Rufus77 Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 Last year we had a leak in our house which caused significant damp on the inside and outside of a gable end wall. The ceiling also collapsed in the upstairs room next to the gable end and chimney breast from the leak. We hired a roofer in May to fix the leak. He said we needed the front elevation of the roof to be replaced so we had this done and paid him £8k for the job. Unfortunately this did not fix the leak and despite him coming back on 2 occasions to check the leak and replace cracked tiles and flashing, we still have the leak 8 months later. We have asked someone else to take a look at the roof and take some photos and we are shocked at the state the roof has been left in. I'm no expert but I can see several cracks and gaps on the tiles and the flashing. There are also huge gaps where a the black plastic trim (don't know what it's called) meets the tiles on the verge of the gable end. I've attached some photos. Are there any experts out there who can tell us: 1) whether his work is an acceptable standard? 2) what we need to do to fix the leak? 3) give a rough idea of how much this is likely to cost? Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeGrahamT21 Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 I hope these aren't pictures of the re-roof which has been done at a cost of £8k! ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus77 Posted February 3, 2021 Author Share Posted February 3, 2021 He did only re-roof the front elevation (as you can see in the last but one photo) but yes, the photos of the cracks, gaps, flashing and black plastic trim are how the roof is currently, after he 'fixed'it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeGrahamT21 Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Rufus77 said: He did only re-roof the front elevation (as you can see in the last but one photo) but yes, the photos of the cracks, gaps, flashing and black plastic trim are how the roof is currently, after he 'fixed'it! Wow that is shocking for all that money!! Can you take a photo of the entire roof and mark on where the water is entering the building? Pointing that ridge tile up will quite possibly help matters too! Edited February 3, 2021 by MikeGrahamT21 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus77 Posted February 3, 2021 Author Share Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) We have 22 minutes ago, MikeGrahamT21 said: Wow that is shocking for all that money!! Can you take a photo of the entire roof and mark on where the water is entering the building? Pointing that ridge tile up will quite possibly help matters too! We have no way of getting up there to take more photos but the ridge tile with the big gap in the mortar is the one next to the chimney stack and is directly above where the ceiling has collapsed. The third photo above showing the "sticky flashing and the black plastic trim" is the gable end wall on the opposite side of the same chimney stack. This is the wall which is damp both inside and out. In summary the damp wall and collapsed ceiling are below this chimney stack which sits about 1 foot in from the gable end. I hope that makes sense! ? Edited February 3, 2021 by Rufus77 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeGrahamT21 Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 If it were me, i'd do the following: Remove that ridge til which has the gap against the flashing, ensure that the flashing is formed correctly to drain water away, and reset the ridge tile, ensure all pointed up. (i would hope that will cure this!) Photo 2 - Not sure where this fits in, but clear all the rubbish off of that flat roof area, form the flashing down so it actually touches and doesn't leave a gap, and stick with roofing adhesive Photo 4 - Apply roofing adhesive, and close the gap again The dry verge can be a bit tight at times, depending on brand, i've had loose fit and tight fit versions, its not the end of the world, but clearly wasn't the right one for your tiles. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus77 Posted February 3, 2021 Author Share Posted February 3, 2021 Thank you for taking the 2 minutes ago, MikeGrahamT21 said: If it were me, i'd do the following: Remove that ridge til which has the gap against the flashing, ensure that the flashing is formed correctly to drain water away, and reset the ridge tile, ensure all pointed up. (i would hope that will cure this!) Photo 2 - Not sure where this fits in, but clear all the rubbish off of that flat roof area, form the flashing down so it actually touches and doesn't leave a gap, and stick with roofing adhesive Photo 4 - Apply roofing adhesive, and close the gap again The dry verge can be a bit tight at times, depending on brand, i've had loose fit and tight fit versions, its not the end of the world, but clearly wasn't the right one for your tiles. Thank you for taking the time to reply! ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeGrahamT21 Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 No problems, let us know how it goes! ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus77 Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 On 03/02/2021 at 14:10, MikeGrahamT21 said: No problems, let us know how it goes! ? So the roofer came back and has redone the flashing, replaced and repointed the ridge tile and cleared up the debris. He didn't change the dry verge. Unfortunately, it still doesn't seem to have fixed the leak. We bought a damp meter and have had a dehumidifier on all day every day but the internal wall just isn't drying out. We are thinking of asking someone to repoint the chimney and then paint it with a breathable sealant. Does this seem like a sensible next step thing to do? Or could the problem be down to the rendering on the external gable wall and nothing to do with the chimney? I guess I'm just looking for suggestions as to what to try next really. I have 2 young children and have had a damp, mouldy wall for almost a year now. I just want to get it sorted. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Jimbo Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 Sorry i can't help, but feel for you, after spending hard earned for that. The whole think looks dreadful. I'm sure there are a lot of tradespeople on this site, and we all know the tales of woe, about no holidays, sick pay, pensions etc. But, £8k for that ! A lot of so called tradespeople need a good hiding in my opinion. Before i hear the bleat, bleat. Yes, there are some good one's but this person certainly hasn't had One. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeGrahamT21 Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 Without other photos i'm not sure what to suggest as a next step. If the chimney needed pointing you would hope the roofer would have suggested it? Oddly enough I have a very similar leak down the side of the chimney stack at the moment, just waiting for the weather to warm up a bit before I venture up onto the roof to have a look, lead flashing is the cause of my leak. How about the chimney pots, are they open at the top or do they have a cover on them? There is also the chimney cap cement to think about too. Does the damp ever clear up? Even a little when its not rained for a while? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus77 Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 Our roofer didn't mention the pointing but the second guy we had round (the one who took the photos for us) did say that the chimney needed pointing. There are two chimney pots which have bird mesh over them but they don't have actual cowls. Apparently the cement flaunching was cracked too but the roofer says he redid this when he was up there this most recent time. I've attached a photo although it's not very clear. When we've had a few dry days, the damp readings do go down yes, but as soon as it rains, they go back up again.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 Sorry to see you are having problems. good luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeGrahamT21 Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 34 minutes ago, Rufus77 said: Our roofer didn't mention the pointing but the second guy we had round (the one who took the photos for us) did say that the chimney needed pointing. There are two chimney pots which have bird mesh over them but they don't have actual cowls. Apparently the cement flaunching was cracked too but the roofer says he redid this when he was up there this most recent time. I've attached a photo although it's not very clear. When we've had a few dry days, the damp readings do go down yes, but as soon as it rains, they go back up again.? This may sound a bit extreme, but hear me out. Do you actually use your chimney? Or have any intentions of using it? If not, why not remove it completely and tile over the hole. If you are using/planning on using it, then definitely get it all pointed up, and consider changing the cowls. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus77 Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 We do use it yes so we wouldn't be able to get rid of it unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Jones Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 hows is look inside the loft, can you see where the water is getting in ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus77 Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 We have a very low pitch on the roof so we can't really get into the loft to see. One of the roofers did crawl through and said it was lacking ventilation but it wasn't evident where the water was getting in. Now that the roof has been re-done and the chimney re-flashed, we think it's probably getting in through the chimney somehow unless it's possible that the external rendering could cause this extent of damage?!?! I've attached a photo of the damage from the inside and you can see that the chimney breast and the adjacent wall are very damp! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted February 22, 2021 Share Posted February 22, 2021 Maybe worth adding another loft hatch to get better access to the underside of the roof/ assist with diagnosing problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Jones Posted February 28, 2021 Share Posted February 28, 2021 its hard to see from the photo but it doesn't look like there is a tray or dpc on the chimney toi stop water transmission through it, the repointed top is a bit of a giveaway. have a look at LABC https://www.labcwarranty.co.uk/blog/how-to-ensure-your-chimney-is-constructed-correctly/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus77 Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 Can anyone tell me what type of chimney cowls we need? The chimney is in use for log fires. I've attached a mock up photo with approximate sizes on. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeGrahamT21 Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 Usually these for solid fuel fires: https://www.toolstation.com/high-top-birdguard/p71603 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus77 Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 Thank you! Are they standard sizes do you know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeGrahamT21 Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 53 minutes ago, Rufus77 said: Thank you! Are they standard sizes do you know? I'm not sure to be honest. Most are multifit up to 240mm, but i'm sure there must be a standard size, there is for most things 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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