Roofers in Staple Hill

We are JD Home Improvements, a family run roofing company on West Town Road in Shirehampton. Joe, our director, has over 20 years of roofing experience, and he leads a team of more than a dozen roofers alongside his son Tommy. This page explains what we see on Staple Hill roofs and how we can help with yours.

Pennant stone and slate

Staple Hill's character comes from Pennant sandstone, the dark grey local stone quarried nearby and used for walls across east Bristol. Terraces and semi-detached houses built from it line the streets around Broad Street and Page Park, most dating from the late Victorian and Edwardian years. Their roofs are typically Welsh slate, often with decorative ridge tiles and stone or brick chimney stacks.

Later decades added inter-war semis and post-war homes on the edges of the area, many with concrete tiled roofs. The Bristol and Bath Railway Path, built on the old line, now runs right through the middle, a green route that many Staple Hill homes back onto.

How older Staple Hill roofs age

Welsh slate is hard-wearing, and many local roofs still have their original slates. The weak spot is the iron nails that hold them. Over a century, those nails rust, and slates start to slip one at a time. A slate hanging below its neighbours, or a broken piece in the garden, is often the first sign.

Chimney stacks are another common issue. Pennant stone and old brick stacks lose their pointing over time, and the lead flashing where they meet the roof eventually lifts. Water then finds its way down inside the chimney breast, showing as damp on a bedroom wall.

Common roof problems in Staple Hill

• Slipped slates from nail sickness on older roofs.
• Weathered chimney stacks with worn pointing.
• Damp at the outrigger where its roof meets the main wall.
• Leaking felt roofs on rear extensions.

Slipped slates and outrigger leaks are routine roof repairs for us. Old stacks often need our chimney repairs service, which repoints the masonry and renews the lead. When a whole roof has worn out, a new roof in natural slate keeps the period look while giving the house decades of protection.

Strip and relay for original slate

If nail sickness has spread across a slope but the slates themselves are sound, a strip and relay is usually the best value. We take the slates off and lay new battens over a breathable membrane, then put the sound slates back with copper or stainless nails. Damaged slates are replaced with matching reclaimed or new ones, so the finished roof looks just like the original.

Where many slates have become soft or flaky, new natural slate is the better route. We check the condition carefully and give you an honest recommendation, with both options priced where each is realistic.

Working with Pennant stone

Pennant stone needs a little care during roof work. Chimneys and parapets built from it are best repointed with a mortar that suits the stone, and flashings should be cut neatly into the joints rather than stuck to the face. Getting those details right means repairs last and the stonework is not damaged in the process.

Outriggers and back extensions

Like many Victorian terraces, Staple Hill homes often have a narrow rear outrigger with its own roof. The joint where that roof meets the main wall is protected by lead or mortar, and when it fails, damp appears in the back bedroom or above the kitchen. Many outriggers have also gained flat-roofed kitchen extensions, whose old felt is often due for replacement.

Homes along the Railway Path

Many Staple Hill houses back onto the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, with mature trees and shrubs growing along the old embankments. That greenery is lovely to live beside, though it drops leaves into gutters and shades roofs, letting moss settle on the slates. Thick moss lifts slate edges and washes down to block the downpipes.

A yearly gutter clear-out after the leaves fall prevents most of the damp we see on rear walls here. Where moss has built up, we remove it by hand and treat the roof so it stays clear for longer, without scraping or blasting the slate.

How we work

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

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

Why Staple Hill 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 backs our roofing work.

Getting to Staple Hill from Shirehampton

We cross the city via the ring road or through Fishponds to reach Broad Street. Page Park and the Railway Path make handy landmarks if you are giving directions.

Our team is also regularly in neighbouring Downend and Kingswood.

Staple Hill roofing FAQs

Talk to a local roofer

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