Swanley Park
About 60 acres of parkland on the former New Barn Farm, with a boating lake and boats for hire. A miniature railway also runs round part of the grounds.
Learn more about Swanley Park on Google MapsRe-Roofing In Swanley
Is it time for a new roof on your Swanley house?
Strip-and-replace re-roofing for Swanley homes, from the estates to Swanley Village
Re-roofing in Swanley tends to come round in waves. Houses on the same estate were built together, roofed together and have weathered together, so when one roof on a row needs replacing, the rest often follow within a few years. A new roof means stripping the old covering, checking the timbers, fitting a breathable membrane and new battens, then laying tiles or slate fixed to today's standards. We're roofers based in west Dartford, under a quarter of an hour from Swanley, and we'll give you a written quote that breaks down every part of the job. If a repair would do, we'll say that instead. A new roof is a lot of money to spend on a hunch.
Re-Roofing Quote In Swanley
A roofer rings you back to arrange a visit.
What you get with a Swanley re-roof
A new roof should last decades. These are the parts we put the most care into.
01
Timber checked before anything else
Once the old covering is off, we inspect every rafter and the wall plates. Damp, rot or old woodworm get dealt with before new materials go on. On a roof that has been covered for forty-plus years, it's the only way to be sure.
02
Membrane that breathes
Older roofs often still have bitumen felt, which can trap condensation in the loft. We replace it with a breathable membrane that lets moisture escape and keeps rain out, protecting the timbers and any insulation you've added. The difference shows up quickly in a loft that used to smell damp.
03
Fixings to the current standard
Older roofs often relied on gravity and mortar to keep tiles in place. A new roof from us has tiles nailed and clipped to the current standard, with ridges and verges mechanically fixed so they don't lean on mortar alone. Mortar-only ridges are one of the faults we repair most often on older roofs.
04
Frost-resistant materials
Inland Kent winters bring regular frosts. We fit tiles and slates suited to those conditions and steer clear of cheap, porous products that flake after a few hard winters. Ask about the frost rating of anything you're considering and you'll get a straight answer.
05
Insulation brought up to standard
Re-covering a roof counts as work to a thermal element, so the insulation should be upgraded at the same time. We'll explain what that means for your loft and include it in the price. Done properly, it makes the top floor more comfortable in winter and in summer.
06
Building control handled
A full re-roof covers more than half the roof, so it needs building control approval. We'll explain the route, deal with the paperwork and make sure you get a completion certificate at the end. Without one, a buyer's solicitor will usually start asking awkward questions.
1,000+
Roofs repaired, renewed and rebuilt
10 yrs
Written guarantee on every re-roof
5★
The only rating anyone has left us
£0
For the survey and the written quote
Swanley
Re-roofing Swanley's estates and older streets
Most of Swanley was built between the war and the late 1980s, and stays under three storeys. That makes re-roofing here simpler than in towns full of tall Victorian terraces, because the scaffold is lower and quicker to put up. The estates bring their own wrinkles, though. Homes on St Mary's and White Oak are mostly rented from West Kent Housing Association, with some in private hands, so two roofs on the same row can be in very different states.
The older houses need a different approach. Late Victorian and Edwardian homes on Swanley Lane and Birchwood Park Avenue, and the Georgian semis on Goldsel Road, deserve a covering that suits their age. In the Swanley Village conservation area, which has been reviewed several times since it was designated in 1972, a change of material could need consent from Sevenoaks District Council. We'll flag any of this at survey stage.
If the roof is basically sound and only one area has failed, roof repairs in Swanley could save you the cost of a full replacement.
"When we re-roof one house on a Swanley estate, it's common for a neighbour to ask us to look at theirs before the scaffold comes down."
What happens when
How a new roof goes on in Swanley
- 1
Measure and assess
We measure the roof, check its pitch, look at chimneys, valleys and abutments, and inspect the loft. That tells us how much material is needed and whether any structural work is likely. On a typical estate semi this takes about an hour.
- 2
Talk through options
You choose between concrete tiles, clay tiles or slate, and we explain the cost, weight and look of each. If you're in Swanley Village, we'll check whether the change needs planning consent.
- 3
Building control
Building control is notified before the job starts and the inspections are booked in. It protects you, and a properly signed-off roof matters when you come to sell. We handle the notification and tell you the inspection dates in advance.
- 4
Scaffold and skip
Scaffold goes up around the house and a skip arrives for the old materials. We agree where both go so your driveway and your neighbours' access stay as clear as possible. It's worth letting the neighbours know a few days before it arrives.
- 5
Strip and inspect
The old roof comes off in sections. We inspect and repair the timbers, replace any damaged rafters and make sure the structure is level and sound before going any further.
- 6
Build the new roof
Breathable membrane, treated battens and the new covering go on in that order. Tiles are fixed to current standards, ridges and verges are dry-fixed, and lead or flashings are renewed at every junction. Each stage is photographed before the next one covers it.
- 7
Sign-off and handover
Building control signs off the finished work. We clear the site, take down the scaffold and give you photos, the completion certificate and the details of your 10-year guarantee. Keep all of it together with the house documents.
10
Years' cover on a new roof
1,000+
Roofing jobs finished
Paperwork in your hand on the last day. Not posted out "in due course".
The guarantee
What the 10 year guarantee on a re-roof actually covers
Re-roof a house in Swanley with us and you get 10 years of cover on the workmanship. It's a written document. It has your address on it, lists what was done, and is dated the day the roof is signed off. If water gets in because something was fitted wrong - a batten, a fixing, a lap, a flashing - a roofer comes back and puts it right. You don't pay for that.
Why are we happy to promise ten years? Because of how the roof goes on. Every tile or slate is mechanically fixed to BS 5534, the current British Standard. Ridges and hips are fixed too, not just sat in mortar. A breathable membrane goes down first. Where a roof meets a wall, a chimney or the house next door, it gets proper lead or a tested dry system. Shortcuts there are what make a guarantee expensive, so we don't take them.
Tiles, slates and membranes also carry the maker's own warranty. Those vary by product, and your paperwork tells you which ones apply. If a job is too unusual to guarantee in the normal way, you'll hear that at quote stage.
Choosing a roof covering for a Swanley home
The table compares the main roof coverings we use. For most Swanley estate homes, concrete tiles are the practical choice. The older houses on Swanley Lane and Goldsel Road may suit clay or slate better.
| Comparison point | Concrete interlocking tile | Clay plain tile | Natural slate | Fibre cement slate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical lifespan | 50 years or more | 60 to 100 years | 80 to 100+ years, depending on source | Around 30 years |
| Weight | Heavy | Heaviest, as each tile is double-lapped | Light | Lightest of the four |
| Relative cost | Lowest | Mid to high, slow to lay | Mid to high, Welsh slate dearest | Low to mid |
| Look | Chunky profile, common on postwar homes | Small, warm-coloured, traditional Kent look | Thin, dark and neat | Uniform slate look, flatter colour |
| Planning and conservation | Fine for most homes, can jar in a conservation area | Often expected on older Kent buildings | The like-for-like choice for slate roofs | May be refused on listed or conservation roofs |
| Best for | Budget re-roofs on postwar and newer houses | Period homes and steeper pitches | Victorian terraces, slate-to-slate jobs | Lighter swap where rafters are marginal |
The cost of re-roofing in Swanley
Every quote is based on a survey. Here are the four factors that make the biggest difference in Swanley. Each one is listed separately on the quote.
Size and shape of the house
A terraced house in Swanley usually costs £8,000 to £14,500 to re-roof, a semi £10,500 to £16,000 and a detached house from £14,000 upwards. Hipped roofs, dormers and valleys add labour and material compared with a simple gable.
Material choice
Concrete tiles are typically the lowest-cost option. Clay and natural slate cost more but may suit older homes on Swanley Lane or Goldsel Road better. In the Swanley Village conservation area, the council's view on materials may settle it.
Timber repairs
Postwar roofs that have never been stripped can hide rot or damp in the rafters and wall plates. We include an allowance for this in the quote and show you photos of anything beyond it before carrying out extra work.
Extras worth doing at the same time
With scaffold already up, it often makes sense to replace fascias, soffits and gutters, or to add rooflights. Doing them together saves paying for access twice. We price each extra separately so you can pick and choose.
Re-Roofing in Swanley: your questions
Do I need planning permission to re-roof in Swanley?
Usually not. Replacing a roof with similar materials doesn't normally need planning permission from Sevenoaks District Council, which handles planning for Swanley. It's different in the Swanley Village conservation area or for a listed building, where changing materials or adding rooflights may need consent. Separately, a full re-roof needs Building Regulations approval because it affects more than half the roof, and if the new covering is 15% or more heavier, the structure has to be checked too.
I rent from West Kent Housing Association. Can I arrange a re-roof?
No, the roof belongs to your landlord, so it's their decision and their cost. Report any leaks or damage to them in writing. If you've bought your home from the association, the roof is now yours, and we can survey it and quote like any other private property. Leaseholders in flats should check their lease, as the freeholder usually controls the roof.
How long does a re-roof take on a typical Swanley house?
Allow roughly a week to a fortnight for most Swanley semis and terraces, from scaffold up to scaffold down. Bungalows can be quicker, while hipped roofs or houses needing timber repairs take longer. Weather can add a day or two. We'll give you a timescale when we quote and keep you posted as the job goes on.
What's the best time of year to re-roof in Swanley?
Late spring to early autumn is easiest, as the days are longer and frost isn't a risk to fresh mortar. Winter isn't off limits. We can work through the colder months, but cold snaps can pause mortar work and short days slow progress. If your roof is leaking now, waiting for summer isn't always sensible.
Will a new roof add value to my Swanley home?
It's hard to put a figure on it, and we won't pretend otherwise. What a new roof does do is remove a problem buyers' surveyors often flag. An old roof with brittle felt or crumbling ridges can knock money off an offer or slow a sale. A new roof with a building control certificate answers those questions before anyone asks them.
Things to do in Swanley
Lullingstone Roman Villa
English Heritage site in the Darent valley near Eynsford, about four miles south of Swanley. The remains are under cover, including a mosaic floor showing Europa being carried off by Jupiter in the form of a bull.
Learn more about Lullingstone Roman Villa on Google Maps
Lullingstone Castle & The World Garden
Family-owned manor house a little further along the Darent from the Roman villa, entered through a brick Tudor gatehouse. Its World Garden is laid out in the shape of a world map and planted with species from each continent.
Learn more about Lullingstone Castle & The World Garden on Google MapsWhere we work in Swanley
Reviews
Reviews from Swanley homeowners
Every review left for us so far has been five stars. We're adding them here as they come in.
Reviews only tell you so much anyway. When a roofer comes out to Swanley, ask to see photos of a recent job on a house like yours. A good roofer will have plenty and won't mind you asking.
Re-Roofing and more across our area
- Roof Repairs Crayford
- Re-Roofing Crayford
- Roof Repairs Wilmington
- Re-Roofing Wilmington
- Roof Repairs Joyden's Wood
- Re-Roofing Joyden's Wood
- Roof Repairs Bexley
- Re-Roofing Bexley
- Roof Repairs Stone
- Re-Roofing Stone
- Roof Repairs Greenhithe
- Re-Roofing Greenhithe
- Roof Repairs Erith
- Re-Roofing Erith
- Roof Repairs Swanscombe
- Re-Roofing Swanscombe
- Roof Repairs Swanley
- Re-Roofing Swanley
- Roof Repairs Longfield
- Re-Roofing Longfield
Get a price for a new roof in Swanley
Ask us to survey your roof. We'll measure up, explain your options and send an itemised quote. If repairs would do the job, we'll tell you that instead.