Flashing

[amolkarnik]

Hi All,

We have had an offer accepted on a 200 yr old listed barn conversion in Bedfordshire. A structural survey has revealed and advised the following -

1. Access points to the roof space should be sealed off to prevent entry of birds and rodents. How much of a job is this and what might it cost?

2. The barn was converted 3 years back and 1/3rd of the roof tiles were replaced with new ones from a reclaimers yard. The survey says that some tiles are showing signs of rot and decay. How serious could this be?

3. There are no metal soakers under roof tiles and some of the flashing is coming off from end walls. There is no evidence of damp. Again how serious might this be? This is a roof about 40ft high and quite steeply pitched. How much might it cost to fix this?

 

[breezer]

obviously you want advice, but we can not give it, item 9 expalins why

 

[chappers]

to answer your points in order

1.All depends on how many points of entry there are and the construction of the roof, almost impossible to answer with regards to costs

2.Also depends on how many and how badly and what type, but as the roof is of steep pitch probably not so urgent surveyors nearly always pick up on any dodgy tiles. If they are plain clay tiles then sometimes they can become a bit porous but if they are probably laid( which may be in doubt judging by point 3)and as you say the roof is quite steeply pitched, then o running water should penetrate and if its only the odd few rather than a whole area you should be ok.

3. this is quiote a bit more serious depends on how its flashed is the flashing folded down over the tiles? if so then not quite as bad as if the flashing just comes down to the tiles (if that is the case then the flashing is doing next to nothing.
Soakers are the only way of stopping watter which falls on those tiles from running down between the tiles and the walls and into the roof space below, they sholud then be flashed over to stop water running down the walls and behind them.
How does your surveyor know there are no soakers as even a bad roofer would nevr leave these out.
Cost is again impossible to work out without knowing the size of the roof the tiles, access location etc.

 

[breezer]

seems like as i said, we like to help, but need to see job etc, hence item 9

 

[amolkarnik]

Thanks for your replies. I have had a chance to speak to the surveyor in detail now and it appears that a lot of comments he has made were more to cover his a** rather than warning of serious problems. He has confirmed that none of the issues are serious., but could do with early attention.