Lead Roofing in Dorset - Roof & Flashing Costs

Table of Contents

Dorset Lead Roofing
Overview
What is Lead Roofing?
Is it Safe?
What are the types?
What Are The Benefits?
Is it Available?
Residential Applications
Lead Considerations
Any Disadvantages?
Costs of Lead Roofing
Lead Roof Repairs
Unique Roofing
Is Lead Right For You?
Lead Roof FAQs
Getting Your Quotes
Roof Gallery
Areas Near Me
Sample Requests

Get your Dorset lead roofing carried out for less

An unlikely but durable and attractive material is lead roofing. Homeowners can take pride in the fact that Dorset lead roofing materials are readily available here and there are also plenty of qualified contractors who can perform expert installation, repairs and replacement work.

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What is Lead Roofing?

Lead roofing consists of sheets of this material which are attached to the surface of a roof. It may take the form of square, rectangular or oval-shaped tiles which may lie adjacent to one another or overlap slightly. This material may also have slightly raised ridges running throughout it. Solid castings can also be made to cover uniquely-shaped structures or even domes. When first laid, Dorset lead roofing is typically black but lightens to a weathered grey colour over time.

Is Lead Roofing Safe?

One of the biggest concerns that people normally have when considering lead roofing is safety. While exposure to lead paint and dust can be harmful, lead roofs do not pose the same hazards to occupants of a building. This is due largely in part to the amount of distance they are away from the people inside them. Lead roofing poses relatively little danger to the workers that install it provided the proper protective equipment is worn while doing so. There is also very little run-off that might get into ground water, so having rain hit this roof does not pose a hazard to local drinking water.

Available Types of Lead Roofing

Three different types of lead are used in the manufacturing of lead roofing:

Milled or rolled lead
Cast lead
Sand cast lead

Milled or Rolled Lead

This form of lead roofing is manufactured by means of a completely automated and computer-controlled process to ensure that the best quality roofing material is produced.

A lead ingot is passed through hydraulic rollers to ensure that a uniform thickness and consistency of sheeting is produced from it. This allows every roll of lead sheeting to be of the same quality, making it one of the most preferred forms of roof covering.

This form of lead roofing is easier to work with and not as likely to finish off with a brown tint in the colouring that is often found in cast lead. Milled lead is also not prone to the splitting that is often seen in other types of lead roofing.

Cast Lead

The production process used when making cast lead roofing involves rotating a semi-submerged water-cooled drum in a container of molten lead. While the drum is rotating, the molten lead adheres to the cold sides of the drum and becomes solid. Once it has solidified fully, it gets peeled off the drum and placed on a cutting bed.

The way in which cast lead is manufactured means that it won’t ever be able to match the precise tolerance as that of rolled or milled lead. Because of this, cast lead can sometimes be cheaper to purchase than other types of lead. However, more and more roofers and architects now prefer to use rolled or milled lead because they are manufactured to higher quality standards than cast lead.

Sand Cast Lead

This form of lead is produced pouring molten lead on to a layer of compressed sand, with the lead then being levelled by hand to the required thickness. This provides the lead with a unique, dimpled surface that is often favoured by architects who want to add just the right amount of character to an older property.

The thickness along the length and width of this form of lead roofing can vary substantially, and it is usually only manufactured for special order nowadays.

Benefits of Dorset Lead Roofing

When comparing lead roofing to other choices, there are a number of benefits that make it an ideal choice in many situations and a few of these include:

Longevity – lead roofs have been known to last for more than 100 years without needing repairs and more than 250 years without requiring replacement
Naturally resists damage from air pollution and acid rain, making it an ideal choice for areas with lots of environmental hazards
Provides a layer of protection for stone cornices and chimneys
Does not expand or contract a great deal when the weather changes
Can be moulded into various forms
Does not fade when exposed to sunlight
Provides a great deal of wind resistance
Able to hold a great deal of snow without collapsing
Requires very little maintenance over the course of its lifetime

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Lead Roofing is Still Available

If you are considering replacing the roof on your Dorset home or you are trying to decide what type of material to use on a new property, chances are that you may not have considered the option of lead roofing. While many people have thought that this roofing material is no longer available, this is not the case – it is very much alive and well. Lead roofing sheets have the ability to be stretched and ‘moulded’ to perfection around complicated structures such as chimneys and roof domes. This ensures that that there is virtually no chance of leaks occurring, making lead roofing one of the most viable options to consider.

Residential Applications

Although lead roofing is still available for residences, the truth is that it’s more common these days in businesses, churches, and industrial settings thanks to its unique durability. Keep in mind that lead is much like any other kind of metal; it comes in sheets and panels that can be trimmed, cut, or stretched to suit your home’s needs and your personal design desires. Although it’s no longer as popular, it still offers a lifetime of durability and plenty of protection from the elements outside.

Are There Special Considerations?

Lead roofing is extremely heavy, which means you may need to alter or improve your home’s structure before lead roofing can be installed safely. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to see whether your home will need additional support until the old roof has been removed. In some cases, it’s possible to see the supports from the attic area, but this is not always true. You may also need to install heavier gutters, which can come at an additional cost.

Disadvantages of Lead Roofing

While there are numerous advantages, there are also a few disadvantages that consumers should be aware of:

Lead can be more costly than other roofing materials. The price of lead can also fluctuate a great deal based upon the current supply and demand
Extremely heavy and can require special supports and the addition of heavier gutters
Material may not be readily available in all areas

Dorset Lead Roofing Costs

The cost of one Dorset lead roofing job can vary a great deal from another one. There are a number of things that contribute to the cost of a project, and a few of these include:

Whether or not a special die needs to be cast as is the case when covering many domes
The need for a building to have additional support structures
Availability of materials
Expertise of the contractor who is performing the work
Size and number of openings such as chimneys
Size and pitch of the roof

Lead roofing Dorset can be an excellent choice for those who view a home as a long-term investment, especially if that home is likely to be passed down to their heirs. It can also be an ideal way to maintain the value and aesthetics of many historical structures. With such a wide range of benefits, a lead roof is a choice that will continue to pay off for an entire lifetime.

Lead Roofing Repairs

One of the main causes of lead roofing requiring maintenance is due to the roll ends that are often not secured properly. When this is noted, a new pre-fabricated roll will need to be correctly installed.

Another reason why lead roofing may sometimes need to be repaired is thermal movement. As temperatures change over time, the lead sheets will expand and contract. When repairs are being done, professional roofers will know how to make allowance for any linear movement that may take place over time.

In most cases, professional roofers will use a new sheet of lead and carefully weld it over any areas that may have started cracking or deteriorating.

. How long will repairs take?

The amount of time needed to repair your lead roofing depends on how many areas of it require attention and how serious the damage is. Roofing that only has one or two smaller areas requiring attention will take less time to repair than a roof that may have experienced damage as a result of severe weather, for instance.

Another factor that will affect the amount of time needed to repair your roof is its ease of access. If scaffolding is needed or parts of your roof are higher than average, the work will take longer to finish as well.

When requesting quotes from our pre-screened contractors, they should be able to provide you with an approximate timeframe for completing the repairs.

Signs You Need a Replacement Roof

If the lead is cracking or buckling, it will result in the development of leaks over time – this will in turn cause rafters to start rotting
If the lead roofing hasn’t been correctly installed and there is insufficient ventilation underneath it, it can corrode
If there are already patches on your roof, it can indicate that the lead has already started cracking in different places

Are you Looking for a Unique Roof?

If you are in the process of building your own Dorset home, chances are that you are keen to use a few different finishes to provide it with a unique touch. One of the best ways to do this is to have a lead roof installed.

Lead roofing can be supplied in tile or sheet format and it can be moulded or cast into unusual shapes, making it suitable for part of a roof that may be domed or otherwise have an odd shape. Once correctly installed, a lead roof will provide protection for your home for more than 250 years if correctly maintained.

Determining Whether a Lead Roof is Right for You

Lead roofing isn’t suitable for all applications. It’s very heavy, which makes it quite expensive to ship and install. In fact, many of today’s homes must be reinforced prior to the addition of a lead roof simply because the beams were not designed to support the weight. Make sure you talk to your contractor to decide whether a lead roof is the right option for your needs. Adding additional supports can be expensive, and when this is combined with product and installation costs, this is even truer. However, you can view a lead roof as an investment since it’ll require little maintenance and last two centuries or more.

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Your Dorset lead roofing questions answered

Why is lead used in roofing?

Lead is frequently used because it is highly malleable and can be easily customised to whatever the client needs. It is also weather resistant and can easily resist the corrosive elements that are frequently present in acid rain.

Is using lead for roofing dangerous?

The primary danger in using lead for roofing is for the workers who are laying the lead shingles. These workers can, over time, accumulate enough lead in their bloodstreams to become dangerous. Because of this danger to roofers, many companies prefer to use other materials.

Is lead roofing heavier than other roofing materials?

Thick sheets of lead can be heavier than other commonly used roofing materials, but these same sheets can also be thinned down to as little as 3lbs without compromising the benefits of lead roofing.

How long do lead roofs last?

Lead roofs have been used for hundreds of years because of their durability. A properly installed lead roof can last up to 200 years, or longer if consistently maintained and cared for.

Is Dorset lead roofing hazardous to my health?

No, unlike lead paint, lead roofing does not pose a danger to human health, because it does not produce dust that could be harmful if inhaled. It will also not affect your outdoor air quality.

Why should I consider installing lead roofing?

Put simply, lead roofing may initially cost you more to install than most other types of roof materials. However, you will certainly benefit in the long term because this is one of few roofing materials that has been known to last for more than 100 years after being installed – definitely providing excellent value for money.

Is lead roofing worth the cost?

This is all a matter of preference. Lead roofing can last upward of a century and requires little to no maintenance along the way, but it’s expensive to purchase and even more expensive to install. However, for some homeowners, the added piece of mind that comes along with knowing your roof will last well over a lifetime is worth the initial investment. Additionally, no other roofing looks quite like lead, so if that's the look you desire then it has to be lead!

Won’t lead make my family sick?

Lead paint can make your family sick because it can flake off and absorb into the body through the eyes, lungs, mouth, nose, and skin. However, a lead roof is different. It’s a thick sheet of solid metal that will not flake, and this that your family – including yourself, your children and your pets – are safe since their bodies cannot absorb the lead.

Will my home’s structure need reinforcement?

Your contractor can provide you with more information. Often, a roofer will simply need to enter the attic and get a general feel for the structure of your home to determine what will need to happen before lead panels can be installed. If the reinforcements will be extensive, the costs will rise.

How much will it be to install on my home?

Lead roofing is by far one of the most expensive options when it comes to roof coverings. However, your initial investment will be money well spent when you discover that very little maintenance will need to be performed on it over time.

Can lead simply be installed over existing roofing and trusses?

Before lead can be installed, it is crucial that you have your existing roof structure thoroughly inspected to ensure that it will be able to handle the weight of the lead roofing. In many cases, additional trusses and support beams will need to be installed before placing a lead roof.

Can all roofing companies work with lead?

Unfortunately, not all roofing companies and service providers have the expertise or employees who are qualified and experienced at working with lead roofing materials and performing lead welding correctly. As such, it’s important to hire a company with a proven track record in this regard.

When doing lead welding, it’s crucial that the roofer knows how to work safely with this material and ensure that the joints are properly sealed. This will enable your lead roof to last for many more years to come.

The Quote Process

1 Apply Online For Lead Roof Quotes

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