Emergency roof repairs in Gloucester

What to do before we get there

If water is coming through a ceiling, get a bucket under it and, if the ceiling is bulging, pierce it in one spot to let the water out in a controlled way rather than letting it collect until the plaster comes down in one go. Move what you can out of the room and turn off the electrics to that circuit if water is anywhere near a light fitting.

Do not go up on the roof yourself, particularly in wind or wet. Most serious roofing injuries happen to householders during storms, on wet slate, in the dark. It can wait for us.

How an emergency call-out works

• You call, we assess – over the phone first, so we arrive with the right kit rather than making two trips.
• Make safe – loose or hanging tiles taken down before they fall, and the area below cordoned if it fronts a pavement.
• Make watertight – heavy-duty sheeting battened down properly so it survives the rest of the storm, not weighted with a couple of bricks.
• Then repair – once the weather has passed, a permanent repair quoted in writing, covered by the full guarantee.

Storm damage and your insurance

If the damage is storm-related your buildings insurance may cover the repair. We photograph everything before we touch it and provide a written report and itemised quote, which is what an insurer will want to see. Making the property safe and watertight straight away is normally expected of you as the policyholder — leaving a roof open and letting damage worsen can affect a claim. We are happy to deal with a loss adjuster directly.

Common storm damage in the Severn Vale

Gloucester sits low and open to the south-west, and the same failures come up after every serious blow: ridge tiles lifted along the line where the mortar had already gone, verge tiles stripped off an exposed gable end, lead flashing peeled back from a chimney, and fence-panel debris cracking tiles on the slope below. Once one ridge tile goes, the rest of the run is vulnerable, which is why a temporary repair should never be left as the permanent one.

For non-urgent problems, see roof repairs. If the storm has simply finished off a roof that was already tired, re-roofing covers what a full replacement involves.