Portland Bill Lighthouse
The red-and-white 41m lighthouse at the southern tip of Portland first shone in 1906; its visitor centre offers tours up 153 steps.
Learn more about Portland Bill Lighthouse on Google MapsRoof Replacement In Portland
Is your Portland roof costing more in repairs than it's worth?
Complete re-roofs on island cottages, terraces and bungalows, built for the wind off the Channel
A roof replacement on Portland is the chance to set a house up properly for the wind it actually gets. Many island roofs went on long before BS 5534 asked for single-lap tiles and ridges to be mechanically fixed, and older slate roofs often hang on nails that rusted through years ago. Across the island we re-roof stone cottages in Fortuneswell and Easton in Welsh slate, relay local stone slate where it's worth saving, and renew roofs on the 1960s and 70s estates at Weston and Southwell. Each one gets new battens, a breathable membrane, fresh lead and fixings chosen for its exposure, with a 10 year guarantee as standard.
Roof Replacement Quote In Portland
Tell us a little about the roof and we will call you back.
What you get from a new roof in Portland
A re-roof here should be judged by how it behaves in a south-westerly gale. These are the things we build in from the start.
01
Fixings sized for exposure
The number of nails or clips per slate or tile comes from a wind-uplift calculation for the site. On Tophill around Easton and the Grove, that calculation often asks for more than a sheltered Weymouth street would, and we follow it.
02
A membrane that won't drum
Old felt on many island roofs has gone brittle and split. We fit a modern breathable membrane, battened down correctly, so it doesn't balloon and flap under the slates every time the wind gets up.
03
Slate cottages kept in slate
Most of Portland's older houses were roofed in Welsh slate. We re-roof them in natural slate on nails or hooks, keeping the look that the island's conservation areas were drawn up to protect.
04
Stone slate saved where possible
Where a roof still has local stone slates, we strip them carefully, sort and grade them, and relay the good ones. If too many have failed, we talk through reclaimed stock or other options with you.
05
Insulation brought up to date
Renewing more than half a roof triggers Part L, which normally means upgrading the insulation to current standards. Doing that while the roof is open costs far less than coming back for it later.
06
10 year guarantee as standard
Every full replacement normally comes with our 10 year guarantee. Put that together with natural slate, which can last 75 years or more, and you have a roof you shouldn't need to think about for a long while.
1,000+
Roofing projects completed
5★
Every review we have is five stars
10 yrs
Guarantee on roof replacements
Free
Roof surveys and written quotes
Portland
Re-roofing island houses, from Chiswell to Southwell
The older stock is what makes Portland re-roofs interesting. The RCHME inventory describes stone houses roofed mostly in Welsh slate with some local stone slates, and early cottages pitched at about 45 degrees. Many are single-fronted and date from the late 18th to the mid 19th century. A steep, narrow slate roof on an Underhill terrace in Castletown or Chiswell needs careful setting out at verges and abutments, because that's where gales on this coast push hardest.
The postwar houses are another job altogether. Haylands at Weston went up in the late 1960s, the Weston Estate at West Cliff, first built for the Admiralty, grew through the 1970s, and Southwell gained its bungalow estates in the 1960s. Those roofs are now old enough for battens and felt to be failing together. Replacing them lets us bring tiles, ridges and verges up to current fixing standards in one go.
If your roof only needs attention in one area, our page on roof repairs in Portland explains how we fix it without a full strip.
"Most island roofs we strip have nails rusted through or felt in tatters long before the slates themselves are finished. A good share of the slate usually comes off sound enough to reuse."
Step by step
How we replace a roof on Portland
- 1
Survey and measure
We look over the roof, loft and stonework, measure every slope, and note how exposed the house sits on the island. That sets the fixing specification and the materials we recommend.
- 2
Itemised quote and consents
You get a written quote covering materials, fixings, lead, insulation, scaffold and waste. If you're in a conservation area or the house is listed, we confirm with Dorset Council what's needed before booking.
- 3
Scaffold and protection
Scaffold goes up with edge protection and sheeting, and with a safe way past if it stands on the street. On sloping Underhill streets we design it for the gradient rather than packing it level.
- 4
Strip to the rafters
Old slates or tiles come off and anything reusable is set aside. With battens and felt removed, we check rafters and wall plates and show you any rot or movement before going on.
- 5
Membrane, battens and lead
A breathable membrane goes on, then treated battens gauged for the slate or tile. New lead is cut and dressed for chimneys, abutments and valleys, with clips on every exposed edge.
- 6
Slate or tile, fixed for the wind
Each course is nailed, hooked or clipped to the calculated specification. Ridges and hips are mechanically fixed and verges finished so the gales crossing Portland can't get a grip on them.
- 7
Handover with your guarantee
We clear the site, take the scaffold down and walk the job with you. You receive photos of every stage and your 10 year guarantee, which comes as standard on a full replacement.
Our guarantee
Ten years on a new roof, written down and signed
When we replace a roof in Portland, the paperwork you're handed at the end will, on all but a handful of unusual jobs, include a 10 year guarantee on the work. If yours is one of the exceptions, you'll know at quote stage, not after. It names your address, says what was done and is dated the day we sign the roof off. It covers the installation itself, meaning the battens, membrane, fixings, the slates or tiles and the junctions where the roof meets walls and chimneys. If any of that lets water in through a fault in how it went on, we come back and fix it without charging you.
A guarantee that long only makes sense if the roof is built properly underneath, so it shapes the job from day one. Every slate or tile is mechanically fixed to the current British Standard rather than relying on its own weight, which matters on a stretch of coast where the wind arrives with nothing in its way. Breathable membrane goes on before the battens. Valleys, abutments and chimneys get proper lead or a tested dry-fix system, never a smear of mortar that cracks in its third winter.
Materials carry their own manufacturer cover on top, and that differs from product to product. Your paperwork says which one applies to your roof.
10
Year guarantee on roof replacements
1,000+
Roofing projects completed
Signed paperwork at handover, with photos of the roof taken before, during and after.
Choosing a roof covering for a Portland home
Natural slate is the traditional covering on the island and the one most in keeping with its conservation areas. The table compares it with clay plain tiles and concrete interlocking tiles.
| Comparison point | Natural slate | Clay plain tile | Concrete interlocking tile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected lifespan | 80 years or more for good quality slate | 60 years or more | 40 to 60 years |
| Weight on the roof | Light | Heavy, needs sound timbers | Heavy |
| Minimum pitch | Generally 20 to 25 degrees, varies by size | Steep, usually 35 degrees and over | Low, some profiles to 15 degrees |
| Appearance | Traditional on Georgian and Victorian streets | Warm, textured, suits interwar houses | Practical, common on postwar estates |
| Relative cost | Highest | Mid to high | Lowest |
| Planning in conservation areas | Often the expected material | Acceptable where it matches | May not be accepted on older streets |
What a roof replacement on Portland costs
Full re-roofs on the island generally fall between £7,000 and £20,000 or more. These are the factors that move a quote within that range.
Size, pitch and shape
A steep 45-degree cottage roof needs more slate for its footprint than a shallow bungalow roof. Dormers, valleys and chimneys all add cutting, lead and labour hours, and each one shows up in the final figure.
Access on Underhill
In Fortuneswell, Chiswell and Castletown, houses stand on steep terraced slopes with narrow frontages. Scaffold often has to be stepped and stood on the pavement, and materials carried further by hand, which all costs more than the same roof on Tophill.
Material choice
Natural Welsh slate costs more than concrete interlocking tile but can last far longer. Reclaimed stone slate to match a heritage roof costs more again, and supply varies, so we price it once we know how many of your own can be saved.
Insulation and timber
Part L usually requires an insulation upgrade when more than half the roof is renewed. Rotten battens or rafters found during the strip also add cost, and we price those separately so you can see exactly where the money goes.
Roof Replacement in Portland: your questions
Does a new roof on Portland need fixing differently from one in Weymouth?
Often, yes. BS 5534 calls for a wind-uplift calculation for each roof, and the answer depends on exposure. A house on open ground at Easton or Weston can need more fixings per slate or tile than one tucked into a sheltered Weymouth street. We work out the specification for your exact address rather than using a standard one.
Will I need planning permission to replace my roof?
If you're replacing like for like, in materials similar in appearance, usually not. Dorset Council is the planning authority for Portland, which has four conservation areas: Underhill, Grove, Portland (covering Easton, Wakeham and Reforne) and Weston. Within them, moving from slate or stone slate to a different-looking material is likely to need permission, and listed buildings need listed building consent. Southwell sits outside all four. We check your address and the Portland Neighbourhood Plan before quoting.
Can you reuse the slates on my roof?
Sometimes. Welsh slate often outlives the nails holding it, so a proportion can be cleaned, checked and relaid, usually on the less exposed slope. Stone slates are worth saving wherever possible. After the survey we'll tell you roughly how much is reusable, and the quote reflects it.
How long will a roof replacement take?
A typical terraced or semi-detached house takes around one to two weeks once the scaffold is up, depending on size and weather. Stone slate roofs and houses with several chimneys take longer. We keep the roof sheeted and weighted overnight, because on the island the wind can rise quickly.
What guarantee comes with a new roof?
Full roof replacements normally come with our 10 year guarantee as standard. It's confirmed in writing at handover, together with photos of each stage of the work.
What to do in Portland
Portland Castle
Henry VIII artillery fort built from Portland stone between 1539 and 1541 to guard Portland Roads.
Learn more about Portland Castle on Google Maps
Tout Quarry Sculpture Park
Disused quarry on Tophill turned sculpture park and nature reserve, with works carved into Portland stone since 1983.
Learn more about Tout Quarry Sculpture Park on Google MapsFind us working in Portland
Reviews
What customers around Portland say
More than a thousand roofing jobs finished, and every review customers have left us is five stars.
Those reviews are on their way onto this page. Until they land, ask us for photos of recent jobs near you in Portland when we come out to quote - seeing a finished roof on a house like yours tells you more than any star rating.
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Ready to stop patching the old roof?
Book a free survey anywhere on Portland and we'll send a written, itemised quote for a new roof fixed for island weather, with a 10 year guarantee as standard.