Your roof is your home’s first line of defence against the elements, so will always benefit from targeted maintenance tailored to the materials used. Alan Tierney looks at how to care for this part of your home, and when you might need to consider replacement

Alan Tierney

On this like-for-like replacement roof project on a Victorian rectory, a number of the original tiles were salvageable. New heritage-style units from Dreadnought Tiles were selected for the main covering, and the usable originals repurposed on the small roof above the bay window

If you are undertaking a project on a period home, you will have to give careful consideration to the state of the roof. I often say that its condition and the degree to which it has been altered in the past gives the best indication of the house’s overall integrity, how well it’s been maintained and its history.

All roofs have two distinct elements – the structure and the covering. While they are obviously connected, their characteristics are fundamentally different and decisions on repair or replacement need to be made separately.

Structural considerations

The structure of your property’s roof supports the covering and creates the final shape, including any slopes, hips, valleys, dormers and so on. In some buildings, the roof will also form a fundamental element of the main house structure, incorporating tie beams or elements of trussed partitions. As such, it’s essential to fully understand how it’s all integrated before making any alterations; fail to do this and the consequences could be disastrous.