Slate Roofing

Service Details

Natural slate is one of the finest roofing materials available. When properly sourced and correctly installed, a slate roof will outlast the building it sits on. We have been installing and restoring slate roofs across London for over five decades, and our craftspeople have won national awards for their slate work, including NFRC recognition for slate roofing excellence.

Slate roofing requires a particular kind of skill. Each slate must be individually assessed for thickness, grain direction, and any natural flaws before it is dressed and fixed. The traditional method of sorting slates by size and laying them in diminishing courses from eaves to ridge is an art form that takes years to master. Our apprenticeship programme, which has been running since the company's earliest days, ensures these skills are passed on properly.

We work with Welsh slate, Spanish slate, Brazilian slate, and reclaimed slate, depending on the project requirements and the client's preferences. For listed buildings and conservation area properties, local planning authorities often specify a particular slate type and laying pattern. We have extensive experience navigating these requirements with conservation officers in boroughs across London, including Greenwich, Lewisham, Bromley, and Westminster.

The most common slate roofing projects we undertake include full re-slating of period properties where the original fixings have corroded or the battens have deteriorated, patch repairs to storm-damaged slopes, and new slate installations on high-specification residential developments. We also carry out lead valley and flashing work as part of slate roofing projects, since the two materials are natural partners and both demand specialist skills.

One of the challenges with slate roofing in London is access. Many of the buildings that need slate work are terraced properties with limited scaffolding options, or they sit in busy streets where traffic management is required. Our project management team handles all of this as part of the service, coordinating with local authorities and neighbours to keep disruption to a minimum.

Our slate roofing work is backed by comprehensive guarantees, and we carry full insurance for all projects. We are happy to provide references from recent slate roofing clients, including housing associations, private homeowners, and architects working on heritage restoration projects.

For a survey and quotation on any slate roofing project in London or the South East, please contact our Blackheath office.