Who will actually be working on my roof?

When you hire C.L. Baker, you get me, Chris Baker. I have been roofing around Sittingbourne and across North Kent for over thirty years. Unlike many bigger firms or agencies, I do not use subcontractors or sales reps. I personally survey your property, provide a straightforward quote, and carry out the work myself. I was born and bred in Kent and went to school here at Ethelbert Road, so my reputation in the local community is something I stand by on every job.

Do I need to notify the council if I am getting a tiled roof strip and retile in Sittingbourne?

Yes, if you are replacing more than 25% of your roof surface, it falls under Building Regulations. In the Swale area, this is usually managed by the STG Building Control Partnership. The rules are there to make sure your home insulation is upgraded to modern standards, known as Part L. I can explain how this works during my visit and help make sure your new roof meets all the legal requirements for thermal efficiency.

Why is GRP fibreglass often better than felt for a flat roof in Sheerness or Whitstable?

Properties on the Isle of Sheppey or the Whitstable coast face heavy salt air and very high winds. Traditional felt roofs have seams that can eventually lift or crack under pressure. GRP, which is glass reinforced plastic, is a seamless resin system. Because there are no joins, there is nowhere for the wind or rain to get a foothold. It is a very tough material that handles coastal weather and foot traffic much better than older bitumen systems.

My chimney stack looks weathered. Can you help with chimney repairs in Medway or Rochester?

The older housing stock in the Medway towns often has high, exposed chimney stacks that suffer from perished mortar or cracked cement haunching. I provide full chimney remediation, which includes repointing with the correct mortar mixes and replacing worn lead flashings. If you have an unused chimney causing damp issues in a Rochester terrace, I can also talk you through the process of removing the stack to below the roofline and tiling over it.

What is the benefit of using lead for my roof flashings and valleys?

Leadwork is one of the most reliable ways to keep your home watertight. I use Code 4 and Code 5 milled lead, which is thick and durable enough to last for decades without splitting. Whether it is a stepped flashing on a chimney or a lead valley trough between two roof pitches, properly dressed lead is far superior to modern "flash-band" tapes. It handles the expansion and contraction of the seasons and is the only right choice for the period properties we have in Faversham and Canterbury.

How do I know if I need a full strip and retile or just a localized repair?

A leak does not always mean you need a brand-new roof. If a single tile has slipped or a piece of lead has moved, a simple repair is usually the best way forward. However, if I find that the underlying timber battens have rotted or the old internal felt has crumbled away, a strip and retile becomes necessary to protect your ceilings. I will always give you an honest diagnosis after a physical inspection and show you exactly what is happening under the tiles.

Do you handle uPVC fascia and guttering replacement in Gillingham and Rainham?

Yes, I replace old, rotting timber fascias and leaking gutters with high-quality uPVC systems. Modern deep-flow guttering is particularly useful for the larger roof pitches found in Gillingham and Rainham, as it handles heavy rainfall much more effectively. Replacing these alongside your roof repairs is often a practical way to keep your maintenance costs down in the long run.

Do I need a scaffolding permit for work on a street-facing house in Rochester?

If the scaffolding needs to stand on a public pavement or a road, a highways licence is required from Medway Council or Kent County Council. This is something that needs to be arranged before the work begins. I can help coordinate this with the scaffolders to make sure everything is legal and that the project runs smoothly without any delays from the local authority.

Independent Kent roofer with over 30 years experience · Direct personal service across Sittingbourne and North Kent

Call Chris: 01795 904566Checkatrade & Three Best Rated® verified

Speak directly to Us01795 904566 Request Survey

01795 904566

20-Mile Radius From Bapchild, Sittingbourne (ME9 9BD)

Areas Covered by C.L. Baker Across Sittingbourne & Kent

Based in Bapchild, Sittingbourne, C.L. Baker provides direct, owner-operated roofing services across North and Mid Kent within a 20-mile radius. I have worked on Kent roofs since the 1990s, and when you hire C L Baker Kent, I personally survey, manage, and carry out the work on your roof—with no subcontractors and no sales reps.

Call Chris: 01795 904566 Arrange a Site Survey

If I’m halfway up a roof when you ring, leave a message and I will get straight back to you.

C.L. Baker Kent branded roofing van parked on a residential road in Sittingbourne

Base: Lomas Road, Bapchild, Sittingbourne, ME9 9BD 30+ Years Local Trade

Local Service Directory

Select Your Town or Area

Keeping our catchment within 20 miles of our Bapchild base ensures I can get out to inspect active leaks promptly, manage scaffolding deliveries cleanly, and oversee every job on your roof in person. Choose your location below for local roofing information.

Local Housing Stock & Conditions

Built Around North & Mid Kent’s Distinct Roof Types

Roofing conditions vary sharply across a 20-mile stretch of Kent. A sea-facing bungalow taking salt gales off the estuary needs a very different specification to a steep Victorian terrace or a timber-framed cottage in a conservation zone. Having worked across these streets for over thirty years, I match the materials and fixing methods directly to your property’s exposure and construction.

Estuary & Coastal Wind-Lift Resistance

Properties exposed to the Swale estuary, Thames estuary, and North Sea face driving rain, salt corrosion, and high wind loads. Where cement mortar on ridges and verges cracks and washes out, we install mechanically fixed dry ridge systems, heavy-duty verge clips, and seamless GRP fibreglass flat roofs that will not lift or split in coastal weather.

Period Roofs, Conservation Areas & Kent Peg Tiles

Older timber-framed cottages and Georgian or Victorian brick homes often require traditional breathable underlays, reclaimed or handmade Kent peg tiles, natural Welsh slate, and hydraulic lime mortar. We also dress Code 4 and Code 5 milled lead for valley troughs and chimney flashings to keep historic rooflines authentic and watertight.

Steep Terraces, Party Walls & Suburban Estates

From stepped Victorian terraces with tall shared chimney stacks and parapet gutters to 1930s semis and post-war estates roofed in concrete interlocking tiles, we handle full pitched roof strip and retile renewals, chimney removals, and Building Regulations Part L thermal insulation upgrades.

Handmade Kent peg tiles and new timber roofing battens on a pitched roof renewal in Kent

Traditional handmade Kent peg tile renewal with treated timber battens and breathable membrane.

High-level scaffolding and fresh cement mortar haunching on a coastal property roofline

High-level scaffolding and weather-resistant mortar haunching on an exposed coastal parapet wall.

What We Do Across Our Catchment

Roofing Services Available in Every Area We Cover

Whether you need an urgent leak traced after a storm or a planned roof replacement, every service below is carried out directly by C.L. Baker with full public liability insurance and clear written quotes.

Pitched Roofing & Strip and Retile

Complete removal of perished 1F bituminous felt and rotten battens, upgrading to breathable underlay, treated battens, and clay, slate, or concrete interlocking tiles.

Tiled Roofing • Strip & Retile

Roof Repairs & Leak Diagnosis

Thorough inspection of rafters, valleys, flashings, and slipped slates or broken tiles to find the exact point of entry and make your property watertight.

Roof Repairs • Storm Damage

GRP Fibreglass & Felt Flat Roofs

Joint-free GRP fibreglass resin systems and multi-layer torch-on bituminous felt membranes for extensions, dormers, bays, and residential garages.

Flat Roofing • GRP Fibreglass

Chimney Repairs, Repointing & Removal

Dust-extracted mortar raking and repointing, spalled brick replacement, flaunching renewals, and safe removal of redundant stacks below the roofline.

Chimney Repairs • Chimney Removal

Leadwork, Valleys & Roofline uPVC

Code 4 and Code 5 milled lead step flashings, soakers, back gutters, and valley renewals alongside deep-flow uPVC guttering, fascias, and soffits.

Leadwork • Fascias & Guttering

Commercial Roofing Maintenance

Industrial sheet repairs, over-cladding, commercial flat roof waterproofing, and valley gutter maintenance carried out with minimal disruption to your premises.

Commercial Roofing • Commercial Flat Roofs

Our Operating Hub

Based in Bapchild, Sittingbourne

Operating from Lomas Road, Bapchild, Sittingbourne, ME9 9BD gives direct road access along the A2, M2, A249, and A299. Whether we are organising a highways scaffolding licence for a narrow street-facing terrace or bringing matched materials to site, working within our local 20-mile radius means reliable timekeeping and straightforward accountability.

✓ No Subcontractors: Every survey, quote, and job is handled personally by Chris Baker.
✓ Building Control Ready: Full compliance with Part L thermal upgrades on roof renewals covering 25% or more of the roof area.
✓ Proven Local Track Record: Checkatrade verified and recognised among the Three Best Rated® roofers in Sittingbourne.

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Need a Roof Inspection or Quote in Your Area?

Whether you have water coming through a ceiling and need fast leak diagnosis, or you are planning a full strip and retile, call me directly to arrange a site visit. If I am on a roof when you call, leave a message and I will get straight back to you.

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Direct Site Assessment

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