Embarking on the path towards building a whole new roof can feel daunting. However, you might have to contemplate taking this path if your roof is damaged beyond repair or nearing the end of its natural lifespan. This situation leaves you with a myriad of choices to make about your new roof.
Whether your attention will be dedicated solely to the roof, or it will form part of a new-build property set to take shape on the same job, here are several crucial options you must consider.
Here’s the pitch: you need just the right pitch
The roof’s pitch is its slant, which will exist in one form or another, even if you opt for a flat roof. Unsurprisingly, a flat roof will remain very narrow in pitch, but it can’t entirely do without one; otherwise, water can too easily pool heavily on that roof, and so risk breaking it.
However, you also don’t want to go too far the other way with the pitch. An overly steep one will look bizarre as well as add to the cost of materials, Homebuilding & Renovating warns.
What planning permission will you need, if any?
Various types of roof work, such as replacing the roof covering or adding dormer windows, do not – within certain parameters – usually call for planning permission. Unfortunately, though, you might not be off the hook quite as easily if you have your eye on a whole new roofing structure.
For this reason, if you’re unsure whether your project will need that permission, you should ask the local authority to assess your specific plans.
Choose the right material for the roof covering
Each type of roofing material has its own qualities that make it suited to particular purposes in a roof. Slate, a traditional favourite among roofing materials, happens to be natural, fire-resistant and capable of staying the course on your roof for as long as 150 years.
However, as slate is ill-advised for low-pitched roofs, you might prefer to turn your attention to a single-ply PVC roofing membrane, which can be fitted in a way that waterproofs the roof.
What colour scheme should you go for?
As slate is a popular roofing material, your local authority might insist on you using it to match neighbouring properties, says Build It. It’s convenient, then, that slate is available in a range of crisp tones, including grey, black, green and blue.
If you’ve got more control over the colour scheme, though, you could consider This Old House‘s advice that you choose a shade tying into the property’s trim.
Think about what extras your roof could benefit from
Opting for a new-build roof is an ideal opportunity for you to have that roof built precisely to your liking; you’re not necessarily restricted by an pre-existing template. As our roofing services for Newcastle households range from building chimneys to installing Velux windows, you can get extras like these sorted out as we work on assembling the rest of the roof for you, too.
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