Question answered
Should roofing be done in winter?
The short answer
Roofing can be done in winter, but planned work needs more care. Frost harms fresh mortar, short days limit how much roof can be stripped and made weathertight, and wind and rain stop work. Urgent repairs go ahead whatever the season. A planned replacement that is not urgent may be better timed for a settled spell, and your roofer should explain which applies to you.
Roofing can be done in winter, and leaks and storm damage cannot wait for spring. A planned replacement is different: it asks for more care in the colder months, and sometimes a later start.
Urgent work does not wait for the calendar
A roof that is leaking, or has lost tiles in a gale, should be made safe as soon as it can be, in any month. Damp timbers, wet insulation and ceiling damage get worse with every week of delay, and winter rain finds a fault quickly.
With storm damage and leaks, stopping further water from entering comes first. That may mean a temporary cover or a limited repair now, with the permanent work planned for better conditions. The page on how long a re-roof takes shows how weather affects larger jobs.
The question of waiting only really arises for work that can safely be planned: a full replacement, a re-bedding job or a new covering over a sound structure. Even then, waiting is a judgement about risk, not a rule, and the survey photographs help you make it. If the roof is sound and the leak is minor, a short delay costs little, and if timbers are already wet, it is better not to leave them.
Frost, mortar and the materials that dislike the cold
Fresh mortar does not set properly in frost, and a ridge or verge bedded on a freezing morning can fail within a season. Where a mortar joint is needed, the work is held back for a milder day or the joint is protected while it cures.
A mechanically fixed ridge or dry-fix system, made to BS 8612, sidesteps much of the problem, since the fixings do the holding and not the mortar. That is one reason fixed ridges suit exposed roofs in any season.
Flat roof materials have their own limits. Torch-on felt wants a dry surface, and many adhesives and single-ply products carry a minimum working temperature set by the manufacturer. A flat roof in a cold, damp spell is often better patched for now and replaced later, as the page on flat roofs in winter explains.
Moisture trapped under a new covering is a risk too, so wet boards and battens are dried or replaced before anything is laid over them.
Short days and the stripped roof
A winter day gives the crew less daylight, so less roof can be stripped, reboarded and made weathertight before dark. Rushing to cover more is the wrong answer, and we prefer to open less and finish it properly.
Staged stripping is how a good job handles this. Only the area that can be dried in before the crew leaves is opened, with underlay and battens on or a temporary cover fixed down against wind. The next morning starts on the next section.
The effect on cost is mostly the extra days and the care taken, and the factors that drive a large job are set out under the most expensive part of a re-roof. The survey is followed by a written quote with a single price.
It is fair to ask a roofer how many days the winter version of your job is likely to need, and what happens when the weather closes in.
Condensation and the roof space in cold weather
Moist warm air rising from the rooms below reaches the cold roof timbers and condenses on them, a problem that is worst in winter. A new covering and underlay change how the roof space breathes, and if ventilation is wrong the damp appears as mould on the timbers and the inside face of the covering.
That can make winter a good time to look at ventilation and insulation, because the symptoms are visible. The rules for eaves and ridge openings appear on the page about energy efficient roofing, and the options for insulation beneath a new covering are on insulation when re-roofing.
Do not seal up a roof space in a hurry to keep the cold out. Blocking ventilation makes condensation worse, and the damp ends up in the timbers where it cannot be seen. If you see mould in the loft, tell us at the survey, because it shows the roof space is not drying out as it should and affects what we recommend.
Wind, safety and what we plan around
On the coast, winter brings gales and driving rain, and high wind makes roof work unsafe: loose tiles, sheets and tools become hazards, and scaffold boards need to be secure. We watch the forecast and move the work when it is not safe, and that is the main reason winter dates slip.
When you book a planned replacement for the colder months, expect an approximate window instead of a fixed date, and ask for the plan if a day is lost. If the job can wait until the weather settles, ask the roofer whether waiting gives a better result for your roof.
Many households stay at home during the work; staying in your house during a re-roof covers the practicalities. For the service as a whole, see roof replacement.
Booking a winter re-roof
Is a roof replacement cheaper in winter?
Do not assume it is. Some roofers are quieter in the colder months, but the cost depends on the survey, the access and the covering. The weather mostly changes how many days the job needs, so ask your roofer to explain how the dates and the price fit together.
Can I have a leak repaired now and the roof replaced in spring?
Often, yes. A repair or temporary make-safe stops the water getting worse, and the replacement is planned for settled weather. The survey says whether the repair will hold until then or whether delay risks more damage.
Tell us about your roof
Describe what is happening and we will call you back to arrange a visit.
- Photographs of what we find
- A written quote with one total price
- Or call 01903 299063
10-year workmanship guarantee, in writing.