Service
Leadwork in BathThe Detail That DecidesWhether a Roof Leaks
Lead is what keeps water out where a roof meets something else. Formed and dressed correctly it lasts a lifetime; done with mastic it fails in two winters. We do the former.
Established 2004 · 22 years on Bath roofs · £1,000,000 public liability
22 years' experience
Established 2004
Fixed-price quotes
Agreed in writing, not a day rate
£1,000,000 public liability
Insured for your protection
Emergency call-out
Available when a roof cannot wait
Overview
What Roofing Leadwork Covers
Leadwork is the trade within roofing that handles junctions. Wherever a roof meets a wall, a chimney, another roof slope, a parapet or a dormer, the tiles or slates alone cannot keep water out: the lead does. Flashings, soakers, valley linings, saddles, aprons and back gutters are all lead components, and collectively they are responsible for the majority of leaks we are called to.
The work is part metalwork, part roofing. Lead has to be the right code (thickness) for the job, cut to length so thermal movement does not split it, dressed to the shape of the covering it sits on, and mechanically fixed and wedged into masonry rather than glued to the surface.
We carry out both repair and full renewal of leadwork, on everything from a single stepped flashing to complete valley linings and dormer detailing on period property across Bath.
Who this work is for
- Homeowners with a persistent leak at a chimney, wall junction or valley
- Properties where cement fillets or mastic have been used instead of lead
- Owners of dormers, parapets and bay roofs with recurring damp below the junction
- Anyone whose lead has split, cracked or fatigued along a fold line
- Period properties where the original leadwork has reached the end of its life
What's included
- Lead flashings to chimneys, abutments and parapets
- Lead valleys and gutters
- Soakers, saddles and dormer detailing
- Repair or full renewal of failed leadwork
What happens if it is left
The Cost of Waiting Another Winter
Leadwork failures are slow, and expensive. Water entering at a valley or a back gutter runs down inside the roof structure and appears somewhere else entirely, so the damage is done to timber and plaster long before anyone connects it to the junction that caused it.
Splits in lead are usually caused by installation, not age. Lead expands and contracts significantly with temperature; a lead sheet laid in over-long lengths has nowhere to move, so it tears along the same line every time. Patching that tear does not remove the cause, which is why the same valley leaks again the following year.
The commonest and costliest shortcut is a mortar fillet or a bead of mastic where a lead flashing should be. Both are rigid. Both crack. Both then channel water directly into the wall or roof structure while looking, from the ground, like the job has been done. Years of internal damp treatment usually follow before anyone goes up to look at the actual junction.
Common mistakes we are called in to undo
- Mastic or cement fillets used in place of properly dressed lead flashings
- Lead laid in lengths too long for thermal movement, guaranteeing splits
- Flashings surface-fixed to render rather than chased into a masonry joint
- Lead code too thin for the exposure, so it fatigues early
- Patching a split repeatedly instead of re-forming the detail correctly
Our process
How the Job Runs, Start to Finish
The same sequence on every job, so you always know what happens next and what it costs before it happens.
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Step 1
Inspection
We examine every junction on the affected elevation, flashings, soakers, valleys, aprons and back gutters, and identify where water is entering.
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Step 2
Diagnosis
We explain whether the lead has failed through fatigue, wrong sizing, poor fixing or being absent altogether.
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Step 3
Fixed written price
Materials, lead code, access and making good, all covered in a single written price before any work starts.
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Step 4
Forming and fixing
Lead cut to correct lengths, formed and dressed to the covering, chased into joints, wedged and pointed as it should be.
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Step 5
Check and finish
Junctions checked under water where practical, surrounding covering reinstated and the site left clean.
What you get
Why This Work Is Worth Doing Properly
Junction leaks actually stop
Detailing the junction correctly is the only lasting fix, sealant treats a symptom.
Decades of service life
Correctly sized and fixed lead is one of the longest-lasting materials on any roof.
Movement accommodated
Correct lead lengths mean expansion has somewhere to go, so the sheet does not split along a fold.
Suits period property
Lead is the traditional and appropriate material for the Georgian and Victorian roofs across Bath.
Hidden damage prevented
Sound junctions keep water out of rafters, wall heads and plaster where repairs get expensive.
Fixed price
Written and agreed before we begin, with access included.
In detail
Leadwork: Materials, Methods and Variations
The specifics that decide whether the work lasts, written out so you can judge any quote you receive, including ours.
Lead Codes, Lengths and Fixings
Lead is specified by code: a number reflecting thickness. Heavier codes are used where lead is exposed, walked near, or spans larger widths such as valleys and gutters; lighter codes suit soakers and small flashings. Using too thin a code to save material is a false economy that shows up as fatigue cracking within a few years.
Length is just as important. Each piece must be short enough that thermal movement is absorbed at laps and welts rather than by stretching the sheet. Fixings must allow that movement, clips and welted joints rather than nailing a sheet rigid across its length. Upstands are chased into a masonry joint, wedged with lead and pointed, not stuck to the face of the wall.
Types of Leadwork We Carry Out
Different junctions need different components, and most roofs need several of them working together.
- Stepped flashings to chimneys and abutments on pitched roofs
- Front aprons and back gutters at chimney stacks
- Soakers interleaved with slates and plain tiles at wall junctions
- Lead valley and box gutter linings between roof slopes
- Saddles at ridge-to-wall junctions and awkward intersections
- Dormer cheeks, tops and parapet gutter linings
- Cover flashings to flat roof upstands and rooflight junctions
Valleys and Parapet Gutters
A valley carries the water from two roof slopes at once, so any failure there delivers a large volume of water straight into the structure. Lead valleys need adequate width, correct code, sound support beneath and short enough bays. Parapet and box gutters behind Georgian and Victorian frontages are the same problem with the added complication of being invisible from the ground and often blocked with debris.
We reline valleys and parapet gutters, correct the support beneath where boarding has rotted, and make sure outlets can actually take the flow rather than backing up over the upstand.
Repair or Renew
Lead can sometimes be repaired: a small hole, a localised lift, a failed clip. Where lead has split from fatigue, been laid in over-long lengths, or lost thickness through age, renewal is the only lasting answer and we will say so rather than sell a patch.
On heritage roofs we take care to keep detailing sympathetic to the property, matching the existing approach where it was correct and correcting it where it was not.
Questions
Cost, Timescales and Guarantees
The questions we are asked most often, answered straight.
Can old lead be repaired?
Sometimes. If it has split from fatigue or has been laid in over-long lengths, renewal is the only lasting answer and we will tell you so rather than patching it repeatedly.
How much does leadwork cost?
It depends on the component, the lead code, the length of the run and the access needed. We inspect first and quote one fixed written price.
How long does lead flashing last?
Correctly sized, formed and fixed lead is one of the longest-lived materials on a roof and routinely outlasts the covering around it. Badly detailed lead fails in a few years, which is the difference the workmanship makes.
Why does my lead flashing keep splitting?
Almost always because the pieces are too long for thermal movement, or the sheet has been fixed rigidly. Re-forming it in correct lengths solves it; patching does not.
Can you replace a cement fillet with proper lead?
Yes, and it is one of the most worthwhile jobs on older Bath property. The fillet is removed, the joint chased, and a stepped flashing formed and wedged in.
How long does the work take?
Most domestic flashing and valley jobs are completed within a day or two once access is in place. We confirm a realistic timescale with the quote.
Do you do emergency leadwork repairs?
Emergency call-out is available where a roof cannot wait. We make it watertight first, then complete the permanent detail correctly.
Is leadwork suitable for listed and period property?
Lead is the traditional material for these junctions and is generally the appropriate choice. Tell us the property status when you call so we can factor it in.
Which areas do you cover for leadwork?
Bath, Bristol, Keynsham, Saltford, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Frome, Radstock and Midsomer Norton.
Related roofing services
- Chimney workRepointing, rebuilds, flashings and capping, chimneys made sound and weathertight.
- Flat roofsExtensions, garages and dormers made watertight with correctly detailed flat roof coverings.
- Roof repairsLeaks traced, slipped tiles reset and weak areas made watertight, repaired properly rather than patched.
- All roofing servicesEvery service we carry out across Bath and Bristol.
Get a Fixed Price for Leadwork in Bath
Inspection first, written fixed price second, no work started until you have agreed it. 22 years' experience, £1,000,000 public liability. Call Luke Watts on 07735 894962 or send the details and we will arrange a look at the roof.