Lead Roofs, Valleys & Flashings in Newcastle.

Code-correct lead roofing, valleys, soakers, flashings and snowboards, formed by hand on site. Lead work is where most roofs fail first, so it's worth having done by someone who does it properly.

Why lead fails — and it's rarely the lead

Lead itself lasts a century or more. What fails is how it was fitted. Runs made too long crack from thermal movement, because lead expands and contracts more than most people expect. Too thin a code splits. And mortar fillets used instead of proper stepped flashings — the cheap shortcut — crack out within a few years and let water straight in.

Lead valleys between roof slopes
Chimney flashings: front apron, stepped sides and back gutter
Abutment flashings where a roof meets a wall
Soakers under slate and tile at abutments
Lead-covered flat roofs, bay tops and porch roofs
Snowboards and parapet gutters
Dormer cheeks and tops

Doing it properly

We use the correct lead code for the application, keep runs within the recommended lengths with proper laps and expansion joints, and dress everything by hand on site. Chimney flashings are formed as a front apron, stepped side flashings with soakers, and a back gutter — not a smear of mortar. If your stack needs work at the same time, see chimney repairs.

Free survey — existing leadwork and the cause of any failure assessed
Fixed written quote with lead codes specified
Safe access set up
Old lead and any mortar fillets stripped out
Substrate checked and timber renewed where it's rotted
New lead cut, bossed and dressed by hand to size
Correct laps, clips and expansion joints formed
Covering made good around the new work, patination oil applied

What it costs

Lead is priced by weight, so the code and the area drive the cost. A chimney flashing set is a fixed job. A full valley or a lead flat roof is a bigger number — but it's a fifty-to-hundred-year answer rather than a ten-year one.

What's included

Every lead job we quote includes the following.

Free survey and fixed written quote
Correct lead code specified for the application
Safe access — scaffold where the work needs it
Old lead and mortar fillets fully stripped out
Timber substrate checked and renewed where rotten
Lead cut, bossed and dressed by hand on site
Proper laps, clips and expansion joints
Stepped flashings and soakers, not mortar fillets
Patination oil applied to prevent white staining
All waste removed and old lead responsibly disposed of
Written workmanship guarantee

Related work

Chimney repointing while the flashings are off
Valley slates or tiles renewed alongside a new valley
Parapet gutter lining renewed
Dormer roof re-covered

What lead code do I need?

It depends on the application — flashings, valleys and flat roof work all call for different thicknesses, and run length affects it too. We specify the code in the quote rather than leaving it vague.

Why has my lead flashing cracked?

Almost always because the run was made too long without an expansion joint. Lead moves a surprising amount with temperature, and if it can't move it splits.

Is a mortar fillet acceptable instead of lead?

No. It's a shortcut that cracks out within a few years and lets water straight into the wall. If you have one, it's worth replacing before it causes damp.

Why has white staining appeared on my new lead?

That's carbonate forming on new lead, and it washes down onto the slate below. Patination oil applied at installation prevents it — we apply it as standard.

Can lead be repaired or does it need replacing?

Small splits can be lead-welded. If the lead has failed because the original run was too long, patching it just moves the problem, so replacement is the honest answer.