Slate RoofingSpecialist inBarnsley & Sheffield
Natural slate re-roofs, repairs and matching work on Victorian and Edwardian houses, from a sole trader with 23 years' experience across South Yorkshire.
23 years on the tools · £2m insured · free, no-obligation survey
Slate Roofing Built Around Older Housing Stock
I'm Alex Smith, and slate roofs make up a large part of the work I do across Barnsley, Sheffield and the surrounding towns. A lot of the housing here, stone terraces in Elsecar and the wider Barnsley area, Victorian and Edwardian semis and terraces in Sheffield and Rotherham, was originally built with natural slate, and a large amount of that original slate is still up there, now over a century old. Some of it is still sound. A lot of it isn't, and telling the difference between a roof that needs a handful of slates replacing and one that needs stripping and re-slating entirely is the first job I do on any slate roof I'm asked to look at.
Natural slate, whether Welsh or Spanish, behaves differently to concrete or clay tiles. It's fixed with nails through pre-drilled holes, usually nail fatigue rather than the slate itself failing, and slates commonly slip once the nail corrodes and gives way rather than because the slate has cracked. That means a roof covered in slipped slates isn't necessarily a roof with bad slate, it might just be a roof where the fixings have reached the end of their life and the whole covering needs taking off, checked, and re-laid or replaced with new slate to match.
I carry out full re-slating using new Welsh or Spanish slate, slate repairs where isolated slates have slipped or cracked, and matching work where I source slate to match the existing roof as closely as possible, which matters on terraces where a mismatched patch stands out from the street. Every job starts with a free, no-obligation survey and photo report, so you can see the actual condition of the slate and the nail fixings before I recommend a repair or a full re-slate.
Full re-slates come with a 25-year guarantee, and repairs are guaranteed for 12 months. I'm fully insured with £2 million public liability cover, which is worth knowing when scaffolding or roof ladders are up against an older stone building.
When you might need this
- Slipped or missing slates appearing repeatedly across the roof, often a sign of widespread nail fatigue rather than one-off damage
- Cracked or delaminating slates, common on lower-grade slate laid decades ago or slate that's been walked on incorrectly
- Damp staining in the loft directly under areas where slates have moved, even slightly, exposing the membrane beneath
- A Victorian or Edwardian roof that's never been re-slated and is showing its age with a patchwork of previous small repairs
- Wanting to match new slate into an existing roof after an extension, chimney removal, or previous storm damage
Recent slate roofs work
How Slate Roofs Fail and What Gets Missed
Slate is a durable, long-lasting material, but the way it fails is different from tiled roofs, and a lot of the repair work I'm called out for on older Barnsley and Sheffield roofs is the result of previous work that treated slate like any other covering rather than understanding how it's fixed and how it ages.
Nail sickness across large areas
Old fixing nails corrode over decades, and once that starts happening it tends to affect the whole roof slope rather than one or two slates, which is why roofs with widespread slipped slates usually need full re-slating rather than spot repairs.
Delamination and cracking from poor-quality slate
Some slate laid decades ago was lower grade and starts to delaminate, splitting into thin layers, or crack under frost and thermal movement. This isn't always visible from the ground, but it shows up clearly in a close survey or when walking the roof.
Water tracking under displaced slates
Even a slightly lifted or slipped slate can let water track sideways under the covering and onto the membrane below. On older roofs with perished felt rather than a breathable membrane, that water can find its way through to the timbers.
Mismatched or poorly fitted replacement slates
Quick, cheap patch repairs using mismatched slate sizes, colours or fixing methods, sometimes just mortar-bedded rather than nailed and hooked properly, tend to fail again quickly and look poor against the surrounding original slate.
Common mistakes I see
- Replacing individual slipped slates with mismatched slate rather than sourcing a close match, especially visible on prominent street-facing terraces
- Mortar-bedding replacement slates instead of proper nailing or using slate hooks, which fails faster and can crack surrounding slates
- Walking directly on slate without proper roof ladders or crawl boards, cracking sound slate that didn't need replacing
- Ignoring nail sickness on the wider roof and only patching the visibly slipped slates, leaving the next batch to fail within a year or two
How I work
My process, step by step
- 1
Free survey and slate condition assessment
I inspect the roof, including getting up close where access allows, to check for slipped slates, cracking, delamination and the condition of the fixing nails. I photograph what I find so you can see the actual state of the roof, not just take my word for it.
- 2
Written quote: repair or full re-slate
Based on the survey, I'll recommend either targeted repairs or a full re-slate if nail sickness or slate condition is widespread, and put together a written quote setting out slate type (Welsh, Spanish, or matched reclaimed where appropriate) and the scope of work.
- 3
Sourcing matching slate
Where I'm doing repair or partial re-slating work on an existing roof, I source slate to match the size, thickness and colour of what's already there as closely as possible, so patched areas don't stand out on the street.
- 4
Stripping, membrane and re-slating
For full re-slates, the roof is stripped back to the timbers, a breathable membrane is fitted, new tanalised battens go on at the correct gauge, and slates are fixed with appropriate nails or hooks, with lead flashings dressed in at chimneys and valleys.
- 5
Inspection, clean-up and guarantee
Once finished, I check the roof, clear away old slate and debris, and provide a photo report of the completed work. Full re-slates carry a 25-year guarantee; slate repairs are guaranteed for 12 months.
What you get
Correct diagnosis saves wasted repairs
Properly identifying whether a problem is a handful of damaged slates or widespread nail sickness avoids paying for repairs that will need redoing within a year because the underlying fixings were failing all along.
Safer working on older, fragile slate
Using proper roof ladders and crawl boards protects sound slate from cracking underfoot, which matters on older Victorian and Edwardian roofs where the original slate is decades old and more brittle than modern replacements.
Long service life from natural slate
Welsh and Spanish slate, properly fixed with new nails or hooks over a breathable membrane and tanalised battens, is a genuinely long-lasting roof covering, and a full re-slate comes with a 25-year guarantee to back that up.
Avoiding repeated call-outs
Addressing nail sickness across a whole slope in one job, rather than chasing individual slipped slates one at a time over several years, reduces the total cost and disruption of ongoing repairs.
Slate that matches the street
Sourcing slate that matches the existing roof in size, colour and thickness keeps patch repairs and partial re-slating work looking consistent, which matters on terraces and conservation-sensitive streets across Barnsley and Sheffield.
Documented, insured work
Every survey and finished job comes with a photo report, and all work is covered by £2 million public liability insurance, so you have both a paper trail and proper cover while work is carried out on your roof.
Slate Types, Fixing Methods and Where They're Used
Slate roofing has its own set of materials and techniques distinct from tiled roofing, and getting the details right, from slate grade to fixing method, makes the difference between a roof that lasts decades and one that needs revisiting within a few years.
Welsh and Spanish slate
Welsh slate is the traditional choice on much of the older housing stock across South Yorkshire and is prized for its durability and appearance, though it's a heavier, denser material. Spanish slate is widely used as a more available alternative and, from a reputable source, offers comparable durability and a similar appearance, making it a practical choice for full re-roofs and re-slating projects.
Choosing between them usually comes down to matching existing slate on a terrace or conservation area property, budget considerations, and availability at the time of the job. I talk through the realistic options during the survey rather than defaulting to one supplier.
Fixing methods: nails and hooks
Slates are traditionally fixed with two nails through pre-drilled holes near the head of the slate, and it's the corrosion of these nails over decades, not the slate itself, that causes most slipped slates on older roofs. Copper or stainless steel nails are used on re-slating work rather than the plain nails often found in older roofs, precisely to avoid the same nail sickness recurring decades from now.
Slate hooks are sometimes used for individual replacement slates within an existing roof where lifting surrounding slates to renail would be disruptive, offering a secure fix without disturbing the rest of the covering.
Membranes and battens under slate
A breathable membrane beneath slate battens is standard on any re-slate I carry out, replacing older bituminous felt that tends to perish and allow water through once it's decades old. The membrane allows moisture vapour to escape from the loft space while still shedding any water that gets past the slate.
Battens need to be tanalised (pressure-treated) and set at the correct gauge for the slate size being used, since slate gauge spacing is calculated differently from tile spacing and getting it wrong affects the weather-lap between slates.
Repairs, matching and partial re-slating
Not every slate problem needs a full re-roof. Where nail sickness is limited to a section of roof, or damage is from a specific event like a storm or a falling branch, partial re-slating or targeted repair can be the right call, provided the rest of the roof's fixings are still sound.
Matching slate into an existing roof, whether after a repair, a chimney removal, or extension work, means sourcing slate close in size, thickness and colour to what's already there, and laying it in a way that blends with the existing coursing rather than creating an obvious patch.
Slate on Victorian and Edwardian versus modern extensions
Original slate roofs on Victorian and Edwardian terraces across Barnsley and Sheffield often have irregular timber structures that have moved slightly over the decades, so re-slating these properly sometimes involves correcting minor sagging as part of the work rather than just replacing the covering.
Slate is also specified on some modern extensions to match a period property's existing roof, in which case new timber structure, membrane and battens are built to take slate correctly from the outset, rather than adapting an older roof structure.
Slate Roofs: questions answered
How much does slate roof repair or re-slating cost?
+
It depends on the extent of the work, whether it's a handful of slates or a full re-slate, the slate type chosen, and access requirements such as scaffolding. I provide a free, no-obligation survey and a written quote so there's a clear figure before any work starts.
How long does re-slating a roof take?
+
This varies with the size and pitch of the roof and the extent of any timber work needed underneath. I'll give a realistic timescale in the written quote once I've surveyed the roof.
What's the process for a slate roof repair?
+
I start with a free survey to check for nail sickness, cracking and slate condition, then provide a written quote for either targeted repairs or a full re-slate. Repairs involve sourcing matching slate and fixing it securely with nails or hooks; a full re-slate strips the roof back to the timbers first.
Do you guarantee slate roof work?
+
Yes. Full re-slates carry a 25-year guarantee, and standalone slate repairs are guaranteed for 12 months.
How long does a slate roof last?
+
Natural slate is a long-lasting material and, fixed correctly with new nails, breathable membrane and tanalised battens, a re-slated roof should give many decades of service. Most failures on older roofs come down to corroded fixing nails rather than the slate itself wearing out.
Can you match new slate to my existing roof?
+
Yes, I source slate to match the size, thickness and colour of the existing covering as closely as possible for repairs and partial re-slating, which matters particularly on terraces in Barnsley and Sheffield where a mismatched patch is obvious from the street.
Can you take an urgent slate roof call?
+
I take calls seven days a week between 7:30am and 8pm and will discuss and assess urgent slate issues, such as slipped slates after high winds, within those hours.
Do you carry out slate roofing outside Barnsley?
+
Yes, I carry out slate roofing and repairs across Barnsley, Elsecar, Hoyland, Wombwell, Wentworth, Tankersley, Blacker Hill, Harley and West Melton, and further afield including Sheffield and Leeds.
Book a Free Slate Roof Survey
Get a free, no-obligation survey and photo report on your slate roof, with a clear written quote for repair or re-slating work.
25-year re-roof guarantee · 12-month repair guarantee · £2m insured