Maddie-Rose
Member
- Messages
- 33
- Location
- Kent
Hello everybody
Just found this fab forum by chance, and only wish it had been around years ago.
I own an old Victorian Chapel, which has its original roof slate. The top ridges have started to lose it's bedding motar, and is letting the rain in quite badly. We also have some slipped slates, which have come about over some years.
Anyway, I have found some reclaimed slate at the right size (which took some time), and arranged for the roofers to start. However once starting, they said that the ridges were too pointed and high, and that their ladders didn't hook over properly. They also said that by trying to climb up the roof to get to the ridges some of the slates were breaking, telling me the nails were fatigued and the slate brittle?? they have said to either get scaffolding errected to get to the ridges without damaging the roof further, but mainly advised me to get a replacement roof. I mentioned that I wouldn't want new slate, and would require reclaimed, and why couldn't some of mine be used. They said that probably only five percent of mine were usable.
My concerns are however, after living here 15 years, this is the first time I have asked someone to replace the slipped slate. They are not slipping regularly, and we have very strong winds here sometimes, and none have fallen recently. So I'm really confused at the moment, were the slates breaking because they had the wrong ladder? if I had nail fatigue would they not be slipping regularly?
What is the best way to replace the slipped slates, and to get to the top ridges to rebed without damaging my existing roof?
Can anyone advise me? Thanks so much
Just found this fab forum by chance, and only wish it had been around years ago.
I own an old Victorian Chapel, which has its original roof slate. The top ridges have started to lose it's bedding motar, and is letting the rain in quite badly. We also have some slipped slates, which have come about over some years.
Anyway, I have found some reclaimed slate at the right size (which took some time), and arranged for the roofers to start. However once starting, they said that the ridges were too pointed and high, and that their ladders didn't hook over properly. They also said that by trying to climb up the roof to get to the ridges some of the slates were breaking, telling me the nails were fatigued and the slate brittle?? they have said to either get scaffolding errected to get to the ridges without damaging the roof further, but mainly advised me to get a replacement roof. I mentioned that I wouldn't want new slate, and would require reclaimed, and why couldn't some of mine be used. They said that probably only five percent of mine were usable.
My concerns are however, after living here 15 years, this is the first time I have asked someone to replace the slipped slate. They are not slipping regularly, and we have very strong winds here sometimes, and none have fallen recently. So I'm really confused at the moment, were the slates breaking because they had the wrong ladder? if I had nail fatigue would they not be slipping regularly?
What is the best way to replace the slipped slates, and to get to the top ridges to rebed without damaging my existing roof?
Can anyone advise me? Thanks so much