Garage roof replacement in Worthing

1.1 Where water gets in on a garage

Garages have little to hide the damage. There is often no ceiling, so a leak shows as a stain on the joists or a drip onto the car. On a flat roof the weak points are the edges, the junction with the house wall, the gutter outlet and any seam that has stood in water. Felt blisters in summer sun and cracks in winter frost, the cracks let rain reach the deck, and wet boards soften from underneath long before anything shows on top. On a pitched roof it is the usual suspects: slipped tiles, a cracked ridge, a lead flashing lifting where the garage meets the house, and a gutter or valley full of silt. On a sheet roof the laps and fixings are the trouble, because the holes round each bolt widen and the sheets crack at the fixing points.

Because nobody lives in a garage, small leaks run for years. The damp rots the deck, rusts whatever is stored below and, if the garage is attached, can creep into the wall it shares with the house. That is why we look underneath the covering as well as at it, and why a quote comes after the survey rather than before it.

1.2 Repair or replace the garage roof

A roof repair is the right answer when the fault is local and the deck beneath is sound: a split along one seam, a cracked corner, a handful of tiles. A new roof is the better answer when the covering has failed across its whole surface, when water has stood on it for years, or when the boards give under a gloved hand from inside. Patching over a soft deck only moves the leak along, and we show you the soft patch in a photograph so the decision rests on evidence. If the deck is dry, firm and well fixed, a new covering can go straight over it. If it is not, the deck is renewed first, and we recommend the smaller job whenever it properly solves the problem. Our roof repairs page covers the smaller jobs.

4.1 Fixings, ridges and the weight of the covering

Since the 2014 revision of BS 5534, a ridge or hip tile gets a clip or screw on top of its bedding, since mortar by itself no longer counts as enough to hold it, and dry-fix systems are tested to BS 8612:2018. Wienerberger's rule is a minimum of one mechanical fixing for each single-lap tile, to a specification written for the site. Garage rafters can be lighter than those on the house, so before loading them with a heavier covering we check the timber. The Planning Portal says a new covering that increases the weight of the roof by 15 per cent or more brings Building Regulations approval, so a change from lightweight tiles to natural slate is a decision we raise at the survey, not at the end.

4.2 Lead work where the garage meets the house

Where a garage roof runs up against a house wall, the joint is sealed with a lead flashing tucked into the brickwork, with soakers beneath on a tiled roof. Code 4 is the weight Leadworx points to for everyday flashings. Cut to sensible lengths and dressed tight, it will often outlast the covering on either side. This is craftsmanship that cannot be rushed: the joint is chased into the mortar course, the lead dressed down over the tiles or the upstand, and the pointing finished so rain cannot track behind it. A line of sealant over a failed flashing only hides the fault for a season.

6.1 What moves the figure

Size comes first, because covering is priced across the area and the trims round the perimeter. The deck is next: replacing rotten boards or a sagging joist adds to the job, which is why we look underneath before putting a number on it. Access matters too. A garage with a side passage and a rear garden gate is quick to load and clear, while one at the end of a long shared drive costs more time. Gutters, fascias and a failed wall flashing are often renewed together. A pitched roof costs more than a flat one for the same footprint, because it needs more timber, more labour and often a scaffold. If asbestos cement is involved, MyBuilder puts average removal at around £2,000, with area rates starting at £50 per m², and Checkatrade gives £950 to £3,750 for removal and disposal.

6.2 Reading a quote fairly

Put the same questions to each firm. Does the price include VAT, which is charged at the standard 20%? Does it include a scaffold or tower and the waste? Has an experienced roofer looked at the deck, or was the job priced from the drive? The most useful quote is the one that tells you what covering is going on and what happens if the deck turns out to be soft. We price the work fairly, and what you receive is one total for the whole job. Our garage roof cost guide goes deeper into the national figures.