Roof work by McCluskey Roofing
Working in Morpeth from our Wallsend base
McCluskey Roofing North East Ltd is based in Wallsend, and Morpeth is one of the Northumberland towns we cover. Because it is further north than our usual North Tyneside work, we plan Morpeth visits in advance and let you know when we can come out, rather than leaving you waiting on an open-ended promise.
You can reach us on 07770 714430 or the office on 0191 468 2893, Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm. It helps to tell us the age of the house if you know it, whether it is stone or brick, and where you have seen damp, loose slates or crumbling mortar.
Older stone and slate properties
In and around the town centre, many houses are stone built with natural slate roofs, deep chimney stacks and lead-lined gutters or valleys. These roofs were often built to last, but after many decades the nails that hold the slates, the lime mortar on the chimney and the lead details are usually what start to fail first.
On roofs like these, small changes stand out. A heavy concrete tile, the wrong colour of slate or a modern ridge can look out of place on an older street. Where a property has planning or conservation considerations, mention them early so the right materials can be discussed before anything is quoted.
Chimney repointing and leadwork on older roofs
Tall stone and brick stacks take the full force of wind and rain. When the pointing erodes, water can soak into the masonry and show up as damp on a chimney breast inside, sometimes well away from the stack itself. Repointing the joints and checking the flaunching at the top deals with the cause rather than the stain.
The flashings where the stack meets the slates matter just as much. Lead that has cracked, lifted or been sealed over with mastic is a common source of leaks on older Morpeth roofs. We assess the masonry and the lead together. Our chimney repointing page explains the work in more detail.
Re-roofing in slate or tiles to suit the street
When a roof is beyond repair, the choice of covering is a big decision on an older house. Natural slate can often be matched closely to neighbouring roofs, and on some jobs sound slates can be reused alongside new ones. On other properties, a tiled roof is already the established look and replacing like for like makes sense.
We talk through the options, how each will look from the street and what is needed underneath, including battens, underlay and ventilation. Our slate roof replacement page covers the practical side of re-slating.
Flat roofs on extensions, dormers and garages
Even on period houses, there is often a flat roof somewhere: a rear extension, a dormer cheek or a detached garage. These are frequently the parts that leak first, especially where old felt has cracked around an upstand or outlet.
We repair flat roofs where that is worthwhile and replace them, often with EPDM rubber, where it is not. On a dormer, the junction with the surrounding slates needs particular care, and we check it as part of the same visit.
How a survey and quote work
When we visit, we look at the roof, the chimney, the gutters and any flat sections, and ask about the problems you have noticed. Afterwards you receive a free written quote explaining what we recommend and why, including anything that can only be confirmed once work begins.
There is no pressure to go ahead. If the answer is a small repair rather than a new roof, we will say so.
Gutters, valleys and older details
On many older Morpeth houses, the gutters and valleys hidden behind a parapet or between two slopes are where trouble begins. Leaves and moss collect, water backs up and finds its way under the slates or into the wall. During a survey we look at these hidden channels as well as the visible slopes, because clearing or relining them can sometimes solve a damp problem that looked far more serious from inside the house.
Nearby areas
Around Morpeth we also cover places such as Pegswood, Stannington, Longhirst, Hepscott, Mitford, Ulgham, Tritlington, Hebron, Ponteland and Bedlington. If you are not sure whether we reach your village, call with your postcode.