New Roofs Raynes Park

• The Apostles (SW20): Dense Edwardian artisan terraced houses. Re-roofing focuses on natural Welsh or Grade-A Spanish slate overhauls, structural outrigger timber sistering, party-wall firewall rebuilds, and breathable membrane underlayment.

• Grand Drive & Bushey Road (SW20): Substantial 1930s suburban semi-detached residences. Re-roofing typically centers on plain clay tiles, machine-made interlocking concrete tiles, timber gable overhauls, hip rafter reinforcement, and mechanical dry-ridge systems.

• Cottenham Park & Cambridge Road (SW20): Grand Edwardian family residences featuring complex multi-pitch roofs. Demands authentic Welsh SVT slate or handmade plain clay tiles, Code 5 lead valleys, and warm-roof insulation upgrades.

• West Barnes & Lower Morden Borders (SW20): Inter-war suburban housing where concrete tile re-roofing is often combined with brittle bitumen felt removal, new treated batten runs, and dry-verge capping.

Rafter Deflection & Dead-Load Bowing on 1930s Grand Drive Semis

The expansive hipped roofs characteristic of 1930s homes along Grand Drive were originally clad in heavy plain clay tiles. Over nearly a century of sustained dead load combined with moisture absorption, original softwood rafters bow and sag. When our six-man team strips your roof to bare timbers, we evaluate every structural joist, sistering bowed rafters with treated C24 timber and reinforcing hip beams to guarantee a perfectly flat, structurally sound foundation before laying new tiles.

"Nail Sickness" & Corroded Fixings on Edwardian Apostles Slates

Many Edwardian properties across The Apostles still feature original slate roof coverings installed with iron nails. After more than a century, these nails corrode through—a failure known as "nail sickness." Individual slates slip out of line, exposing the degraded bitumen felt underneath to driving rain. During a complete re-roof, our crew strips the covering to bare rafters, replaces failing battens, installs high-performance breathable roofing membranes, and secures every new slate with corrosion-proof copper nails.

Party-Wall Bonding Gutters between Adjoining Apostles Terraces

In The Apostles, properties share tight boundary lines with neighbors who may not be replacing their roof at the same time. Connecting a new natural slate roof to an adjoining weathered slate covering requires expert junction detailing. We construct clean, weatherproof bonding gutters or shared lead valleys along the party wall line, ensuring a seamless, watertight junction without disturbing your neighbor’s roof slates.

Replacing a roof in Raynes Park demands strict adherence to structural engineering and weather management. We deliver every full re-roof through four disciplined milestones:

Milestone 1: Site Fortification & Progressive Envelope Stripping

We handle all access logistics, erecting fully boarded, netted perimeter scaffolding around the property. Old tiles, slates, rotten battens, and brittle felt are systematically stripped down to bare timbers in controlled daily sections, ensuring exposed areas are sealed with heavy-duty breathable membrane before our team leaves each afternoon.

Milestone 2: Structural Rafter Sistering & Deck Leveling

With the timber skeleton exposed, our carpenters inspect every rafter, purlin, and valley board. Any timber affected by historic wet rot is removed. Bowing rafters are sistered with structural C24 treated timber, and hip beams are reinforced to eliminate dips and create an engineered, level plane across the roof.

Milestone 3: Part L Thermal Envelope & High-Performance Underlayment

To comply with UK Building Regulations (Part L), we install high-density quilt insulation (up to 270mm depth) or rigid PIR insulation boards across ceiling joists. We then secure a high-performance, tear-resistant, vapour-permeable breathable membrane, counter-battened with factory-graded 25x50mm BS5534 treated roofing battens fixed with ring-shank nails.

Milestone 4: Precision Double-Lap Tiling & Hand-Bossed Leadcraft

Your chosen natural slates, clay plain tiles, or interlocking concrete tiles are hand-fixed to exact gauge lines. Code 5 milled lead is bossed on-site for dormer cheeks, chimney flashings, outrigger valleys, and party-wall junctions. Ridge and hip tiles are mechanically anchored, scaffolding is dismantled, the site is immaculately cleared, and your 25-year CORC guarantee certificate is issued.

Do I need planning permission for a new roof in Raynes Park?

Like-for-like roof replacements using matching authentic materials (such as natural slate and clay ridge tiles) generally fall under Permitted Development and do not require formal council planning permission. We advise on Merton Council building guidelines during our free survey.

How do you handle shared party-wall roof sections with neighbors in The Apostles?

We liaise with your neighbor before work begins. We install clean bonding gutters or shared lead valleys along the party line, ensuring a seamless, watertight junction between your new roof covering and the adjoining property.

Do I have to upgrade my loft insulation when getting a new roof in SW20?

Yes. Under UK Building Regulations (Part L), replacing more than 50% of your roof covering requires upgrading loft thermal insulation to current standards (typically 270mm). We incorporate this directly into our itemized written quotes.

What happens if rain falls while my roof is stripped off?

We strip roofs in manageable daily sections. At the end of every working afternoon, exposed timbers are completely covered and sealed with high-grade, waterproof breathable membrane, keeping your home 100% watertight throughout the project.

Are your on-site roof surveys in Raynes Park completely free?

Yes. John Quilligan visits your property in SW20 in person, inspects the roof structure, loft timbers, and chimney leadwork, and provides a clear, itemized written estimate with zero call-out charges.