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Victorian brick terrace street with slate roofs and chimneys

Roofers in Thatcham

Repairs, replacement coverings, flat extension roofs and chimney work in Thatcham, from the old streets by the Bluecoat School to the estates that spread across the Kennet valley in the second half of the twentieth century.

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Roofs across the Kennet valley town

Red brick houses with tiled and slate roofs
The old town by the church

The Victoria County History, writing in 1923, described Thatcham's houses and cottages as red brick with slate or tile roofs, the exception being a group of five timber-framed cottages with brick filling on the main road. That is a century-old description, so roofs may have changed, but it shows the town's character: warm brick, plain tile and slate. The Old Bluecoat School, the former chapel of St Thomas the Martyr from before 1304, is Grade I listed, and St Mary the Virgin church carries a Grade II* listing. Buildings of that standing deserve someone on the roof itself rather than a glance from a ladder, and repairs that respect whatever covering is already there.

Estate houses with concrete tiled roofs
Postwar growth across the valley

Thatcham grew fast in the second half of the twentieth century, from about 5,000 residents in 1951 to a great many more by 2001. A large share of what stands today therefore went up in a relatively short period, using roofing products of its own time: concrete interlocking tiles, thin felt under battens, bargeboards in softwood and plastic soffits added later. The recurring faults on such roofs are cracked or slipping tiles, ridge fixings that have loosened, torn felt at the eaves and rotted fascia boards behind full gutters. This is routine work, and mending the fault that is actually there usually makes more sense than re-covering the whole roof.

Moss on a shaded pitched roof beside trees
Beside the river and the canal

Thatcham lies in the valley of the River Kennet some three miles east of Newbury. River, canal and the A4 all run through it, and the Thatcham Reed Beds SSSI lies just south of the built-up area. Bats and nesting birds are protected, so we stop and take advice if either is found using the roof. Houses that sit close to water, trees and reed bed stay damp and shaded, so moss, leaf-blocked gutters and green growth on north slopes show up sooner than they would on higher ground. Rear extensions and garage roofs, often flat, need regular checking because ponding water speeds the ageing of any membrane. Should a stain appear on the ceiling beneath a flat roof, note exactly where; its position helps us trace the entry point.

Swindon to Thatcham by way of the A4

Map showing Thatcham and central Swindon. 30 road miles east-south-east of central Swindon.

Distance
30 road miles east-south-east of central Swindon
Council
West Berkshire Council
Council
West Berkshire Council
Conservation area
Thatcham
Setting
The Kennet valley, east of Newbury

Thatcham roof questions

Can a postwar Thatcham estate be re-roofed?

Yes, and it is everyday work for us. The old covering comes off, the battens and rafters are checked, and a tile suited to the pitch goes on, with the whole job set out in one written quote after the survey.

Why does moss take hold so fast in the Kennet valley?

Damp air, shade and fallen leaves keep tiles wet for longer. Before suggesting a clean we look at the tiles beneath, because a thick mat of moss can hide cracks.

What should I know before re-roofing a listed Thatcham building?

Matching materials, and consent where the work would alter the building's character. We settle the method on site and talk it through with you before an order is placed.

Q1

What roofs did Thatcham's growth leave behind?

Roofers on a slate roof along a limestone village street
Roofers on a slate roof along a limestone village street
Flat-roofed garages behind brick semi-detached houses
Flat-roofed garages behind brick semi-detached houses

The short answer

Plenty of houses put up within a short span of the later twentieth century, with tile coverings, softwood fascias, and flat roofs on garages and rear additions. They are not old, yet they have reached the age of their first real faults, particularly ridge fixings, eaves felt and flat coverings.

A town that expands from a few thousand people to many thousands within fifty years is built quickly, and its roofs reflect that. This is no criticism. It does mean that neighbouring roofs reach the same age together, so the same weak points can appear along a whole street.

What fails first on a roof from that era?

Trouble tends to start at the edges. Ridge tiles bedded on mortar alone work loose, eaves felt tears where it was cut short, verges lift where cement was never backed by fixings, and fascia boards rot behind gutters that have been full for years. A tile that looks sound from the drive can carry a hairline crack that you only see in the hand. Our pitched roofing page explains the coverings involved.

Is a patch enough, or should the whole roof be replaced?

The condition of battens and felt matters more than the age of the tiles. Concrete tiles often last 30 to 60 years, though published sources disagree. Where tiles are sound but the underlay has perished, lifting and re-laying them on new felt and battens saves material. Where the tiles themselves are crumbling, only a new covering will do, and pictures of your own roof will make that plain.

What if only one slope is leaking?

Then one slope may be all that needs doing, provided the other slopes are in similar condition. We say plainly if a half-roof job would leave you with two coverings of different ages and different lives, because that can mean paying for scaffolding twice. Where the budget is tight, mending the fault now and planning a new covering for later is often a reasonable path, and we will lay it out in the quote.

Will replacement tiles match?

Concrete tiles come in standard profiles, so a match is normally available. Colour is the awkward part, because weathered tiles fade and a patch can stand out for a season or two until the new tiles tone down.

Common faults on roofs from the postwar building boom
Part of the roofTypical faultUsual remedy
RidgeBedding crumbling, tiles rockingRe-bed with fixings or dry-fix
EavesTorn or short feltRenew felt and eaves support
VergeCement lifting, tiles shiftingRefix with mechanical fixings
FasciaRot behind overflowing gutterRenew boards and realign gutters
Q2

How do flat extension roofs cope in the Kennet valley?

The answer

They cope if the fall is right and the covering is sound. Flat roofs over garages, kitchens and porches fail where water ponds, where edges lift and where a membrane has run out its working life. A leak below one is rarely directly under the hole above.

Flat roofs are the quiet cost of home improvement. Someone adds a kitchen or a garage, and the roof is forgotten until a ceiling stains. In a damp valley with heavy leaf fall it deserves more attention than it tends to get.

What material is on my flat roof?

Felt, EPDM rubber and fibreglass (GRP) are the three you will meet. MyBuilder puts a flat roof's typical life at 15 to 30 years, and Less gives EPDM 30 to 50, GRP 25 to 40 and torch-on felt 10 to 20, although a good felt job can last 20 years. Those are third-party ranges, not promises. The material, the fall and the workmanship decide the outcome. Our flat roofing page sets out each option.

Why does water pond on mine?

Usually the fall is too shallow, the deck has sagged or an outlet is blocked. BS 6229:2018, as quoted by IKO, recommends designing for 1:40 to reach a finished minimum of 1:80, so a roof that holds a puddle has probably lost some of that fall. The water itself is a warning rather than the fault, though it shortens the life of whatever lies beneath.

How do I look after a flat roof between visits?

Keep leaves and silt out of the outlets, look for lifted edges and cracked seams after autumn, and avoid walking on the membrane in hard-soled shoes. A stiff brush used gently will clear most debris. Anything more than that, send us a photograph.

Can a leaking flat roof be patched?

Sometimes, where the deck is dry and the covering otherwise sound. Sealing over wet insulation only traps the problem, so we test for damp before recommending anything.

A membrane that has simply aged out is a different case. Renewing it is the bigger job, and it settles the matter for years.

Q3

Who has to approve roof work in Thatcham?

Industrial units with grey metal roofs beyond a roof under repair
Industrial units with grey metal roofs beyond a roof under repair
Patch of newly replaced clay tiles on a weathered terrace roof
Patch of newly replaced clay tiles on a weathered terrace roof

The short answer

Planning questions in Thatcham go to West Berkshire Council. Building control is available through Building Control Solutions, which serves the council, or through a registered building control approver. Repairs in matching materials seldom need permission; a listed building does need consent for changes to its character.

Most jobs need no paperwork whatever. Where they do, the route is short and we set it out before you sign.

When does Building Regulations approval come in?

Two numbers from the Planning Portal answer this. Re-covering that touches under 25 per cent of the total building envelope and under 50 per cent of the roof does not normally need building control. Pass either mark and approval is needed, perhaps alongside improved insulation. A new covering 15 per cent or more heavier brings the same requirement. Where a notification is due, we prepare it and send it to the right body.

Is Thatcham a conservation area?

Yes. Thatcham has a conservation area, and West Berkshire Council's maps show where its boundary runs, so check yours before planning anything beyond a matching repair. A different covering, or a new feature on a visible slope, is a question for the council.

What about the Old Bluecoat School and St Mary's?

The Old Bluecoat School holds a Grade I listing, and St Mary's holds Grade II*. Alter a listed building's character, covering included, and listed building consent comes into it. St Mary's serves its parish as a working Anglican church, which places its roof under the diocesan faculty system instead of the council. The Old Bluecoat School no longer holds services, so the council's listed building consent applies there.

On listed work we do not guess. The method is described, agreed with you and recorded in photographs before a single tile is lifted.

MythEvery re-roof needs Building Regulations approval.

FactStay within the Planning Portal's 25 per cent and 50 per cent limits, with a covering of similar weight, and it normally does not.

Roofing services in Thatcham

Nearby towns we cover

Questions from the Thatcham high street

What stops a Thatcham extension roof ponding after rain?

We begin by finding why: a blocked outlet, a deck that has sagged, or a fall that was never enough. Clearing an outlet is a small job, whereas re-laying a deck to a better fall is a larger one, and the survey tells us which you have. Your written quote then shows what we found.

Are fascia boards on 1960s Thatcham houses worth saving?

If the timber is sound, yes, and it can be primed and painted. If it is soft along the bottom edge, where water sits behind the gutter, replacing it is more sensible, and you can fit uPVC or timber. Sources put replacement at around every 10 to 20 years, depending on material and weather.

Do you work in Cold Ash, Greenham and Newbury as well?

Yes, all three lie close to Thatcham and within the area we cover. For anywhere else in West Berkshire, the areas page lists every town and village within reach.

What does the guarantee cover if a Thatcham repair fails?

Our workmanship carries a 10-year guarantee, in writing, and it applies to the work we have done. Photographs taken at survey record the roof as we found it, which keeps the position clear if a question ever comes up.

Ask us about your roof

Tell us what’s happening and we’ll call you back.

  • Photos of what we find
  • A written quote
  • 10-year workmanship guarantee

Or call 01793 626096

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