The Pros & Cons of DIY Roof Work
When it comes to home improvement, some people prefer the Do-It-Yourself approach. And why not? It’s a great way to save money and – for some – it’s a fun hobby too. Who doesn’t love wallpapering, re-grouting and putting up shelves?
However, some DIY enthusiasts prefer to take things one step further. Some even try their hand at roofing, but is it a good idea? Read on as we discuss the pros and cons of DIY roofing, compared to a professional job.
Pro? – “I can save money”
The number one reason people attempt DIY work of any type is to save money. If you were a trained roofer, you would save plenty of money doing your own roofing jobs.
Con!
However, most people aren’t trained to complete roofing jobs. As a result, their DIY work doesn’t cut the mustard, meaning they will probably have to fork out for repairs (or possibly complete overhauls) in the future.
They’re also left out of pocket for materials, which professionals can buy in bulk for less. In the long run, DIY could cost you far more than just getting a proper job done.
Pro? – “I can complete work when I want”
Some people consider DIY work because they need the job doing urgently. They think that professionals will have long waiting lists, and won’t be able to guarantee when work will be done.
Con!
Putting up some flat pack furniture after work is one thing, but try balancing your day to day life with a DIY roofing job. You’ll soon find it taking far longer than expected, especially because you’re tackling it alone.
Cons, cons and more cons.
On top of cost and time, DIY roofing is a massive no-no for safety. Working at height requires a lot of training to preventing you hurting yourself and others. It’s not just a risk of falling, there’s also the risk of falling materials such as tiles or tools that could do serious damage to passers-by.
Not only that, it’s very easy to slip up when it comes to tools and materials. Roofing contractors know exactly what’s needed for every roof in any environment. Make the wrong choice and you’ll soon see that your roof can’t weather the storm.
And then there’s the quality of the job. You might think you’ve done a decent job patching up your roof. The reality will soon become apparent. Roofing is a highly-skilled trade, requiring extensive training to deliver high standards. Without these skills and the right materials, as mentioned, you’ll probably find yourself paying for it in the long run.
Don’t take the risk
DIY roofing work just isn’t worth the time, money or effort. Leave it to the professionals. DPR Roofing is a team of highly-skilled roofing professionals, with complete training and full accreditation. We’ve been working on roof repairs and replacements in Pontefract for over 29 years. And we’re ready to help you. Contact us today to arrange a free quote for your roofing job.
How Often Should I Inspect My Roof?
Roof inspections are a must if you want to keep your roof in working order for longer. Minor problems can be identified before they develop into something serious, more complex and more expensive to rectify.
But, how often should you inspect your roof? And what should you look for?
Inspections key to maintenance
You may be expecting your roof to last a lifetime. And, yes, a good roof can do exactly that. But not without maintenance. Roof inspections are the first step in maintaining your roof’s function and appearance, as they highlight any visible problems before they do serious damage.
What about the warranty? Some homeowners might question the importance of roof inspections, given that they’re covered by their warranty anyway. In fact, warranties are often void if regular maintenance isn’t carried out.
Consider roof inspections part of the “care instructions” you get with your roof. You can’t return a pair of jeans if you have left them out in the rain. And you won’t have much of a case with your roof warranty if it’s been left unmaintained.
Checking your roof
As a general rule, you should check your roof at least twice every year. That’s not a replacement for professional inspections by any means, but you should check the basics:
- Tiles – Look at whether tiles have fallen off or become visibly loose or cracked.
- Flashing – Check for breaks and gaps on the metal flashing which seals curves and edges on your roof.
- Gutters – Ensure your gutters aren’t blocked, sagging or coming away from the wall.
- Moss – Moss holds water on your roof, so it’s important to check for any build up when you inspect your roof.
- Inside – Check inside your house, looking for dark patches, sagging, leaks and water rings as well as sunlight breaking through the roof.
And when…?
The next issue is when to carry out your inspections. If you’re doing two, the ideal time is before and after winter. This is the season with the worst weather, which will test your roof the most. Inspect before winter – around September time – to check if any minor problems need fixing before the rain and wind comes. Small problems can become much bigger when they’re exposed to severe weather.
Your second inspection should be after winter, in March or April, to check if any damage has been done. While the bad weather may be over, it’s still best to get any problem fixed as soon as possible. Besides, British summers are hardly the driest around…
The importance of professional inspections
A quick check-over is important for your roof’s wellbeing, but it doesn’t reduce the need for a professional inspection by any means. A professional inspection can identify problems that aren’t apparent to the untrained eye. For one, because professionals have the training to get on the roof and inspect every aspect thoroughly.
Pontefract roofing experts
Looking for a professional roof inspection in and around Pontefract? DPR Roofing can help. We are accredited roofing specialists, with nearly three decades’ experience in all aspects of roofing. Our team of fully-trained roofers are ready to provide high level inspections and deal with any issues that may be present on your property. Get in touch today to arrange a free, no-obligation quote.
Essential Roof Maintenance Checklist
A roof is one of the most important, and often most neglected, parts of our home. Your roof protects you and your family from the elements, and, with proper maintenance, can last over 100 years. However, without regular checks, the lifespan of your roof can be easily halved and the amount you’ll spend on repairing it increased by up to 45%.
To give your roof the care it deserves, check out our guide on the essential checks you should carry out on a regular basis.
Exterior roof
Flashing
Your lead flashing is one of the areas most prone to wear and tear where they abut walls/chimneys, so look out for things like lifted lead and lead flashings that have slipped out of place.
Moss or lichen
Whether it’s on your flashing or your roof tiles, moss and lichen can be detrimental to your roof’s lifespan due to their water-retaining properties. Large amounts of either can cause water to soak under your roof slates/tiles and cause damage, so aim to have it cleared as soon as possible.
Gutters
If your gutters become clogged with leaves or debris, it will result in water pooling. overflowing the gutters and ultimately down your property walls. Try to have it cleared as soon as possible, especially during winter, and ensure that your gutter is designed at an incline to allow water to run down into your drains more efficiently.
Damaged tiles
Look out for any damaged tiles during your inspection, try using binoculars for a better view. It is not worth the risk of getting on to your roof, leave that to the professionals. These will offer very little resistance to bad weather, and should be replaced as soon as possible before costly internal damage is caused.
Weather damage
Although the UK is generally spared some of the world’s more extreme weather events, we do have to put up with long periods of rain and wind or even storms, especially during the winter months. These can result in missing roof tiles or even water seeping in through your roof. After any harsh weather, it always makes sense to check over your property inside & outside to make sure it has escaped any damage.
External additions
Satellite dishes, solar panels and skylights all put a strain on your roof which can potentially cause cracks and breakages, so endeavour to check the roof around any external additions during your inspection.
Interior roof
Signs of leakage
Look out for symptoms such as cracking, dark stains and discolouration of roof void timbers during your interior roof check. Whilst these can mean that the area directly above the stain is letting in water, the water may have also run down from other parts of the roof, making a thorough exterior check even more essential by a professional. To summarise, the point of water entry on your ceiling on roof timbers is not always the same place as the leak outside.
Mould and rot
Mould can be a sign of a long-standing leak that’s been overlooked, meaning that you could also have serious structural weaknesses as well as an obvious leaking roof. Make sure you check your roof trusses and rafters to identify any potential weak spots and, if necessary, take action to ensure that your roof is secure by calling a roofing specialist.
Get a professional roof inspection
When carrying out any inspections, you should seek help from a professional roofing surveyor at all times. Turning to an expert in the field will give you full confidence that you are putting your roof in safe hands, avoiding any risks from checking at height and you will receive a report that explains all the needs of your roof for complete peace of mind.
Need more help? For expert help and advice on roof maintenance or to arrange a professional roof inspection speak to our friendly team today. Call 01977 220016
How much will a replacement roof cost?
Are you looking to replace the roof on your property? Obviously, this is a significant project to undertake but what is the going rate for this type of work?
If your roof is beyond repair, then one of the first things you will want to know is how much it will cost to replace. To help give you some guidance, we’ve created the following article outlining roughly what you can expect to pay for a new roof.
What does the average roof cost?
Naturally, this figure will vary drastically depending on how big your home is, the size of your roof and what materials your replacement will be made of but, as it stands, the average cost for a replacement tiled roof in the UK is just under £5000.
But where does this number come from?
Labour
Again, this figure will vary depending on who you hire, but the average cost of a labourer and a roofer is around £250 - £300 a day. Although you may be able to find people who will do the job cheaper, we always recommend that the company you choose are experienced and have a good reputation. Remember that if someone is doing the job ‘on the side’ then most likely the materials will be inferior or even stolen from their company place of work. Also you really do not stand anywhere with a guarantee for a job done ‘on the cheap’.
Picking a cheaper roofer might save you money initially but if the job isn’t completed to the correct standard, it can cost you much more in repairs in the long run. ‘Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten’.
Scaffolding
In many cases, scaffolding is an unavoidable expense for your roofing replacement process. Again, the cost for this depends on the size of your property but will generally cost around £800-£900 for a 3-bed semi-detached house.
Materials
The materials you use can have a moderate impact on your total re-roofing spend. For example, the total cost of a roof replacement using plain tiles will cost between £8,000 - £12,000 for a four-bedroom semi-detached house, whereas the same replacement using slate will cost between £7,000 - £10,000. It’s also important to remember that whatever materials you use, smaller tiles will take much more time to install, and therefore cost more in terms of labour costs.
Skip hire
Another thing that you may not initially think of when considering your roof replacement spend is the cost of hiring a skip. The average cost for a 6-yard skip is £184, and the price of an 8-yard skip is around £216.
Extras
As you’d imagine, any extras that you include in your roof replacement will increase the cost of your total bill. This can include things such as new guttering, repointing a chimney, installing roof tile vents and roof windows etc. The extras you need will depend on your property but the roofing company you choose will be able to advise you on the extras that it is worthwhile to invest in and how much these will cost.
Need more help? For expert help and advice or for a more accurate quote for your roof replacement speak to our friendly team today
Slate Replacement and Gutter Clearance
DPR recently took a call from a concerned resident of Pontefract as they had noticed a slate on their roof was missing and their gutter didn’t seem to be working as it should.
We inspected the site as soon as we could after the phone call and confirmed the client’s suspicions. We could see a couple of clear points where there was a missing tile and a large section of the gutter was blocked with debris, which would stop water being removed properly.
Therefore we arranged a time for our engineers to return and carry out the necessary work.
Not long after our team arrived and erected some basic scaffolding so they could safely access the broken tiles. We removed any lingering slates pieces and made sure the underlying structure was sound before filling the gaps with new slates.
We then turned our attention to the gutters and cleared all the debris out of them. A relatively simple job we checked it after to make sure everything was functioning as it should before cleaning up and leaving the site.
This is the perfect example of tackling an issue before it gets too big. If the broken tiles had been left any longer than it is very conceivable that the roof would have eventually developed a greater issue, such as a leak. And a similar train of thought could be applied to the gutter. When uncontrolled, water can be very damaging. Blocked gutters prevent the water running where it should.
Thankfully, this was not the case this time, and the client’s roof should operate perfectly for the foreseeable future.
To find out how DPR can help you just call us on 0113 335 0043.
Commercial Roofing in Leeds
DPR Roofing have been in business for over 28 years. This longevity is down to a few things, but first and foremost is our dedication to our clients, no matter how big or small. We have provided our roofing services to commercial clients in the Leeds area since we began, and they still make up a huge part of our client base.
We supply a complete range of roofing services to all our commercial clients in Leeds. This includes, but is not limited to:
· Fascias & Soffits
· Felt & Asphalt Roofing
· Flat Rooing
· General Commercial Roof Repairs
· Glazing Bars Repairs
· Guttering, Gutter Clearing & Gutter Linings
· Lead Work
· Pipe & Duct Work
· Pointing
· Roof Light Replacement
· Roof Sheet Replacement
· Roof Tiling
· Single Ply Roofs
· Slating / Slate Roofing
When you pick up the phone to us our first step is to always come out and survey the site ourselves. By doing so we can properly assess what the issue is, why it occurred and what work needs carrying out to remedy it. After this we will give you a time frame and an estimate of costs.
The initial survey is vital, as without it chances are the issue will not be resolved. If a survey is not carried out then issues may be sorted in the short term, but it will very much be a bandage, rather than a cure.
As a commercial property owner, your roof is vital to the wellbeing of your business. If your roof develops an issue that goes unchecked the results will be disastrous. That small leak could lead to a large damp problem, and those loose tiles could lead to a hole in your roof the next time the wind picks up.
Either of these very likely circumstances would be enough to halt operations, thus costing you time and money.
If you would to do everything you can to prevent this from happening, DPR offer a maintenance service in which we come to your property at regular intervals to inspect and carry out basic maintenance work to keep your roof operating as it should.
To find out more about our commercial roofing services just call us on 0113 335 0043.
Construction Industry Growth Slows
In recent news we spoke about how growth in the construction industry is doing well, mainly being propped up by residential housing builds. But latest reports show that the growth of the construction industry is beginning to slow.
The cause of this is thought to be the uncertainty of Brexit.
Output is expected to drop due to a struggling economy, falling wages and increased expenditure. The latest figures for 2018 have been revised down from 1.2% growth to 0.7% growth, which is the slowest in 6 years.
However, since the Grenfell disaster there has been a sharp increase in output with £6.9billion being put into public housing repair, maintenance and improvements. And over the next two years the expected growth drivers are thought to be infrastructure and private housebuilding. Large scale projects such as HS2 and Thames Tideway Tunnel are predicted to offset the sharp decrease in commercial and industrial work.
On that note, the majority of the growth in construction in 2018 is expected to be propped up mainly by private house building. However, this sector is largely reliant on help-to-buy loans, which are running until 2021. But, unfortunately, even these growth figures have been downwardly revised due to the uncertainty that Brexit is providing.
Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association said: “Construction firms are still reporting that activity remains high and there are still lots of cranes around. But there are clear signs that construction output is slowing and that next year, in particular, will be difficult for the industry.
“Prospects for construction have been adversely affected by slowing UK economic growth and falling real wages on one side and sharp rising costs on the other. A fall in new investment, especially where it is large international investment looking for a long-term rate of return, is forecast to lead to declines in the commercial and industrial sectors.”
DPR provide domestic and commercial roofing services to homes and businesses across Yorkshire. To find out more simply call us on 0113 335 0043.
Campaign Launched to Save Summer
Specialist construction site security firm, VPS Site Security have launched a social media campaign aimed at stopping people, mainly young people, from getting hurt on derelict buildings and construction sites this summer.
Now the summer holidays are here children have got more time on their hands and a huge number will head outside to play. Amongst many other places kids will probably find their way onto construction sites and derelict buildings. However, these sites are typically extremely dangerous. Far more dangerous than most people realise.
In July, even though the holidays have only just started, one 14 year old boy has already lost his life when he fell through the roof of a derelict factory.
Using the hashtag #DontGoofOnTheRoof they aim to create awareness about just how dangerous these places are, and that they are far from suitable for young people to play on.
The campaign is not purely aimed at young people, it also serves as a reminder to tradesmen that the work they carry out on a day to day basis is extremely dangerous. Health and safety laws are in place for a reason: to make sure everyone goes home at the end of the day.
Working at height the team at DPR are constantly aware of the danger our team is in, which is why we work hard to make sure that our team is as safe as possible. This means that we have accrued a number of qualifications and accreditations in health and safety.
Something that site managers often forget is that their duty of care doesn’t just apply to the team of staff on the site, but also to trespassers. Though they are certainly unwanted, they are a reality and we must account for their presence.
DPR provide roofing services to both domestic and commercial clients in the Yorkshire area. to find out more just call us on 0113 335 0043.
Roof Maintenance Services
There are three things that are integral to ensure a long and healthy roof, that can operate without leaking or malfunctioning. These are: correct installation, high quality repairs and, most importantly, proper maintenance.
Without proper maintenance your roof will simply not function as it should. Water will flow where it should not and unexpected stresses will be put on it. This means that it is more liable to develop faults, and may ultimately fail when put under heavy burden (such as during a storm).
At DPR we have been providing a complete range of roofing services for over 28 years. When we speak to clients who have suffered due to poor roof maintenance we usually hear two reasons why their roof has been neglected. The first is a lack of time; they simply feel they don’t have time to carry out any work. The second is lack of knowledge; they do not know what they are meant to do, or how they are supposed to go about doing it.
Both are reasonable. And there is one very simple solution to this problem: outsource the work to a reputable dealer, like DPR Roofing.
As we mentioned, we have over 28 years experience, and in this time have learned what a roof really needs to function properly. This means that we can tailor our roofing maintenance services to make sure that they actually work, and you reap a real benefit from them. The services we offer include:
· Gutter clearing
· Periodic inspections on flat roofs and tiles roofing buildings
· High level inspections
· Digital imagery
But before all this starts we will always meet with you can carry out an initial survey of the roof. By doing so we can properly assess what you need and tailor our services accordingly.
If you need roof maintenance services then just call DPR on 0113 335 0043 to see how we can help.
Domestic Roofing Services
At DPR Roofing we often speak about the commercial roofing services we provide. We have provided a comprehensive range of roofing services since we began over 28 years ago. During this time we have worked on countless roofs and carried out an untold amount of repairs.
However, this is far from all we do. DPR also offer a full range of domestic roofing services, and in our 28 years have worked on thousands of homes.
The roofing services we provide include:
New Roofs
Domestic Roofing Specialists
Roof Repairs
Roof Surveys (Close up digital imagery)
Flat Roofs (Repair and New) of all types
Liquid coatings to flat roofs in high quality polymers
Leadwork (Flashings, valleys etc)
Owner/operators of powered access platforms (High Reach – cherry picker)
Chimneys – repairs – removal - repointing
Gutters renewed – repaired - resealed
In the first instance we will always visit the site to carry out a comprehensive survey. By doing so we can properly ascertain what work needs carrying out. It also enables us to give a more accurate figure on cost. Then we will agree on a date and time to carry out the work. Once that date comes round one of our experienced and fully qualified teams will come and carry out the work, weather permitting.
As well as thousands of satisfied clients, DPR can supply plenty of testimonials which speak to the quality of the work and the service we provide. We can also provide proof of our working standards through our qualifications and accreditations.
We carry a number of accreditations, which includes health and safety qualifications like SAFECONTRACTOR, as well as being members of the federation of master builders (FMB), the Property Care Association (PCA) and Trustmark (Government endorsed standards).
To find out more about our domestic roofing services just call us on 0113 335 0043 today to see how we can help you.