Tiled & Slate Roofing across Thanet & East Kent

Tiled and slate roofing across Thanet and East Kent. Kent peg, clay, natural and artificial slate, concrete tile. Conservation work welcome. Free survey.

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Tiled & Slate Roofing

Pitched roofs are the traditional roof of this county and there's an enormous amount of variety in them. Kent peg tiles hung on oak pegs, handmade clay, Welsh and Spanish slate, artificial slate, and the concrete interlocking tiles that cover most housing built since the war. Each has its own gauge, its own fixing method and its own way of failing.

Getting it wrong is expensive and obvious. A slate roof laid to the wrong gauge, or a peg-tile roof made up with modern tiles that don't match, is something you look at every day for the next fifty years.

We've been laying tile and slate across East Kent for over twenty years, on everything from listed cottages to ordinary semis.

What we work with

Kent peg tiles — the traditional covering of this county. Small, handmade clay tiles hung on oak pegs. Common around Canterbury, Sandwich, Faversham and the villages, and often listed.
Clay tiles — plain and interlocking, machine-made and handmade. They weather beautifully and last a very long time.
Natural slate — Welsh and Spanish. Welsh slate is the traditional British material and is superb; Spanish slate is excellent value and stands up well to this coastline. We fit both, new and reclaimed.
Artificial slate — a sensible option where budget matters or where the roof structure can't take the weight of natural slate.
Concrete tiles — what most post-war housing in Thanet is covered with. Hard-wearing and straightforward.
Ridges, hips and verges — bedded and mechanically fixed to suit the exposure of the site.
Valleys — lead, GRP or tiled, formed properly.
Leadwork — flashings, soakers and abutments. Every pitched roof lives or dies by its lead.
Roof windows — VELUX and similar, fitted and flashed so they don't leak.

How we do it

We match what's there. On any older property, and always on listed buildings, the replacement has to match. That means salvaging what we can, grading it, and making up the difference with matched reclaimed stock rather than the nearest modern equivalent.

We set out before we lay. The gauge — how far each course laps the one below — has to be right for the pitch, the material and the exposure. Get it wrong on a slate roof and you'll see it in every course for the life of the building, and it will let water in when the wind drives.

We fix for exposure. A roof in Broadstairs or Deal facing open water needs considerably more mechanical fixing than the same roof inland at Canterbury. Clips at the verges, mechanically fixed ridge and hip systems, and more nailing where it's needed.

We spend the time on the lead. Chimney abutments, valleys, dormer cheeks and roof-window surrounds are where pitched roofs actually leak. Almost never in the middle of a slope.

We check the structure. Natural slate is heavy. If a roof is being changed from a lighter covering, or if the timbers have been carrying wet slate for a century, that needs assessing before anything goes back on.

Why Frampton Roofing

We handle traditional materials properly. Kent peg and reclaimed slate are not the same job as concrete interlocking tile, and plenty of firms won't touch them.

Conservation and listed work. We work across the conservation areas of Sandwich, Faversham, Canterbury and Ramsgate, where what goes back on has to be right.

Coastal experience. Twenty years of fixing roofs that face open water teaches you where the standard specification isn't enough.

You deal with Colin. Quote to completion.

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Common questions

How long does a slate roof last?

The slate itself can last well over a hundred years — which is why reclaimed slate is worth having. What usually fails first is the nails. Nail fatigue is what causes slates to start slipping one or two at a time on an otherwise sound-looking roof, and it's the point at which a re-roof starts to make more sense than repairs.

Can I put slate on a roof that currently has concrete tiles?

Sometimes, but it needs checking first. Natural slate and concrete tile have different weights, and the roof structure has to be able to take what's going on it. We'd assess the timbers before recommending a change.

What's the difference between Welsh and Spanish slate?

Both are natural slate and both are good. Welsh slate is the traditional British material, superb quality and priced accordingly. Spanish slate is widely used, considerably better value, and performs very well on this coast. We fit both and will talk you through which suits your building and budget.

Do you work on listed buildings?

Yes, regularly. Materials have to be matched and consents have to be in place, which takes longer, but it's routine work for us.

My tiles keep slipping. Is that a repair or a re-roof?

If it's one or two in one area, a repair. If it's happening in different places each winter, that's usually nail fatigue across the whole roof, and repairs will keep costing you money without solving anything.

Tiled & Slate Roofing across Thanet & East Kent