Do Roofers Do Leadwork?

Almost every pitched roof has lead on it somewhere, usually around a chimney, a side wall, a dormer or a skylight. Flashings close the joint where the roof meets a vertical surface. Each one is a metal strip, lapped over the roof covering at one edge and fixed into the wall or frame at the other. Valleys and bay window roofs often carry lead as well.

Is leadwork a separate job from re-roofing?

It can be either. On a re-roof, new flashings go in as the covering goes on, and the old lead is renewed or reused if it is sound. On a repair, the lead may be the only thing that needs attention. Our answer on replacing flashing without a new roof explains when that makes sense.

Because lead sits under and over other materials, a roofer who understands slate and tile also understands where the lead has to go. That is why most pitched-roof contractors carry out leadwork themselves instead of passing it on. Some firms, though, send lead to a specialist, or give it to a labourer. It is fair to ask which applies to your job, and a decent firm will answer without any awkwardness at all.

You do not need to know the trade to test a quote. These are plain questions any roofer should answer without fuss.

Who will actually dress the lead?

Ask whether the person who surveyed the roof will be on site, and whether the lead work is done by the firm or sublet. If it is sublet, ask who by, and whether that person has fitted the same kind of detail before.

Which lead code is going in?

Lead sheet carries a code number for thickness. The Royston Lead brochure lists code 4 at 1.80 mm, code 5 at 2.24 mm and code 6 at 2.65 mm for flashings. A quote that says only "lead" is too vague. We name the code in our written price.

Which pieces are being renewed?

For a chimney, that may be the apron, the step flashings and the back gutter. For a wall, it is the flashing and the chase. If pointing is part of the job, ask whether it is covered. Ask too whether VAT and the cost of any scaffold sit inside the total; both are easy to overlook until the invoice arrives.

A roofer who answers clearly and in writing is easier to trust than one who says "don't worry about that". Keep the written answers with the quote itself.

A good quote for leadwork says where the work is, what material is going in and what happens to the old lead. It should say whether timber or boarding under the lead is being checked, because rot behind a flashing is common in older houses.

What decides the price?

Access is the first factor. A flashing at ground-floor height is easier to reach than a chimney three storeys up. The length of lead, the code, how many separate pieces are needed and what the survey finds beneath the old lead all play a part. Our quote is one total in writing, given once the survey is done. We show photos of your own roof, so the figure rests on what is really there.

Third-party cost guides publish typical prices for lead, and our answer on leadwork cost shows where those figures come from. They are a guide, not a quote.

Watch for anything that treats sealant as a repair. Lead is fixed mechanically, and a tube of sealant over a split is a stopgap, not a fix. If a roofer proposes it, ask why the lead itself is not being renewed.

Lead can last for over 80 years, and a lot of that depends on how it is fitted. A well-formed flashing is a one-time job. A poor one leaks within a few winters and costs more to put right, because water reaches the timbers and plaster first.

Is it worth hiring a specialist?

For a plain flashing on a straightforward roof, a competent roofer is enough. For parapet gutters, valleys on complex roofs, church roofs or listed buildings, ask whether the person doing the work has handled that type before. Our answer on what leadwork is gives the basics if you want to read before you call.

Fitting lead is a skilled job done at height, and the cost of a bad fix falls on you. Our lead work page covers the jobs we take on. A photo of the problem area starts things off, and our survey will show you pictures of your own lead, followed by one written price you can keep and refer back to.