Roofing in Waltham Abbey

Why is Waltham Abbey different from the rest of the area?

Waltham Abbey is across the Lea in Essex, in Epping Forest District, so the councils are different from the Hertfordshire towns on this site. Planning questions go to Epping Forest District Council, and highway matters, including scaffold licences, to Essex County Council.

What are the buildings like?

The town grew around its abbey, and the old centre near the abbey church and market place has timber-framed buildings, old brick houses and narrow streets. Much of it is a conservation area, and many of the oldest buildings are listed. Their roofs are typically steep, covered in clay plain tiles, with old chimney stacks and sometimes uneven timbers that have moved over centuries.

Beyond the centre, the town expanded after the war with large estates of houses and flats. Those roofs are usually simpler, with concrete tiles, some flat-roofed blocks and plenty of extensions and garages. Nazeing, to the north, has village houses, bungalows and farm buildings.

Which roofing jobs are typical?

• clay tile and ridge repairs on older houses in and around the centre
• chimney and flashing work on period buildings
• flat roof repairs and replacements on extensions and garages
• re-roofing post-war houses whose original coverings are wearing out
• gutters and roofline boards on estate houses

What should I check for an old building?

If your home is listed, roof work that changes its materials or character may need listed building consent from Epping Forest District Council. In the conservation area, ask before using a different covering. Old roofs and barns are also where bats tend to roost. Bats and their roosts are protected, and a licence from Natural England may be needed if work would disturb one.

Who arranges a scaffold on the pavement?

The scaffolder. In Essex only scaffolding contractors can apply for a licence from Essex County Council. On the narrow streets in the old centre a pavement scaffold is likely. The roofer is responsible for how the job is done safely at height.

What about Building Regulations?

The same national rules apply as in Hertfordshire. Re-covering more than half the roof, or more than a quarter of the whole outside of the house, needs approval, through building control or a roofer registered with a competent person scheme.

What happens next?

Tell us the postcode and what is going wrong with the roof. If no roofer covers EN9, we will say so, and your details will not be shared.