New roof, botched job?

[Bread]

So I did a full reroof recently. The damage we were getting was back so we decided to go with the only company operating during lockdown... this is a picture of the back of the house. There is a slope between the joint that they put to separate my house and my neighbours and the slates don’t sit flat on top of each other. More noticeable is the slates around the Velux window. I didn’t give it any importance initially but it just Doesn’t sit right with me. Should I call the roofer back?

[Carrerahill]

The slight slope at the dry fix bonding gutter (thing that sits between you and neighbours roof) is about right I'd say although it does look a bit pronounced at the bottom. The issue here is you have a very thin flat slate and it needs to sit up a little so that it can ride over the channels on the bonding gutter so you do get a visible rise. Some roofers re-sheet the roof short, then use thinner ply/osb so that the bonding gutter sits a little lower.

 

As for the flashing kit round the velux, I'd say it is the wrong kit, you get a slate flashing kit and a tile flashing kit for them and it looks like a tile kit which is more bulky. Either that or they just made a mess of it.

 

Apart from those two bits it does look like a nice roof. 

Edited May 20, 2020 by Carrerahill

[PeterW]

I think the issue on the Velux is that they have set it too high - rest looks fine

[Carrerahill]

6 minutes ago, PeterW said:

I think the issue on the Velux is that they have set it too high - rest looks fine

Does look a bit high overall doesn't it...

[Mr Punter]

I don't like the small cuts round the Velux on the right.  Slate and a half would have been better.

 

Only 3 so maybe they were short of supply.

[Bread]

The roof had red tiles before and the Velux window has been there for 20 years so maybe that explains why it is so bulky and the window sits so high? I just remembered that the roofer said that because it was an old window he couldn’t find any flashing? 
I initially wanted to re roof with the same type of tile of he adviced on Getting slate To fit with the other houses in the neighbourhood. Now I think I should had gone for tiles ?

 

do you think this is going to cause any issues (leaks, etc?)? We Will probably Sell the house in 5-10 years I hope this is not going to come back to us because it looks uneven. 
I got a few close ups of “the gaps”

[ProDave]

Definitely the wrong velux flashing for slate. 

 

The slates also stop short.  See right next to where your slates stop at the sides of the velux, there is a vertical upstand on the flashing.  the slates are supposed to go over that to ensure any water spills into the gutter at the side of the window.  Stopping short like that any water off the edge of the slate misses the gutter and will run down another part of the flashing. That may or may not be a problem.

 

Of course to fit slate to this flashing properly would have meant even more of a kick up to the tiles.

 

It really reinforces the fact he should have changed the flashing.

 

P.S I have seen plenty of roofers stop the tiles short like this. They either don't read the instructions or think they know better.

[PeterW]

TBH I would have had the window replaced - they are £200 and it would look better and also fit better

[Carrerahill]

48 minutes ago, Bread said:

The roof had red tiles before and the Velux window has been there for 20 years so maybe that explains why it is so bulky and the window sits so high? I just remembered that the roofer said that because it was an old window he couldn’t find any flashing? 
I initially wanted to re roof with the same type of tile of he adviced on Getting slate To fit with the other houses in the neighbourhood. Now I think I should had gone for tiles ?

 

do you think this is going to cause any issues (leaks, etc?)? We Will probably Sell the house in 5-10 years I hope this is not going to come back to us because it looks uneven. 
I got a few close ups of “the gaps”

That explains, he has retained the old tile flashing and he ought to know fine well that it would not be correct for slate. I also disagree he could not get the flashing kit, I bet if you call Velux now they could find you a slate flashing kit for that older window.

 

As for the gaps, they are not good, it could be to do with the old roof timber being a bit undulating and slate does show up this far more than tile because you can have a slight variance on the interlock of a tile but on slate it really needs to be dead level. Out of a matter of interest why did you go for slate when it was tile before?

[Tennentslager]

Check out my neighbors DIY roof

[Carrerahill]

1 minute ago, Tennentslager said:

Check out my neighbors DIY roof

What the heck is that?

[PeterW]

3 minutes ago, Carrerahill said:

What the heck is that?

 

Lorry tarp ..?? Wrapping paper...????

[Carrerahill]

19 minutes ago, PeterW said:

 

Lorry tarp ..?? Wrapping paper...????

Swimming pool?

[Bread]

33 minutes ago, Carrerahill said:

That explains, he has retained the old tile flashing and he ought to know fine well that it would not be correct for slate. I also disagree he could not get the flashing kit, I bet if you call Velux now they could find you a slate flashing kit for that older window.

 

As for the gaps, they are not good, it could be to do with the old roof timber being a bit undulating and slate does show up this far more than tile because you can have a slight variance on the interlock of a tile but on slate it really needs to be dead level. Out of a matter of interest why did you go for slate when it was tile before?

So the gaps by the neighbours roof are no good? ? 

 

I chose slate (in this case fibre cement slate) because he said that they last longer than tiles. 
 

I actually asked him to quote me to get a new window with triple glazing as so on and he said that there is nothing wrong with this window that I should keep it

[Carrerahill]

3 minutes ago, Bread said:

So the gaps by the neighbours roof are no good? ? 

 

I chose slate (in this case fibre cement slate) because he said that they last longer than tiles. 
 

I actually asked him to quote me to get a new window with triple glazing as so on and he said that there is nothing wrong with this window that I should keep it

It is not the end of the world but it is not right, it also depends on several factors. 

 

With a roof the rain runs down the slate, then a gust of wind can drive that water back up under the higher slates, when you have a big gap and a lot of water then there is the chance in foul weather that some water will be pushed up far enough that it can run off the top of the slate and onto the membrane, which, from time to time is going to happen to some extent even on the best of roofs which is partly why the membrane is there. The next question is what headlap did he use, that is to say how much of the lower slate is covered by the upper slate - the more the headlap the more difficult it is for water to be driven back up. If a healthy headlap and good membrane and everything else is done well then it may never be an issue.

 

You could ask him to come and unclip a few slates, and try and get the low bit on the lower ones to sit up and remove the gap where the higher one covers it, if that makes sense. 

 

9/10 when you get a rain storm which side of your house does it hit hardest - if this is the worst hit side you really want it right I guess.

[Bread]

So what can I do now that he got paid and left. I demand that he comes back and finds a proper flashing by and replaced it for free? 
 

Regarding the tiles by the dry fixed gutter, does that have any solution at this point? 

Edited May 20, 2020 by Bread

[Mr Punter]

1 hour ago, Tennentslager said:

Check out my neighbors DIY roof

 

Wow it looks like it has been upholstered.  Probably matches the sofa.

[Mr Punter]

14 minutes ago, Bread said:

So what can I do now that he got paid and left. I demand that he comes back and finds a proper flashing by and replaced it for free? 
 

Regarding the tiles by the dry fixed gutter, does that have any solution at this point? 

 

If you are bothered you could offer to buy a replacement roof window and flashing and get him to swap them FOC.

[Tennentslager]

1 hour ago, Carrerahill said:

What the heck is that?

He made a nice timber frame on top of the existing corrugated roof and I thought he was going to sheet it

But he then stretched shed felt across it and used black bitumen to join the felt!

Hes new to the street and very reserved and I sort of wanted to walk over and say something but he had already done a few strips by the time I saw it and thought I’d just leave him to it...

[Bread]

I might suggest that which seems very reasonable. the only problem is that my current window is 55X68 which are not sold anymore. Hence that he could not find the flashing. But sure it should not be a big job if he replaces it with a 55x78? 
 

thank you all for your replies. First time home owner and had a couple of hiccups with the roofer but I feel more confident if you all think is not something particularly bad. 

 

 

[Thedreamer]

3 hours ago, Bread said:

The roof had red tiles before and the Velux window has been there for 20 years so maybe that explains why it is so bulky and the window sits so high? I just remembered that the roofer said that because it was an old window he couldn’t find any flashing? 
I initially wanted to re roof with the same type of tile of he adviced on Getting slate To fit with the other houses in the neighbourhood. Now I think I should had gone for tiles ?

 

do you think this is going to cause any issues (leaks, etc?)? We Will probably Sell the house in 5-10 years I hope this is not going to come back to us because it looks uneven. 
I got a few close ups of “the gaps”

 

Slate flashings are smooth see below. Those are for a tiles.

 

 

[Mr Punter]

2 hours ago, Bread said:

I might suggest that which seems very reasonable. the only problem is that my current window is 55X68 which are not sold anymore. Hence that he could not find the flashing. But sure it should not be a big job if he replaces it with a 55x78? 

 

No it should be easy enough to have it start lower down.  Show him the picture above of the proper job done by @Thedreamer so he knows what is expected.

 

If it makes a mess inside it may be down to you to make good plasterboard and decs.