Dry verge caps

[F]

I've been intending to install dry verge caps for a while but thought I'd get a couple of firms round to give me a quote to see if diy was worth the effort.

One of them told me they could nail the caps into the ends of the laths through the mortar that fills the gap between the ends of the tiles and the asbestos board underneath. The other insisted that the end tiles had to be removed, additional 'lath extenders' installed, the mortar replaced and the caps fitted into the extenders. So I'm confused.

Clearly the second method would be more complete, but is it totally necessary?

Does any missing mortar have to be replaced/re-skimmed?

Just how much loading is there on an individual cap when they are interlocked?

We have the equivalent of five gables (98 tile ends) so there's a lot to do. Firm number one wanted £800, number two wanted £1800.

Anyone any thoughts on this, including diying it?

TIA

[<me9]

Some of my neighbours had their's done the first method. They blew off.

If you are doing it other than for just cosmetic reasons then the end tiles need removing and any remedial work (replacing felt or battens) done.

[F]

Anyone?

[sm_jamieson]

You've got to remove the mortar and extend the battens. I fitted dry verge on a new roof, and the caps are nailed with annular nails through a spring clip, which is fixed to the side of the batten. The nails are really held by the clips. If you just nailed into the end of the batten the fix would be weak. I'm not sure how you extend the battens though. Simon.

[F]

Thanks: that's the kind of thing I wanted to know.

One of the guys mentioned plastic extenders but didn't go into detail.

Though I built three out of the four roofs myself 25-30 years ago, I really don't think I want to be stuck up a ladder removing and refitting tiles to fit the caps. I'd more happily just nail them through the (crumbling) mortar but that doesn't sound like a good idea.

Looks like I'm going to have to take the wheelbarrow down to the cash machine with £1500 looking like the best price so far. Two men, two days, the edges of 98 tiles: does that sound reasonable?

[sm_jamieson]

OK, in bodge city, what about patching up the mortar, soaking it in thinned-down SBR (or PVA) to solidify it, then very long screws into the batten ends. Assuming you know where the battens are ! The nail / screws are hidden by the next cap along. Simon.

[F]

The battens are right under the spring clips that are nailed into them and that curl over the tiles to hold them down. I know that because I put them there when I built the roofs!

On reflection, I think it's probably best to get someone in to do it. There's no point in going down the bodge route and so to do it properly it's going to be a long time at the top of a long ladder and/or working off a pitched roof. If it takes two guys two days on scaffolding, and they do it day in day out (so they're not going to be sussing it out as they go along), it's going to take me a lot longer. Discretion... valour... etc.

Thanks for the help, though!