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Slate Roof Replacement - is it realy a DIY job ? |
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| message from david shee on 23 May 2004 |
Hello everyone,
I'm about to embark on my biggest project ever. Replacing the slate roof
on the front elevation of my house. Several houses in my street have had the
slate roof replaced with a product called "everlast composite tiles". I have
put the replacement off for two years but due to some storm damage a couple
of months ago I cant put it off for another winter.
My question is it really a DIY job? Its a pitched roof in line with
everyone else's in my terraced street. Technically is think it is very
simple, Day one - pull the old stuff off, ridge tiles then work down the
roof removing the slates and latts. Put the felt on replace the latts. Day
two - replace the slates.
Day three - replace ridge tiles and do the lead flashing stuff. Sounds easy.
The scaffolding is up so I'm ready to start next weekend as its a bank
holiday, materials on order and as a back up my local builders merchant is
open all next weekend till 2:00pm
Have I over committed myself, can I do it ? Should I do it ? Have you ever
done it ? if so what are the problems I'm lightly to experaince.
Regards David
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| David replied to david shee on 23 May 2004 |
In article <c8q52u$sq7$1@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk>, IMM <abuse-imm@easy.com>
writes
Where, on the end of the terrace? yeah that would sense dimwit, you're
doing well lately
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| mrcheerful replied to david shee on 23 May 2004 |
It is really very simple and profitable, go for it.
Personally, I would use real slates as I think they look better.
mrcheerful
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| IMM replied to mrcheerful on 23 May 2004 |
I would also put a nice barge board on the gable end.
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| IMM replied to IMM on 24 May 2004 |
Bertie, it was a general comment. This obviously goes over you.
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| Lurch replied to IMM on 24 May 2004 |
Generally ****ing stupid maybe.
It's gone over one of us.
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| IMM replied to IMM on 24 May 2004 |
Bertie I would build a gable to put one on.
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| IMM replied to IMM on 24 May 2004 |
Bertie, you can have a gable in mid-terrace. This may confuse you, but you
certainly can.
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| IMM replied to IMM on 24 May 2004 |
<abuse-imm@easy.com>
<abuse-imm@easy.com>
Bertie, you have to have style.
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| IMM replied to IMM on 25 May 2004 |
Yes, Bertie you have head start on this one.
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| Lurch replied to IMM on 23 May 2004 |
Did you actually read the post?
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| Michael Mcneil replied to Lurch on 23 May 2004 |
"Lurch" <theoriginallurch@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
news:40b0b6f4.13597982@195.129.110.67
The difficulty is getting the courses to run straight. Take your time
with that part. Use a chalk string and measure every course if you can
get patient help.
Stripping the roof wiil take a morning -less if you can just sling it
down into a skip (via a chute.) You might consider making a couple of
short roof ladders to store any good slates you might want to reuse up
on the top on the other side of the roof. Out of the way but handy for
replacing. It's just a little something that would save you an hour or
two carting them down then up. (You rest a half dozen or more on one
rung and an upright slate lower down.)
Waterproofing with felt will take another couple of hours. The rolls
have a line on them to show where the next layer overlaps to.
Remember the gaps the old battons were set to if you have the same sized
tiles going back. Note too that the last courses (up from the gutter
have a kick to them.) Watch you step the butting up of the battons as a
line of joins will show up afterward as a ridged line in the roof.
Have a cordless drill for those awkward spots where the nails won't go
in easily. (Knots in the battons etc.) Once you have the roof closed
take your time and take plenty of short breaks to ease the strain on
your legs and back. You will make mistakes and you will get peed off but
if you put yourself in the right frame of mind you will be choughed out
when you get it finished.
Let us know how you get on. Good luck.
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| Dave Plowman replied to Lurch on 23 May 2004 |
When does he ever?
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| David replied to david shee on 24 May 2004 |
In article <c8s7vv$coe$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk>, IMM <abuse-imm@easy.com>
writes
Oh so you would put a barge board at the end of the terrace then? I'm
sure the people in the end houses would be very grateful, it wasn't a
general comment, it was wrong because you didn't read the post, have you
ever been able to admit when you're wrong?
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| David replied to david shee on 24 May 2004 |
In article <c8tgl0$d6r$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk>, IMM <abuse-imm@easy.com>
writes
I know you can John, our first house was just like that but explain why
you would do this if there isn't one already?
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| Dave Liquorice replied to david shee on 23 May 2004 |
If your happy at heights on very steep smooth slopes with no foot/hand
holds... Though you have scaffolding up I guess if you do slip the
last thing you see before a 20'+ drop won't be the gutter.
As you are intending to resue the slates you'll be carrying them
(maybe half a dozen at a time) down to the top of scaffold and then
climbing back up. No mention of roof ladders you'll need at least one.
The reclaimation is slow. What condition are the slates how many are
going to fall apart or nail holes to big for reuse?
I think you are pushing getting *all* the battens back on but I guess
you ought to aim to be vaguely weather proof by then end of (long)
day. Maybe just battens along the joins and middle of each roll to
hold it in place.
Might be fun on the join between yours and your neighbours property.
What do you do when you start stripping and find all the battens
rotten up there and not good enough to take any disturbance...
Don't forget the weather, this week end is good but I'm not so sure
next is going to be quite so settled and fine. Once it's felted you
can work in the rain I guess but putting felt down in any sort of wind
on your own will be fun to down right dangerous.
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| david shee replied to Dave Liquorice on 23 May 2004 |
David,
already been up the scaffolding and its rock solid, so no problems
there. We have just spendt an hour or so making two sets of roof ladders so
thats sorted also. I'm not re using the slates so they can be skipped,
though the brother inlaw wants some for his garage roof. So hopefully the
time saved trying to save the slates for reuse will allow me to have a
watertight (90%) by the end of day one.
Has anyone any tips to seal the ridge area and down the edges in case it
rains overnight !!!!
The roof is structurly sound. All the timbers are sound, we have checked
from inside the loft. However one big problem will be the lime sarken inside
on the slate joints. I will have to place some plastic in the loft to catch
it all as every joint is sealed with it. Overall i'm looking forward to it.
Cost wise after I have payed for materials & scaffolding I will be saving
£1200 - £1400 which I believe is well worth a long weekends work.
If it goes well I will attempt the rear of the house in September or early
next year. This will be more of a challange as it has hips, valleys, and a
nice gable end to consider, and as a motivating factor a nice potentail
saving of around £3400 - £3600.
This saving will inject about £4500 into our funds and equip me with
another skill for our planned house in France or Spain, or assist my son
through university.
Regards David
"Dave Liquorice" <newspam@howhill.com> wrote in message
news:nyyfbegfubjuvyypbz.hy6inz0.pminews@news.howhill.com...
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| MBQ replied to david shee on 25 May 2004 |
Shhhhh! Don't tell IMM!
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| IMM replied to MBQ on 25 May 2004 |
news:<40b0d732_1@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com>...
Put a nice bargeboard on the gable.
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| Dave Liquorice replied to david shee on 23 May 2004 |
Builders poly held down by the ridge tiles every couple of feet. Make
sure the edges aren't too loose or a good wind could get under and
lift the lot off...
But you should be putting the felt over the ridge anyway, tricky as
you not taking the other side off, maybe just the top row. Hum,
snagette, how are you going to do the otherside next year without
taking the ridge off again...
Yuck, staple builders poly to the back of the rafters? I guess you
could just cover the insulation/floor though. To attempt this without
trying to contain the lime would really mess up the roof space. It's
bad enough up in ours and thats just bits of slate/felt and
pointing...
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| Cicero replied to david shee on 23 May 2004 |
A roll of builders' polythene (1000 grade) would be useful in case the
weather turns very wet / windy. Fasten where necessary with a good staple
gun. It's surprising how durable this can be in an emergency such as a heavy
downpour. It will keep the ridge dry overnight and as long as you need it
after that.
Cic.
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| steve replied to Cicero on 23 May 2004 |
A few things that spring to mind are you going to use slaters felt or
one of the newish breathable membranes? Ventilation soffit and ridge
vents or the ones that fit in place of the slates? if so how many do
you need?
Although the new laths will be treated how about geting some wood
preservitive to treat the top of the roof rafters?
When you ordered all the materials did you remember the little things
like copper disc rivets , soakers or lead for the use of , a number of
till and a halfs very unlikely the lengh of your roof will be exactly
a certain number of slates , hidden gutters for the joint with
neighbours roofs or are you using the same type of slate as they have
, IIRC doesnt there have to be a non combustible join where your roof
joins the other houses or was this just for new builds no doubt
someone out here will have the correct answer . Things like slate
laths not allowed to run through to neighbours roof
Seem to remember that the above was in the spec sheet when we had or
roof replaced a while ago and other things re the back of the roof
like the lead in the valley could only be a certain lengh any longer
and the expansion and then shrinking in the sun would cause fatigue of
the lead
For sealing the join temp with the nieghbours leave the ends of your
felt long at the join this is what every roofer i have seen does if
using secret gutter then this will seal up the gap
but anyway good look and let us know how you are getting on
If you want the weather to stay good go out and buy a big tarp or a
roll of poly then you can be damn sure it wont rain the more expens
you spend on this item the the more likely it is to stay fine and the
tarp unused
Steve
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| David replied to david shee on 24 May 2004 |
In article <c8tb9d$6dl$3@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk>, IMM <abuse-imm@easy.com>
writes
That would be an interesting exercise with the roof being mid-terrace, I
suppose you could always raise the roof above the others but wouldn't it
be easier and cheaper just to admit you got it wrong, c'mon John you can
do it, practise in front of a mirror first
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| david shee replied to david shee on 23 May 2004 |
All,
As I see that this site supports web links (URL's) I will post some
pictures as I go through the job. Just for a bit of interest.Hey I may even
keep a journal starting tomorrow. Sad I know but this is a major step for
me.
Regards David
"david shee" <david.shee@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
news:40b090c8$1_2@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com...
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| David replied to david shee on 24 May 2004 |
In article <c8to8o$mre$1@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk>, IMM <abuse-imm@easy.com>
writes
and a lack of brains?
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