Ridge tile work - what to ask for?

[Dave]

I've a chap coming along on Friday to give me a guesstimate for repointing the ridge tiles on the roof of our semi. Apart from the cost what should I ask him to do exactly... what I want is all the (half-round) ridge tiles properly cememted back in place as there are chunks missing from the edges and between them. I'd like to avoid the "ah you need a double sprogett coating and liner and a few baffles" etc :-) ie I don't know what I'm taking about :-O I think "ridge tiles" and "pointing" are what I need to ask for. The guy has a good reputation I've heard so should be ok but would appreciate some experise from you chaps. What would you say is approx fair price for such work (3 bed semi + sticky-out roof bit over bay window. Tia

[Ian Stirling]

Be very sure that the builder you use has a clue. Can you get to the back of the section in question, and confirm that no water is coming in? (if you can poke fingers into the wood, this is bad) If they are damp, or worse, rotten, the job just got lots more expensive.

[Dave]

The timber is ok at the moment but now, as there are bits of cement missing from between *some* of the ridge tiles, some rainwater must be getting in as is open to sky at those points (ie I can see small patches of daylight at the apex from within the attic space!)

[T i m]

I'd like to avoid the "ah you need a double sprogett coating and liner and a few baffles" etc :-)

Hi Dave,

I'm not sure "double sprogett coating" is allowed these days (it's not to BS1010).

If you *do* go for his quote and want to see if he is a 'pro', just note how he tries to get onto the roof.

If he ties a rope to the gutter and try's to climb up that with pockets full of mortar, get the Yellow Pages out again ... ;-(

All the best .. ;-)

T i m (sri, it;s been a strange day. I'll get me coat ..) ;-)

[N. Thornton]

The ridge tiles are the curved tiled on the peak of the roof. They need sticking in place with cement, and the cement stuffing between the little gaps between them. Thats it, very simple. You wont need anything else.

Regards, NT

[Owain]

"T i m" wrote | I'm not sure "double sprogett coating" is allowed these days | (it's not to BS1010).

There's a trade use exemption but you have to be an ATRAC card-carrying member of MDLP to be allowed to buy it.

| If he ties a rope to the gutter and try's to climb up that with | pockets full of mortar, get the Yellow Pages out again ... ;-(

It's when he lassos the chimneypot that's a dead giveaway.

Owain