Roofers in Downend

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 experience, and he leads a team of over a dozen roofers with his son Tommy. This page explains what we see on Downend roofs and how we can help with yours.

A suburb with a village heart

Downend began as a village, and its centre around the crossroads on Downend Road still has older houses and cottages among the shops. Victorian and Edwardian villas line some of the older roads, many in Pennant stone with slate roofs. From the 1930s onwards, semis spread out across the fields, followed by large estates in the 1960s and 1970s.

Those later estates make up much of modern Downend. Their homes usually have concrete tiled roofs, often at a shallower pitch than older houses, with garages and flat-roofed extensions alongside. Many have also gained loft conversions and new porches over the years.

Roofs at different stages of life

Because Downend grew over a long period, roofs on neighbouring streets can be at very different stages. Victorian slate may have been relaid once already or may still be on its original nails. Inter-war tiles may be nearing the end of their life, while roofs from the 1960s and 1970s are now showing worn tiles and failing mortar.

That variety is why we always look at your particular roof rather than assuming anything from the age of the street. Two houses that look identical from the road can need quite different work.

Common roof problems in Downend

• Slipped slates on older villas where nails have corroded.
• Loose ridge and verge mortar on 1960s and 1970s homes.
• Moss on concrete tiles blocking gutters.
• Leaking flat roofs over garages and kitchen extensions.

Slipped slates and loose ridges are routine roof repairs for our team. When an older roof has reached the end of its life, a new roof with fresh battens and a breathable membrane will protect the house for decades. Flat roofs over garages and kitchens are a job for our flat roofing service, which strips the old felt and lays a modern covering.

1960s and 1970s roofs

Estates from this period are now fifty or sixty years old, and their roofs are at an age where small problems start appearing more often. Large concrete tiles on shallow pitches can let wind-driven rain creep underneath if they have shifted. Mortar on ridges and verges cracks and falls away.

Many of these roofs can be brought up to date without a full replacement. Fitting a dry verge and dry ridge system removes the reliance on mortar, and clearing moss helps the tiles shed water properly again. Where the felt underneath has failed at the eaves, adding eaves protection and new fascias stops water running behind the gutter.

Victorian villas and chimneys

Older villas in Downend often have tall chimney stacks that have been exposed to weather for over a century. Their mortar wears away until the lead flashing where they meet the roof finally lifts. Damp on a chimney breast inside is often the first sign. Repointing the stack and renewing the lead usually solves it, and we can rebuild the top courses where the brickwork has become loose.

Flat roofs over garages

Downend's 1960s and 1970s estates are full of attached garages and flat-roofed kitchen extensions. Felt laid when those were built has usually reached the end of its life by now. Cracks in the surface and puddles that sit for days after rain are the warning signs, and a leak into the garage or kitchen ceiling is rarely far behind.

Replacing a flat roof properly starts with stripping the old covering so we can see the deck. Soft boards are swapped out, and we make sure the roof falls towards its gutter before laying a new covering. On porches, a small tiled or lead roof can look smarter than felt and match the main house, and we are happy to talk through the options.

Gutters and leaves

Mature trees in many Downend gardens and along the older roads drop leaves into gutters every autumn. A blocked gutter overflows onto the brickwork and can rot the fascia board behind it. A yearly clear-out, ideally after the leaves have fallen, keeps rainwater flowing where it should.

How we work

Ring us and describe what you have noticed. We will arrange a visit and inspect the roof, then explain what we find in plain language. A free written quote follows, setting out the work and the cost.

Once you are ready, we agree a start date and keep you informed. Payment is only due when the job is finished and you are completely satisfied with it.

Why Downend homeowners choose us

• Bristol based. Our Shirehampton base gives us easy reach across the city.
• Pay when happy. We do not ask for payment until the work is complete to your satisfaction.
• Accredited roofers. We are registered with the Confederation of Roofing Contractors, and our team holds CSCS cards.
• A 15 year warranty stands behind our roofing work.

Getting to Downend from Shirehampton

We take the ring road across north Bristol, or come through Frenchay, to reach Downend Road. The crossroads at the village centre and Cleve Hill make useful landmarks for directions.

We also work regularly in neighbouring Staple Hill and Fishponds.

Downend roofing FAQs

Talk to a local roofer

If your Downend roof needs attention, we are happy to help. Call 07717 610410 or request a free quote.