Stone slate and heritage roofing
Roofline repairs and re-lays Yorkshire stone slate and clay pantile roofs and works on older and listed buildings across the region, from the Pennine villages of Calderdale and Kirklees to the Dales, York and the coast. Traditional materials, diminishing courses and the paperwork handled.
Roofs that were built to outlast the builder
West of the M1 the geology changes and so do the roofs. From Sheffield's western edge up through Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Halifax, Haworth and into the Dales, the towns and villages are built in local sandstone and many are still roofed in graduated stone slates, laid in diminishing courses with the largest at the eaves. The Elland Flags around Halifax were being split for roofing by the fourteenth century, and Bradford's own sandstone slates were the universal roof there until the railways brought Welsh slate. East of the Vale of York and all along the coast the tradition is clay pantiles instead, on York's older streets, in Beverley and Hull's Old Town and on the fishing villages from Staithes to Flamborough. Both are long-lasting and unlike anything else, and they need a roofer who understands how they work.
- Stone slate repairs, re-laying and re-bedding
- Sourcing reclaimed and new-cut Yorkshire stone slates
- Graduated courses set out to the original pattern
- Lime torching and lime mortar where the original was lime
- Traditional lead detailing at valleys, ridges and chimneys
- Clay pantiles re-laid, matched and re-pointed on the coast and in the Vale of York
- Welsh slate and clay tile on Victorian and Edwardian villas
- Work on listed buildings and in conservation areas
Stone slate is heavy, so the roof structure under it matters as much as the covering. We check the timbers properly before recommending anything, and we will tell you honestly whether the roof can be repaired course by course or needs stripping and re-laying.
Every job is photographed before and after so you can see exactly what was done.
Signs a stone slate roof needs attention
Stone slate roofs move slowly. Problems tend to show as slipping courses and failing pegs rather than sudden leaks.
- Slates slipped out of line along a course
- Broken or split slates, often at the peg hole
- Oak or metal pegs failing, letting slates drop
- Torching falling from the underside in the loft
- Sagging along the ridge from the weight
- Moss lifting the slates at the laps
- Water tracking in at the chimney or valleys
- A previous repair in the wrong material
- Timber decay visible at the eaves or in the loft
Stone slate and heritage roofing: your questions
Can you source Yorkshire stone slates?
Yes. Reclaimed stone slates are available from Yorkshire salvage yards, and new stone slates are still cut from quarries in the Pennines. Reclaimed suits repairs and matches weathered roofs; new-cut is sometimes needed for whole roofs or where consent requires it. We will show you what is available for your roof.
Do I need consent to re-roof a listed building or a house in a conservation area?
On a listed building, any change to the roof covering or detailing needs listed building consent from your local council, and even like-for-like work is best discussed with the conservation officer first. Some places go further: in Saltaire, for example, the council only accepts reclaimed or new Welsh slate and almost all roof work needs consent. In a conservation area, like-for-like repair usually does not need consent, but changing the material might. We handle this sort of work regularly and will tell you what applies to your property.
Can stone slate be mixed with new material?
On the roof slopes, no: mixing looks wrong and weathers differently. Modern breathable membranes under the slates and stainless fixings are fine and generally accepted, since they are not visible and improve the roof's performance.
Trusted roofers across Yorkshire
Based in South Yorkshire and working from the Pennines to the coast. Choose your region or just send us your postcode.
Roofers near you
- West Yorkshire
- South Yorkshire
- North Yorkshire
- East Yorkshire and Hull
- Teesside and the Tees Valley
- Grimsby and Scunthorpe
- Every area across Yorkshire
Biggest cities:
Not listed? We still cover you. See the full list of areas.
Stronger communities.
Get a free quote
Fill in the form and we will get back to you quickly. No obligation, no hard sell.
