COBHAM KT11
Roofers in Cobham, Stoke d’Abernon and Downside
Large roofs, long valleys and a lot of lead. GB Roofing works throughout Cobham and the KT11 postcode on handmade clay tile, natural slate, leadwork, chimneys, flat roofs and full re-roofs.
Big roofs with complicated detail
Cobham roofs are big. Large detached houses on generous plots, plenty of them interwar and post-war, plus the older cottages around Church Street and Downside Common. Steep pitches, handmade clay tile and natural slate, and substantial leadwork at every dormer and valley. That is the sort of work GB Roofing does, and Grant will come and look at it for nothing.
Tiled and slate roofing in Cobham
Handmade clay tile and natural slate are the two coverings we see most in KT11, and neither is a job for guesswork. Clay tiles from an older Cobham roof will not match anything sitting on a builders merchant’s shelf, so matching means either salvaging what is already up there or sourcing something close in colour and size. Slate needs the right gauge, the right head lap and copper or stainless fixings that will outlast the slate itself.
Where a roof is basically sound we replace the broken tiles, re-fix the slipped slates and leave the rest alone. Where the nails have corroded across the whole slope, which is what usually finishes a slate roof rather than the slate, we strip and re-lay. On a big Cobham roof it is worth doing that once and doing it properly.
Chimney repairs, repointing and flashings
Big houses tend to have more than one stack, and stacks sitting high above a steep roof take a hammering. The joints wash out, the flaunching around the pots cracks, and the lead at the base pulls away from the brickwork. Water then runs down inside the stack and shows up in a bedroom, often several metres from the chimney itself.
We repoint, renew flaunching, fit cowls, replace stepped flashings and soakers in proper lead, and rebuild the top few courses where the brick has spalled. On period cottages around Downside and Church Street we keep the character of the stack, matching brick and using a mortar that suits the original rather than something hard that will do damage over time.
It is the lead and the mortar that go first
Bigger roofs mean longer valleys and more lead, and on Cobham houses it is almost always the lead and the mortar that fail before the tiles do. Lead moves with the weather, so a sheet that is too long or badly clipped will split at the fold in time. Mortar bedding on ridges and hips simply runs out of life. A twenty year old clay roof can look immaculate and still leak steadily at three junctions, which is why we always look at the details first.
Oxshott, Esher and Weybridge too
Cobham sits close to several of the towns we cover, so we are frequently over the boundary. Oxshott, Esher and Weybridge are all regular ground for us, and we work more widely across Surrey, Middlesex and London. Big detached property with complicated roofs runs right through that area, so the work is much the same wherever we are on it.
Free estimates, in writing
We do not price roofs over the phone. Grant comes out, gets up and looks properly, and gives you a free written estimate that says what he found and what he would do about it. There is no obligation. We have worked in this part of Surrey for many years, and every new project we take on is backed by a full guarantee. Our hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Roof repairs across KT11
Roof repairs in Cobham are usually a hunt for a junction that has failed. Long valleys, dormer cheeks, lead gutters behind parapets, abutments where a two storey wall meets a lower roof. Any of them can leak while the tiles either side look perfect from the ground.
We trace the water back to where it starts, then repair the detail properly rather than smearing sealant across it. Loose ridges get re-bedded and mechanically fixed. Blocked valleys get cleared and relined. If a repair is only a stopgap, we will say so plainly and tell you what the permanent answer would cost, so you can decide in your own time.
- Leaking valleys, lead gutters and abutments
- Slipped slates and cracked clay tiles replaced
- Dormer and bay roofs made watertight
- Ridge and hip tiles re-bedded
- Storm damage and emergency leaks
A new roof on a large Cobham house
Re-roofing a substantial house is a serious piece of work and access is half the planning. Scaffold has to go up safely on a plot with mature planting and gravel drives, materials have to be lifted, and the old covering has to come off and away without spreading dust and broken tile across the garden. We keep the site tidy at the end of every day.
Once the covering is off we can see the timbers, and on older Cobham roofs there is often work to do at the eaves and around the valleys where water has been getting in quietly for years. We re-felt, re-batten and re-lay, renew the leadwork, and set the ridge and hips dry so they stay put. Every new project carries a full guarantee.
Fascias, soffits and guttering
Deep overhangs and long runs of guttering are normal on Cobham houses, and a long run gives water plenty of opportunity to find a bad joint. Where the timber roofline is original it will often be soft at the corners, and once the fascia goes the guttering drops out of line and starts overflowing behind itself.
We strip the old timber, check and repair the rafter feet, then fit uPVC fascias, soffits and guttering that need nothing more than an occasional wash. Where a house calls for it we keep timber and paint it properly instead. Cast iron guttering on the older properties can often be repaired and repainted rather than swapped for plastic, which is usually the right decision on a period cottage.
Flat roofing on extensions, garages and dormers
Almost every large Cobham house has a flat roof somewhere, whether that is a garage, a rear extension, a dormer top or a link between two parts of the building. Older ones are felt and many are tired. Before quoting we check the deck, because once felt has split the boards underneath have usually taken water as well.
GB Roofing is a Restec trained and approved installer. Restec are a British manufacturer of fibreglass and liquid flat roofing systems, making their products here for around forty years. Their Flexitec system is glass reinforced and can go over most existing surfaces where the deck is sound, and GRProof is classic fibreglass laid on a new deck. Restec offer a 20 year materials guarantee through installers they have trained and approved, when the installation is registered with them. We also fit felt and built-up systems where they suit the job better.
Stoke d’Abernon, Downside, Fairmile and Effingham Junction
Our Cobham work covers the KT11 postcode and the villages sitting inside and around it. We are often at Stoke d’Abernon and out along the Fairmile, on the lanes around Downside, and across towards Effingham Junction and Oxshott. The property changes a good deal between them, from small period cottages to large individually designed houses, and no two of these roofs are put together the same way.
Give Grant the postcode and a rough idea of the pitch and he will tell you on the phone whether it is a scaffold job or a ladder job before he comes out.
Do not let a matching tile put you off
Owners of older Cobham houses often delay a repair because they assume the tile or slate cannot be matched. Usually it can. Salvaged handmade clay tile is available, slates can be sized to suit, and where an exact match is impossible we take sound tiles from a hidden slope and use the closest new ones there instead, so the front of the house still looks right.
Services
What we do in Cobham
New Roof
A full strip and re-cover, done once and done properly.
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Roof Repairs
Leaks traced, tiles replaced, storm damage put right.
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Flat Roofing
Fibreglass and felt flat roofs for extensions, garages and dormers.
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Restec Flat Roofing
Restec trained and approved, with the manufacturer’s materials guarantee.
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Tiled Roofing
Clay, concrete and natural slate, matched to what is already there.
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Fascias, Soffits & Guttering
The roofline that keeps water off your walls, replaced in uPVC.
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Chimney Repairs
Repointing, flaunching, flashing and unsafe stacks made good.
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Leadwork
Flashings, valleys and dormers dressed in lead that lasts.
Read moreHow we work
Four steps, and no surprises
The same run of events on every job, whether it is one tile or a whole roof.
Ring or email
Tell us what you have noticed. Grant can usually tell from a description whether it is a morning’s work or something bigger, and he will say so.
We come and look properly
We get up on the roof rather than guessing from the drive, and photograph anything you cannot see for yourself.
A written price
Set out clearly, so you can compare it fairly against another quote. Free, and no obligation to go ahead.
Booked in and cleared up
We hold the date as far as the weather allows, sheet up, and the rubbish leaves with us at the end of it.
Gallery
Recent work
Questions
Cobham roofing questions
We cover the whole KT11 postcode, including Stoke d’Abernon, Downside and the Fairmile, and we carry on out to Effingham Junction and Oxshott beyond it. Esher and Weybridge are close by and we work in them regularly, along with the rest of our Surrey, Middlesex and London area. If you are not sure whether we come to your road, call 01932 690 995 and we will tell you straight away.
In most cases yes. Reclaimed handmade clay tile is available and we can also source new tiles that are close in colour and size. Where an exact match matters, a common approach is to take good tiles from a rear or hidden slope for the visible repair and use the new ones out of sight. We will show you the options before starting.
On a Cobham roof it is nearly always a junction rather than the tiles. Long valleys, lead gutters, dormer cheeks and the abutment where a wall meets a lower roof all fail long before the covering does, and none of it is visible from the ground. Lead splits at the folds and mortar bedding perishes. We trace the water back to the source before quoting any repair.
Allow a couple of weeks for most large Cobham roofs, longer if there is a lot of leadwork, several chimney stacks or difficult access. Scaffolding goes up first and that takes a day or so on its own. Weather affects the programme, and we will keep you posted rather than leaving you guessing. The roof is never left open overnight.
Yes. We repoint stacks, renew flaunching, replace flashings in lead and rebuild the top courses where brickwork has broken down. On older Cobham and Downside cottages we match the brick and use a mortar suited to the original build, because a hard modern mix does more harm than good on soft old brick. We can also remove a redundant stack and make the roof good.
We fit fibreglass, felt and built-up systems. As a Restec trained and approved installer we work with Restec’s Flexitec, a glass reinforced system that goes over most existing surfaces, and GRProof, classic fibreglass on a new deck. Restec offer a 20 year materials guarantee through installers they have trained and approved, where the installation is registered with them. Which system suits depends on the deck.
Other areas we cover
For roofing work in Cobham, Stoke d’Abernon, Downside, Fairmile or Effingham Junction, call GB Roofing on 01932 690 995 or email grant@gbroofingservices.co.uk. Free estimates, a full guarantee on new work, and quality at prices that aren’t through the roof.