Tile & Slate Roofs | Installation, Repair, Re-Roofing
Pitched Roof Specialists in Bicester, Thame & Oxford
A pitched roof done well lasts decades and looks the part. Done poorly, it lets water in within a year and stays out of plumb forever after.
We work on tile and slate pitched roofs across Oxfordshire, from new installations on extensions to full re-roofs on period properties. Honest diagnosis, proper materials, and the kind of attention to detail that's the difference between a roof that lasts forty years and one that doesn't.
When You Need Pitched Roof Work
New extensions or builds
Pitched roof on a new extension needs designing and installing properly. Falls, ventilation, insulation, and tile or slate choice all matter from day one.
Tile or slate damage
Cracked, slipped, or missing tiles. Common after winter storms or after years of weather. A few tiles is a repair. Many tiles or widespread damage starts to be a re-roof conversation.
Sagging ridge or roof line
Visible dip in the ridge or a wave in the slope. Could be timber, could be structure, sometimes just settled tiles. Worth a proper look.
Pointing or cement failure
Ridge tiles, hip tiles, and verges are cement-bedded on most older roofs. When that cement crumbles, tiles loosen and water gets in. Repointing is a defined, affordable job.
Ventilation problems
Condensation in the loft, damp insulation, mould growth in the roof space. Older roofs often have insufficient ventilation. Modern fixes (ridge vents, eaves vents, tile vents) sort it.
Re-roofing for property value or sale
A roof in obvious need of work hurts both surveyor's reports and buyer confidence. Planning ahead of a sale often pays back in the asking price.
How We Handle Pitched Roof Work
Pitched roofs reward attention to the boring details. Right underlay, right battens, right fixings, right cement work on the ridge.
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Free inspection and written quote.
We get on the roof and look at the structure underneath as well as the surface. The quote covers tile or slate type, underlay, battens, ridge work, leadwork, scaffolding, and timeline. Profiles and colours matched to what's there for partial work, and suited to the property for full installations.
Strip and prepare.
For re-roofs, old tiles or slates come off and the timber underneath gets inspected. Breathable modern membrane laid, treated battens fixed at the correct spacing for the tile or slate size. For repairs, we focus on fixing the cause (often the underlay, not the visible tile) rather than patching the symptom.
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Install, detail, and finish
Tiles or slates laid with correct overlaps and fixings. Ridge, hip, and verge work, cement-bedded or dry-verge as appropriate. Lead flashing dressed properly at chimneys and abutments. Waste removed, gutters cleared, scaffolding away.
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What Pitched Roof Work Costs
Rough bands for domestic pitched roof work in Oxfordshire:
Pitched roof repairs: £200 to £2,000 depending on extent and access.
Partial pitched roof replacement (one slope, single dormer, ridge work): £1,500 to £5,000.
Full pitched roof replacement (semi or terrace): £6,000 to £12,000 in concrete tile, more in slate.
Larger or listed properties: quoted individually.
Tiles and Slates We Install
Tile roofs
- Concrete tile. Cost-effective and durable, with plenty of profiles and colours to fit different property styles. Most common on newer estates.
- Clay tile. More expensive, longer lifespan, holds colour. Common on traditional and period homes.
- Interlocking tile. Modern profile, faster to install, good performance.
Slate roofs
Natural Welsh slate. Premium choice, century-plus lifespan when fitted properly.
Spanish slate. Lower cost than Welsh, still a high-quality natural slate.
Synthetic slate. Engineered alternative to natural slate at a lower price point.
The right choice depends on the property, the budget, and what's already there. Conservation areas sometimes restrict material choice.
Common Questions
My roof has slipped tiles. Is it dangerous?
A slipped tile isn't a falling tile, but it's a leak waiting to happen. Worth fixing soon rather than waiting for the next storm.
Should I match the existing tiles or replace the whole roof?
If the rest of the roof is sound and the slipped tiles are localised, matching makes sense. If the whole roof is the same age and the underlay is gone, a re-roof is usually the better economic decision.
How long does a tile pitched roof last?
Concrete tiles forty to sixty years. Clay tiles sixty to a hundred. The underlay underneath has a shorter life, typically thirty to forty years on older specifications, longer on modern breathable membranes.
Do you do work on listed buildings?
Yes. Listed building consent is sometimes required for re-roofing work and we can advise on the process.
What if I'm in a conservation area?
Conservation areas often restrict material choice (e.g. natural slate only, traditional clay tile only). We work to whatever the planning authority requires.
Areas We Cover
We do pitched roof work across Bicester, Thame, Oxford, and the surrounding villages.
Get a Pitched Roof Quote
Most roof problems are smaller than they look. Some are bigger. Either way, the right next step is getting eyes on it.
Free inspection · 10-Year Workmanship Guarantee · Fully Insured · Family run