Roofing in Hoddesdon and Broxbourne

What kinds of roof are there here?

Hoddesdon has the widest mix. The streets around the old market place have buildings of several centuries, some with clay tiles and old stacks, alongside Victorian and Edwardian terraces with slate roofs. Most of the town, though, is twentieth century: interwar semis with hipped tiled roofs, then large post-war estates, some with shallow-pitched roofs, concrete tiles and flat-roofed garages.

Broxbourne and Wormley are quieter, with older houses and cottages near the river and many detached and semi-detached homes from the 1930s onwards on the higher ground. Turnford has newer developments with modern trussed roofs, and Rye Park, on the Hoddesdon side, is largely early twentieth century and later housing.

Which roofing jobs are typical?

• re-roofing interwar semis whose original tiles, battens and underlay are wearing out
• ridge and hip repairs, since a hipped roof has more of both
• chimney repointing and flashings on the older terraces and semis
• flat roof covers on the many extensions, porches and garages
• fascias, soffits and gutters on post-war houses, often moving to uPVC

Is a shared roof a problem?

On semis and terraces the roof runs across the party wall, and chimneys are often shared. When one half of a semi is re-roofed, the roofer has to make a neat, watertight join with the house next door, which may have a different covering. It helps to let your neighbour know early.

Do I need permission?

Repairs and like-for-like re-covering on a house do not usually need planning permission. Broxbourne Borough Council is the planning authority, so ask it if your house is listed or in a conservation area, such as parts of central Hoddesdon. Re-roofing more than half the roof, or more than a quarter of the whole outside of the house, brings in the Building Regulations, which the roofer should explain.

What about scaffolding on the road?

If a scaffold has to go on the pavement, the licence comes from Broxbourne Borough Council rather than the county council, and the scaffolder normally applies. Working safely at height is the roofer's responsibility.

What should I do about a leak?

Keep off the roof, catch the drips and keep clear of a sagging ceiling. If water is near the wiring, switch off at the consumer unit if you can do so safely. Then send your postcode and a short description. We cannot say how soon a roofer covering EN10 or EN11 can come.