We are JD Home Improvements, a family run roofing company on West Town Road in Shirehampton. Joe, our director, has more than 20 years of roofing behind him, and he leads a team of over a dozen roofers with his son Tommy. If you own a home in Bishopston, this page explains what we find on local roofs and how we can help.
Victorian terraces from top to bottom
Most of Bishopston was built between the 1870s and the First World War, as Bristol spread north along Gloucester Road. Streets such as Berkeley Road and the roads around the County Ground are lined with red brick or Pennant stone terraces. Front bays with decorative ridge tiles above them are typical, and many houses still carry their original Welsh slate.
Behind each terrace runs a rear outrigger, the narrow two-storey back section that holds the kitchen and a back bedroom. That outrigger has its own small roof, usually in slate, and where it meets the main house there is a joint that needs to stay watertight. Above it all, chimney stacks shared between neighbours rise from the party walls.
What a century of weather does to slate
Welsh slate itself is remarkably durable. The weak point is the nails. Original iron nails rust over time, and when enough of them fail, slates slip out of place one by one. A slate hanging lower than its neighbours, or a fragment on the pavement, is the usual first sign.
Lead and mortar joints wear out on a similar timescale. Valleys between the main roof and the outrigger can split, letting water into the back bedroom. Stacks lose their pointing and their flashing gradually lifts away from the brickwork. Each of these problems is fixable, but left alone they slowly soak the timbers below.
Common roof problems in Bishopston
- Slipped slates caused by nail sickness on original roofs.
- Damp in back bedrooms where the outrigger roof meets the main wall.
- Worn chimney stacks shared along the terrace.
- Leaking dormers added to lofts in earlier decades.
Slipped slates and outrigger leaks are everyday roof repairs for us. Tall stacks on the party walls often need attention from our chimney repairs team, who repoint the brickwork and renew the lead. When a whole slope has slipped, our pitched roofing service can strip and relay it with new fixings, reusing sound slates to keep the original look.
Strip and relay versus a new slate roof
When nail sickness spreads across a roof, there are two main routes. A strip and relay takes the existing slates off so the battens can be replaced over a new breathable membrane. Sound slates then go back on with copper or stainless nails. Any broken slates are swapped for matching reclaimed or new ones.
Where too many slates have become soft or flaky, a full re-roof with new natural slate makes more sense. We look closely at the condition of your slates before recommending either option, and we price both where they are realistic so you can compare.
Loft conversions and dormers
Loft conversions are everywhere in Bishopston, and they come in two main forms. Rear dormers give the most headroom, while roof windows set into the slope bring in daylight with very little disruption. Both need careful detailing where they meet the slate.
Older dormers often have felt tops that have worn out and tile-hung cheeks with tired flashing. We repair or replace those coverings and refit the flashing properly so the dormer stays dry.
Gloucester Road flats and shop roofs
Along Gloucester Road itself, many buildings have a shop at street level with a flat or maisonette above. Their roofs are often a mix of pitched slate at the front and flat or low-pitched sections at the back, with plenty of junctions where one meets another. Those junctions are where leaks usually start.
If you own a flat above a shop, check your lease to see who is responsible for the roof, since it is often the freeholder. We are happy to quote for freeholders and leaseholders alike, and we can explain the work to everyone involved so decisions are easier to make.
Behind the main road, many terraces have yards or gardens backing onto each other with no lane between them. Getting materials and scaffold to a back roof can take some thought, and we always agree the plan with you before we start.
How we work
Call us and describe what you have noticed. We will arrange a visit to inspect the roof, then explain what we find without jargon. You then receive a free written quote that sets out the work and the price.
If you go ahead, we agree a start date and keep you informed. Payment is only due once the job is finished and you are completely happy with it.
Why Bishopston homeowners choose us
- Close by. Our Shirehampton base is a short drive across north Bristol.
- Pay when happy. We do not ask for payment until the work is complete to your satisfaction.
- Accredited team. We are registered with the Confederation of Roofing Contractors, and our roofers hold CSCS cards.
- A 15 year warranty on the roofing we carry out.
“Work carried out very thoroughly, quality materials, friendly staff who took time to explain everything too. Very tidy and swept up after once the job was completed.”
Getting to Bishopston
From Shirehampton we cross north Bristol through Westbury Park and down to Gloucester Road. Parking can be tight on the narrow side streets, especially on cricket days near the County Ground, so we talk through access with you before any work is booked.
We are also regularly in neighbouring Horfield to the north and among the Victorian villas of Redland to the west.
Bishopston roofing FAQs
What is nail sickness?
Nail sickness is when the nails holding slates corrode, so slates slip out of place. A few slipped slates can be refixed, but widespread slipping usually means the slope needs stripping and relaying.
Can you reuse my original Welsh slate?
Often, yes. Sound slates can go back on with new fixings, and any damaged ones are replaced with matching reclaimed or new slate.
My back bedroom ceiling is stained. What is causing it?
On a Bishopston terrace, the valley or flashing where the outrigger roof meets the main house is a likely cause. We can inspect it and repair the joint.
Do you repair shared chimney stacks?
Yes. We can quote for the whole stack and explain the work to neighbours who share it.
Can you fit roof windows in a slate roof?
We can. We use flashing kits made for slate so the window sits neatly and stays watertight.
How do you access a terrace with no back lane?
We plan scaffold from the street or through a neighbouring garden with permission, and explain the arrangements before the job starts.
When do I pay?
Only when the work is finished and you are completely satisfied with it.
Are quotes free?
Yes. Every quote in Bishopston is free and carries no obligation.
Talk to a local roofer
If your Bishopston roof needs attention, we are close by and glad to help. Call 07717 610410 or request a free quote.