming in before has stayed completely dry. Really happy with the repair and thought the price was very fair. The guys were polite, turned up looking smart and were very professional. We're based in Bedford and would definitely recommend them.
Trinity Google
We'd been having problems with a leak on our bungalow roof, despite previously having another roofing company out, so we decided it was time to have the whole roof replaced. Jude was brilliant from the start, and the detail in their quotation was on another level compared to the others we received. Everything was explained step by step, from the scaffolding and materials being delivered to the skip, even a portable toilet for the workers. Their price was very competitive too, but it was really the attention to detail and how professional they were that made us choose them. What a great company. We couldn't recommend Ultimate Roof Care enough!
Angela Google
I had spray foam insulation in my loft which was causing issues with selling my property. Jude explained the full process, gave me a clear written quote and even arranged for an electrician to safely disconnect and reconnect my solar panels. Once the foam was removed, they bagged and cleared every bit of waste and left the loft spotless. The surveyor who came afterwards commented on the quality of the job. True professionals, I'd highly recommend them.
Gracie Google
I booked a roof MOT with Ultimate Roofcare because I wanted to be sure everything was in good condition before the winter. They showed me photos of a couple of cracked tiles and some minor pointing that needed attention, but reassured me the rest of the roof was in good shape. They fixed everything there and then at a very fair price. No pushy sales, just genuine advice and quality workmanship.
Freddie Google
After the really heavy rain the other day we had quite a bad leak come through and called Jude at around 5 or 6 in the evening. He came out the very next day. Owen then came out shortly afterwards and got the repair sorted for us. They opened up roughly a metre along the bottom of the roof, renewed the felt in that area and fitted a new eaves support tray system. We've had more rain since and everything has stayed completely dry.
Samuel Google
Jude and his efficient team of workers have done a complete roof replacement with slates on our 200 year old house. They have done an excellent job and the roof is now entirely watertight and looks very smart. Quality materials and experienced skills have resulted in a great job and peace of mind for us. Thankyou to all. Richard and Lorna
Richard Google
I found Ultimate Roofcare in the local Bedford Bulletin. Joe came along to check out the loft. Jude came along later in one of his branded vehicles (big reassurance) and explained that he could do the job in 4 days with 8-10 men. By Wednesday evening the roof tiles had been removed and replaced, a new roof lining installed, 3 layers of insulation placed between the joists, ventilated soffits and new gutters fitted and a good tidy-up completed. If you need any roofing or loft work done, you would struggle to find a better company.
Stephen Google
Read every review The full set, in their own words

Where we work

Slate roofs near you

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Before you ring

Questions we get asked

Why do slates keep slipping off my roof?

Usually the nails holding them have rusted through. One slipped slate can be refixed, but if it keeps happening across the roof, the nails have reached the end of their life and a re-slate is the lasting answer.

Natural slate or man-made slate: which should I choose?

Natural slate suits older houses and places where the look matters most. Man-made slate is lighter and more uniform, and suits extensions and newer homes. We show you both and explain the trade-off for your house.

Can you re-slate a very old house?

Yes. We have re-slated houses that are 200 years old. On older roofs we take extra care with the timbers and with matching the finished look to the house.

Can my old slates be reused?

Some can, if they are sound. We sort them as the roof comes off and tell you how many are worth keeping before we order new ones.

Get in touch

Tell us about the roof

  1. We ring you back To hear what the roof is doing.
  2. We come and look And take photos of what we find, so you can see it too.
  3. You get a written, itemised quote What the roof needs and what it costs. No pressure.
Rather talk? 01234 634 016
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