Roofers in Redland

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 runs a team of over a dozen roofers with his son Tommy. This page covers what we see on Redland roofs and how we can help with yours.

Victorian homes on the hill

Redland was built mostly in the second half of the nineteenth century, as well-off Bristol families moved up the hill from the city centre. The result is a neighbourhood of large semi-detached villas and generous terraces, many in Pennant stone with Bath stone dressings. Roads such as Redland Road and Clarendon Road show off the style at its best.

Roofs here are typically natural Welsh slate, often steep and with several slopes meeting at hips and valleys. Front bays carry their own small roofs, and tall chimney stacks rise from the party walls. Many villas have been split into flats, and lofts across the area have been converted into extra rooms.

How Redland roofs age

Natural slate lasts for generations, yet the iron nails that hold it rarely last as long. When those nails rust through, slates start to slip one at a time. A slate sitting lower than its neighbours or a fragment on the front path is often the first sign that nail sickness has set in.

Lead valleys between roof slopes can split after decades of expanding and contracting in the sun. Bay roofs, sitting directly under the main gutter, take a heavy load of runoff and wear faster than the main roof. Chimney stacks lose their pointing over time until their lead flashing lifts away from the brickwork.

Common roof problems in Redland

• Slipped slates from nail sickness on original roofs.
• Split lead valleys where roof slopes meet.
• Leaking bay window roofs under the main gutter.
• Weathered chimney stacks with worn mortar and flashing.

Slipped slates and split valleys are routine roof repairs for our team. When nail sickness has spread across a whole slope, our pitched roofing service strips and relays the slate with new fixings and a breathable membrane, reusing sound slates to keep the original look. Loft conversions here are often finished with Velux roof windows, which we fit into slate with flashing designed for it.

Keeping period details intact

Redland's villas have plenty of character on their rooftops, from decorative terracotta ridge tiles to ornate finials and carved bargeboards. When we work on these roofs, we keep and reuse those features wherever they are sound. If a ridge tile is cracked beyond repair, we source a match from reclamation suppliers or specialist makers.

Parts of Redland fall within a conservation area. Like-for-like repairs with matching slate are usually straightforward, but changes to the look of a roof may need consent from the council. We are happy to explain what we propose and supply the details you may need.

Flats and shared roofs

Many larger Redland houses have been divided into flats. In those buildings the roof is usually shared, and responsibility for it often lies with the freeholder or a residents' management company. If you own a flat, check your lease before booking roof work. We quote for freeholders and residents' groups as well as individual owners, and we explain the work clearly so everyone can agree on the next step.

Roof windows for converted lofts

Steep slate roofs give Redland lofts plenty of height, which is why so many have been converted. Roof windows on the back slope bring in daylight without altering the front of the house. Fitting them into slate takes care, because the flashing has to sit neatly under and over the surrounding slates. We also replace older roof windows whose seals have failed or whose frames have started to rot.

Gutters and downpipes on period homes

Many Redland villas still have cast iron gutters and downpipes. They suit the houses well, but the joints rust and the brackets loosen with age, so gutters start to sag and drip. Water then runs down the stonework, staining it and soaking into the walls.

We repair cast iron where it is worth saving, and where it is not, we can fit cast iron style guttering in a modern material that keeps the period look without the rust. Timber fascias behind the gutters can rot unseen, so we check them at the same time.

How we work

Ring us and describe the problem. We will arrange a visit and inspect the roof, then talk you through what we find in plain English. A free written quote follows, setting out the work and the price.

Once you decide to go ahead, we agree a start date and keep you informed. Payment is only due when the job is finished and you are completely satisfied.

Why Redland homeowners choose us

• Close at hand. Our Shirehampton base is a short drive across the Downs.
• 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 Redland from Shirehampton

We come along the Portway and up across the Downs, then drop down Redland Road towards Redland Green. Redland station on the Severn Beach line and the church on the green are handy landmarks for directions.

We also work regularly among the Georgian terraces of Clifton and the Victorian streets of Cotham next door.

Redland roofing FAQs

Talk to a local roofer

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