Lead Work and Flashing in Surrey and South London

Most roof leaks do not start in the middle of a slope. They start at the joints, where the roof meets a chimney, a wall, a dormer or another slope, and those joints are sealed with flashing. On most period and modern homes in Surrey and South London that flashing is lead. We fit and repair lead work as part of our roof repairs, new roofs and chimney repairs, and on its own where the lead is the only thing that has failed.

Lead work we carry out

• Chimney flashings, the lead dressed around the base of a stack.
• Abutment flashings, where a roof slope meets a wall.
• Lead valleys, where two roof slopes meet. Our post on what a roof valley is explains how they work.
• Lead clad dormers and bay roofs.
• Repairs to split, lifted or missing lead.

Why flashing fails

Lead lasts a long time when it is fitted properly, but it expands and contracts as it warms and cools, so pieces that are too long or fixed too tightly can split over the years. The mortar that holds flashing into brickwork can crumble and let the edge pull out, and high winds can lift lead that was never fixed securely. Our post on what flashing is and why it matters goes into more detail.

Signs your flashing needs looking at

• Damp or staining on a ceiling or wall next to a chimney, or where a roof meets a wall.
• Lead that has lifted, cracked or come away from the brickwork.
• Gaps where the mortar holding the flashing has fallen out.
• A leak that only appears in heavy or wind driven rain.

If water is already coming in, our emergency roof repairs page explains what to do while you wait.

Free quotes for lead work

We will come and look, tell you whether the lead can be repaired or needs replacing, and give you a written quote, free with no obligation. Ask for a quote or ring us.