Tiled roofs in Bedford

Clay or concrete: what is on your Bedford roof

Most tiled roofs in Bedford fall into two camps. The older houses in the villages around the town, such as Bromham and Biddenham, often have small clay plain tiles that have weathered to a soft red. The post-war estates and newer streets, from Putnoe to Wixams, are mostly concrete interlocking tiles, bigger and heavier, laid in long even rows.

Each type wears in its own way, and repairs need the right replacement. A concrete tile in the middle of an old clay roof sticks out from the street for years.

The tiled roof problems we see most

Loose ridge tiles

The mortar that holds ridge tiles cracks with frost, and the tiles start to rock. We can rebed them, but more often we fit a dry ridge system, which fixes each ridge tile mechanically. One customer rang us about a single loose ridge tile and we fitted a dry ridge with all-new ridge tiles from our own tower scaffold.

Crumbling verges

The cement along the gable edge falls out in chunks. We rebed it on a new undercloak, or replace it with a dry verge system that has no mortar to fail.

Cracked and slipped tiles

Usually storm damage, failed nails or a batten that has rotted. We find out which before replacing anything.

Damage from jet washing

Pressure washing breaks tiles and forces water under them. We have replaced plenty of jet-wash-damaged tiles for people who were sold a roof clean.

Matching tiles on an older roof

When a tile is no longer made, we look for a close match in colour, shape and size rather than fitting whatever is to hand. If the match will show, we tell you before we start, and explain the options.

What the written quote covers

• The number and type of tiles being replaced
• Any ridge, verge or valley work, and the system used
• Access, whether tower scaffold or full scaffold
• Felt or batten repairs if we found them, with photos
• Taking away the broken tiles and old mortar, so nothing is left in your garden or on the drive