Lead Work

Lead Work in Cromer

Lead work is the junction between your roof covering and any vertical or projecting element - a chimney stack, a dormer wall, a parapet, or where two roof slopes meet in a valley. When lead lifts, cracks, or is bodged with lap seal and mastic by a previous contractor, water tracks down the back of the stack or along the rafter line and surfaces as a ceiling stain, often metres from where it actually entered.

Good leadwork involves cutting the lead to the correct code for its location - Code 4 for soakers and step flashings, Code 5 or 6 for valleys and parapet gutters - then dressing it properly so it can expand and contract without splitting. On a chimney, this means individually fitted lead soakers under each course of tile, with separate cover flashings chased into the mortar joints and held with lead wedges. We never rely solely on sealant to make a flashing weathertight. On valley gutters we form proper drips at regular intervals so water cannot pond.

Mastic and aluminium flashing tape are not permanent solutions. They harden, crack, and lift within a few years, particularly on the Norfolk coast where thermal cycling is severe and UV exposure is high. Professional lead work, properly installed, should last 50-70 years without attention.

When you call us about a suspected lead failure, we start with a roof-level inspection to confirm the source of the leak before pricing the repair. Minor flashing repairs around a single chimney typically cost £150-£350; full valley replacements on a typical Cromer semi-detached are generally £400-£800 depending on length. Lead work in Cromer typically costs £180-£250 per linear metre for full valley replacement using Code 5 lead. We offer a ten-year guarantee on all new lead installations.

If you have a persistent leak near a chimney or dormer that has been repaired before without lasting success, call us for a proper lead survey.