Pitch: To determine what products you can use, determine the pitch of your roof.

Planning: You must make sure that the product you wish to use meets local planning requirements if applicable.

Weight: Structural support may be required depending on which material you want to use for your new roof. Taking the weight of your chosen roof covering into account before making your final decision, can save you time and money, Slate is beautiful but very heavy.

Just because your roof has a leak, does not mean it needs a complete re-fit. A leak usually stems from a loose, or broken roof tile. However, a complete roof system failure, or a generally unsafe roof, will need a complete re-fit.

There are quite a few different signs that your roof is on its last legs. If you believe your roof is showing any of these signs, then it’s time to call in the experts.

• Your roof has not been replaced in 20-30 years, which is the average life of an asphalt shingle roof.
• Your tiles or slates are cupping (the shingles turn upwards) or clawing (the edges stay flat but the middle starts to turn upwards).
• There are entire tiles or shingles missing from your roof.
• There are roof granules in your gutter.
• Your tiles or shingles are cracked.
• Light is coming through your roof, and can be seen in your attic
• The roof is sagging in an area, which could indicate a structural issue

Only in very exceptional circumstances, such as when the roof is structurally unsafe. Otherwise, you can stay at home.

Most work should not be done by you. Even cleaning gutters can be dangerous. And please don’t use a jet wash to clear moss off your roof (it may not be dangerous for you but your tiles won’t like it). Professional roofing contractors should carry out most works as they are trained to safely and effectively repair or replace roofing systems. You could damage or further damage your roof by attempting to carry out the work yourself and possibly cause yourself injury doing so.

At certain times of the year in Britain, winds speeds can reach around 60 miles an hour which can lead to ridge tiles coming loose and falling off. This is generally because the original mortar used to bed the tiles has weakened. Over time, this traditional form of bedding tends to weaken because of poor mortar mixes (bad mixture proportions), building movement, and environmental conditions such as wind and rain eroding the mortar. This weakened bed makes it easier for ridge tiles to become loose and even fall off in high winds.

Although we know what the problem is, it is hard to retrospectively reinforce the mortar behind a ridge tile. We usually recommend removing loose ridge tiles in order to repair and reinforce the mortar bed. Alternatively, you may want to consider removing all tiles, and replacing the traditional mortar bed with a maintenance-free dry ridge and hip system.

In normal circumstances, it’s unlikely you’ll need planning permission to re-roof your house or to insert lights or skylights. The permitted development rules allow for alterations subject to the limitations and conditions below:

• Any alteration to project no more than 150 millimetres from the existing roof plane.
• No alteration to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
• Side facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor.

The permitted development regime for solar panels has different limits on projections and in relation to protected areas.