Slate Roof Repairs by Specialists
Specialist slate roof repairs — slipped slates, leaks and failed flashings, fixed and matched to your existing roof. Slate only: it is the material we know best.
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Tell us about the roof and we'll come back with a straight, specialist answer.
- Natural Slate
- From Cupa Pizarras
- 100+yr
- Natural Slate lifespan
- Warranty
- Workmanship & Products Guaranteed
What we fix
Common slate roof failures.
Most slate "roof" problems are not the slate. Diagnosing the actual entry point is the job.
- Slipped, cracked or missing slates
- Leaks traced to their true source, not the nearest wet patch
- Failed lead flashings, valleys and chimney abutments
- Damage from foot traffic, solar installs or antenna mounts
The difference
Repaired, not patched.
A slate roof asks for particular materials and a particular way of working on it. Getting both right is the difference between a repair that lasts and one that costs you slates.
- Matched replacement slates, repairs that disappear rather than stand out
- Correct access technique, so we do not crack ten slates fixing one
- Copper and lead fixings
- Honest assessment of whether repair or restoration is the right spend
Diagnosis
What you are seeing, and what it usually means.
The symptom and the cause are rarely in the same place on a slate roof. Water can enter at a chimney and appear three metres away.
A slate has slipped out of course
Usual causeWhat is actually failing
Corroded nail, not broken slate — often the first of many
What it needsThe correct fix
Re-fix with copper or a slate hook; check the surrounding course
Damp patch on the ceiling near a chimney
Usual causeWhat is actually failing
Failed lead apron, soaker or back gutter at the abutment
What it needsThe correct fix
Strip and re-form the leadwork; patching mastic buys one season
Staining that runs down a wall internally
Usual causeWhat is actually failing
Valley or box gutter, usually corroded or under-sized
What it needsThe correct fix
Replace the valley lining and check the gutter falls
Slate fragments in the gutters after wind
Usual causeWhat is actually failing
Delamination — the stone splitting along its own bed
What it needsThe correct fix
Assess the whole roof; isolated repair may not be the answer
Several cracked slates in one area
Usual causeWhat is actually failing
Foot traffic — a solar, antenna or aerial install
What it needsThe correct fix
Replace with matched slate and review roof access
Before we arrive
What helps us find it faster.
A leak that only appears in certain conditions is the hardest kind to chase. Anything you have noticed narrows it down considerably.
You do not need to diagnose anything — but the pattern of when water appears tells us a great deal about where it is getting in, and it often saves an hour on the roof.
- Which rooms show it, and whereabouts on the ceiling
- Whether it only happens in driving rain from one direction
- Whether it appeared after a storm, or has crept up over seasons
- Any recent work on the roof — solar, antenna, air conditioning, painting
- Photographs of anything you have found on the ground
- Whether the house is in a heritage overlay
Access
Getting up there without causing the next repair.
Slate does not forgive being walked on. Most of the cracked slates we replace were broken by someone fixing something else.
A slate roof carries load along its courses, not across them. Step in the wrong place and the slate cracks under the nail head where nobody will see it until it slips a year later. It is why a roof that has had several trades over it often needs more work than the original fault ever justified.
We work off roof ladders and staging that spread load across the courses rather than walking the field, and we check the surrounding slates before we come down. It is slower. It is also the difference between a repair and the start of a cycle of them.
What people say
What repair clients say.
S B Peagram
2 days ago
Wells Roofing completed the roof on our home and we're extremely happy with the result. Steve and the team were professional, reliable and easy to deal with throughout the project.
Kat W
a year ago
Wonderfully helpful staff and willing to help out no matter how small or large your project or expected spend is.
Calem
2 years ago
absolute superstar, no problems supplying a few tiles whilst on a job, quick efficient and cheap, thanks heaps again
Kate Adriaans
3 years ago
Needed a couple of spare roof tiles, I emailed, and they had what I needed within a couple of days. Super helpful, great service and great price. Would highly recommend
mark andreasen
4 years ago
Excellent products at best prices
Kane McCartin
5 years ago
Excellent service, Joe's a real gentleman, a pleasure to do business with.
Worked with us? A few words on Google genuinely helps.
Common questions
Questions we’re often asked.
Are slate roofs expensive?
Natural slate costs more upfront than concrete or terracotta tile, but it is the cheapest roof per year of service life. A correctly installed slate roof lasts 100 years or more, so it is typically the last roof the home will ever need. Cost is driven by roof size and complexity, access, slate grade and any structural work required — not by a fixed rate per square metre.
How long does a slate roof last?
A quality natural slate roof, properly installed, lasts well over 100 years. The slate itself often outlives the fixings and flashings, which is why periodic restoration — rather than full replacement — is usually all an older slate roof needs.
Can you walk on a slate roof?
Slate can be walked on, but only by someone who knows where and how to step. Individual slates crack under point loading, and damage is often not visible until it leaks. Any access should be left to a slate specialist using proper roof ladders and load spreading.
Can you install solar panels on a slate roof?
Yes, but the mounting must be designed for slate. Standard tile hooks crack slates and create leak paths. We work with installers to specify slate-appropriate fixings and flash them correctly so the roof's integrity and warranty are preserved.
How much are slate roof tiles?
Natural slate pricing varies according to origin, size, thickness and specification. We supply Spanish slate from CUPA PIZARRAS, selected for its provenance, consistency and proven performance across architectural and heritage roofing projects.
Trade supply is available to architects, builders and roofing professionals. Contact us for current pricing, availability and lead times.
How do you clean a slate roof?
Gently, and rarely. Slate does not need chemical cleaning or high-pressure washing — both damage the stone surface and drive water under the laps. Moss and debris are best removed by hand or with low-pressure water by someone who can access the roof safely.
Can you paint slate roof tiles?
No. Painting or sealing natural slate traps moisture in the stone, causes delamination and voids any material warranty. If a slate roof looks tired, the correct answer is restoration — replacing damaged slates and renewing flashings and ridging — not coating it.
Related
Other specialist work.
Have a project to price?
Send us your plans.
Heritage restoration, a new slate roof or an architect-specified build — send the plans or the roofing specification and you'll get a straight, specialist answer.
Specialist slate & tile roofing since 1982.
Prestige Slate & Tile Roofing Specialists — Since 1982