Roof Replacement and Re-Roofing in Exeter
There comes a point where patching a roof stops making sense. Slates are slipping in twos and threes every winter, the underlay has turned to dust, and each repair buys a few months. A re-roof strips the covering back to the rafters and starts again. Tell us about the roof and we will pass it to a firm that does this work across Exeter.
When a Re-Roof Is the Honest Answer
Nail sickness across a slope. On Exeter's Victorian slate roofs the slates are often sound but every nail is the same age and rusting through together. Once slips are happening in numbers, refixing them one at a time is paying for scaffold again and again.
Underlay gone or never there. Many older roofs were laid straight onto battens with no felt. Others have bitumen felt from the 1960s that now tears at a touch. Neither is a repair job.
Sagging. A dip in the ridge or a slope usually means battens or rafter ends have gone. That is a strip-off to see how far it goes.
Whole estates at once. On the inter-war and post-war semis across Whipton, Wonford, Pinhoe and Beacon Heath, the tiles went on together and are coming to the end together. If the neighbours are re-roofing, yours is probably close behind.
Repairs that keep coming back. Two or three call-outs a year is money spent on access, not on the roof.
Slate, Tile and Lead on Exeter Houses
This is where Exeter differs from most English cities, and where a good quote shows itself.
Natural slate. The Georgian terraces around Southernhay and the Victorian streets of Heavitree, St Thomas and Newtown were roofed in natural slate, most of it Welsh. A re-roof can reuse the sound slates from the old roof, top them up with reclaimed stock, or go to new Welsh or Spanish slate. Each choice looks and costs different, and the cheapest version, a fibre-cement substitute, can look wrong on a street of the real thing.
Interlocking tile. The estates were built in concrete interlocking tile, which is quick to lay and straightforward to replace like for like. The decision there is usually about the underlay, the ventilation and whether the battens are treated timber.
Leadwork. Valleys, chimney flashings, and the hidden gutters behind Georgian parapets are lead. On a re-roof it all comes off and should all go back new. A quote that leaves the old lead in place to save money is storing up the next leak.
Dry systems. Modern dry-verge and dry-ridge fittings replace mortar at the edges and along the top. They are standard on newer estates such as Cranbrook and Alphington and are a reasonable choice on older houses too, though on a conservation street the look of a mortared ridge may matter.
Conservation Areas and Listed Houses
Exeter has twenty conservation areas, and St Leonard's, the city centre and Topsham are among the streets where the roof covering is part of what the designation protects. If your house is listed, or sits in a conservation area, changing the material or the look of the roof may need consent, and what "like for like" means can be specific.
We will not guess at what applies to your house. Ask Exeter City Council's conservation team before you order anything, and ask the roofer whether they have worked on a protected building before. A firm that has will know to raise it; a firm that shrugs is a warning sign.
What Changes the Price of a New Roof
Roof area, not bedrooms. A three-bed semi and a three-bed terrace can have very different roof sizes. Price follows the square metres.
The covering. Concrete tile, clay tile and natural slate sit at very different points, and slate has the widest spread of all depending on where it comes from.
Scaffold. A full re-roof needs the whole house scaffolded, and on a terrace with no side access or a pavement frontage that is a bigger item than most people expect.
What is found underneath. Rotten rafter ends, sagging purlins and failed battens only show once the covering is off. A good quote says how extra timber will be charged rather than leaving it to a surprise.
Chimneys, valleys and dormers. Every one is more lead, more cutting and more time.
Waste. A strip-off fills skips. Some quotes include it, some do not. Ask.
Our what a new roof costs guide sets out researched 2026 UK ranges by house type and material.
How It Works
Tell us about the roof. We pass it to a roofing firm that carries out re-roofs across Exeter and they contact you to arrange a look and a quote. We do not do the work and we do not inspect or approve the firm that does. Free, no obligation, and outside working hours you will hear back the next working day.
Related Services
If the roof is mostly sound and the problem is local, roof repairs is the cheaper conversation. Garages and extensions are covered under flat roofing. Stacks that need rebuilding at the same time are on chimney repairs.
Areas We Cover
Re-roofing across Exeter city centre, St Leonard's, Pennsylvania, Heavitree, St Thomas, Newtown, Whipton, Wonford, Topsham, Exminster, Exmouth, Honiton, Newton Abbot and Tiverton. see all service areas
Common Questions
How long does a re-roof take?
A typical semi is a week or so once the scaffold is up, longer for slate or if timber needs replacing. Weather adds days; the roof is only opened in sections so the house is never left exposed overnight.
Can I stay in the house during a re-roof?
Yes. The work is outside, the loft gets dusty, and you will want to move anything valuable out of it. Ask the roofer to keep the house covered at the end of each day.
Should I reuse my old slates?
Often, yes. Sound Welsh slate that has already lasted a century will last another one on new fixings, and reusing it keeps the look of the street. The roofer will grade them and top up with reclaimed or new slate where needed.
Get a Free Quote for Roof Replacement & Re-Roofing
Describe the job and we will hand it to a roofing firm covering your area.