Natural slate roofing in Devon & Cornwall
Natural slate is the right roofing material for most older farmhouses, cottages and barn-style new builds across North Devon and North Cornwall. It is durable, sits comfortably in this landscape, and — properly laid on a sound timber structure with the right membrane and battens — should comfortably last sixty years or more. We carry out full re-roofs, partial slate repairs, ridge and verge work, and the lead detailing that is so often the cause of a leak rather than the slate itself. Where appropriate we will use natural Welsh slate; for budget-driven jobs Spanish slate offers a similar long-term performance at a lower per-square-metre rate. Whichever route is right for your property, the workmanship around it is what makes the difference.
What is involved in slate roofing
Slate is unforgiving of poor preparation. The two things that go wrong on a tired roof are nearly always rotten battens or failed leadwork, and both are problems caused by skipped steps the first time round. On every job we strip the existing covering back fully, inspect the structure underneath, and replace any rotten or insect-damaged sections before we lay anything new. The breathable membrane goes on properly lapped, the battens are gauged for the exact slate size, and the leadwork is dressed by hand rather than ordered as a flat sheet and bent on site. Conservation rooflights are flashed in pre-formed lead rather than mastic and prayer. None of this is exotic — it is just doing the standard job correctly. The result is a roof that you can stop thinking about for several decades.
Re-roofs and structural roof work do not typically need planning permission as they are like-for-like replacement under permitted development. Building regulations approval is required when the roof structure is altered or insulation upgraded. We handle the application and inspections where applicable.
Scope on a typical job
- Scaffolding erection and safe site access to all elevations
- Strip-off and salvage of any sound existing slates for re-use where appropriate
- Roof timber inspection — rafters, purlins, wall plates — and repair where decayed
- Breathable roofing membrane and treated battens at the gauge specified for the slate size
- Slate laid in broken bond from eaves to ridge, fixed with stainless steel nails
- Code-5 milled lead flashings at chimneys, valleys and abutments
- Conservation rooflights installed where wanted, fully flashed to manufacturer spec
- New UPVC or aluminium gutters and downpipes on all elevations
- Site cleared, scaffold struck, building regulations sign-off where required
Full Q&A and pricing in our everything-you-need-to-know page.
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