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

30+ Years Hands-On Trade Experience • No Subcontractors

Completed Roofing Work Gallery Across Sittingbourne & Kent

Every photograph and video below shows real, completed roofing and masonry work carried out directly by me, Chris Baker. Because I survey, manage, and work on every roof myself without sub-contracting out to agency crews, you can see the exact standard of lead dressing, batten setting, and tile alignment your property will receive.

Call Chris Directly: 01795 904566 Request a Site Survey

Recent Projects On Site in Swale, Medway & North Kent

From full pitched roof strip and retile projects in Sittingbourne and handmade Kent peg tile repairs in Faversham to GRP fibreglass flat roofs and dust-extracted chimney stack repointing.

Base: Bapchild, Sittingbourne (ME9 9BD)

110 metre rake out & repoint on this garden wall in nhl 3.5 hydrolic lime in Rochester Kent

C L Baker Kent Roofings latest project was this 110 metre rake out & repoint on this garden wall in nhl 3.5 hydrolic lime in Rochester Kent

Mechanically fixed dry ridge and hip system installed on a newly tiled roof

A newly tiled pitched roof viewed from scaffolding, showing neatly laid plain tiles and a mechanically fixed dry hip ridge system.

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

Traditional Kent peg tile pitched roof renewal showing handmade clay tiles in the foreground alongside newly installed timber battens and underlay on the adjacent roof pitch.

Tradesperson grinding out brick mortar joints with dust extraction attachment for repointing in Kent

Raking out perished mortar joints from an exterior brick wall using a dust-extraction grinder prior to repointing

Refurbished waterproof roof valley between plain clay tiled roof pitches in Kent

A newly sealed and waterproofed central roof valley gutter situated between two pitched clay tile roofs, featuring lead flashing detail at the verge.

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

White C.L. Baker Kent company van signwritten with company branding and roofing & repointing specialists livery parked on a residential street in Sittingbourne.

Completed pitched slate roof with roof windows and chimney stack repairs by C.L. Baker Kent

Completed pitched slate roof installation featuring fitted roof windows, fresh lead flashings, and a brick chimney stack with clay pots on a Kent residential property.

New slate roof installation and lead valley detailing on a terraced house roof in Kent

A newly completed slate roof renewal featuring neatly aligned dark slate courses, clay ridge tiles, and clean lead valley detailing on a Kent residential property.

Dressed lead flashing and valley gutter on a slate roof installed by C.L. Baker Kent

Milled lead flashing and valley detailing dressed over a slate roof pitch and dormer junction

Chimney stack repointing and brick repair on scaffolding by C.L. Baker

A traditional yellow brick chimney stack undergoing mortar repointing and repair from a scaffolding platform.

Freshly repointed red brick wall beneath tiled roofline by C.L. Baker Kent

Newly repointed red brick exterior wall beneath a tiled roof eaves on a Kent domestic property.

Gable end roof verge and uPVC bargeboard viewed from scaffolding during roofline maintenance in Kent

Scaffolding set up alongside a yellow-brick gable wall for gable verge and uPVC bargeboard roofline installation on a residential property.

Seamless grey GRP fibreglass flat roof installation on a residential garage in Kent

A newly installed seamless grey GRP fibreglass flat roof with raised edge trims on a residential brick garage.

C.L. Baker roofing vans parked outside a domestic property with roofers working on scaffolding

C.L. Baker branded roofing vans parked on site outside a residential property undergoing pitched roof and roofline work from scaffolding in Kent.

Chris Baker on a pitched roof with fresh battens and breathable underlay installed

Chris Baker standing on a pitched roof fitted with breathable underlay membrane and timber battens during a pitched roof renewal project

Staging access platform set up against a brick property for roofline and guttering repairs in Sittingbourne

Safe ladder and staging access platform erected on a brick residential house for upper roofline, tile, and uPVC guttering work in Kent.

Tiled roof installation with roof balcony window and lead flashings on a residential Kent home

Newly completed pitched plain tiled roof with integrated rooflight balcony window and lead flashings

Timber battens and breathable roofing membrane installed during a strip and retile project in Sittingbourne

A pitched roof stripped down, fitted with fresh breathable underlay and newly fixed timber battens around a rendered chimney stack and roof window during a full strip and retile project.

Commercial roofing sheet installation and repairs in Sittingbourne

Commercial metal sheet over-cladding installation showing new profile roofing sheets being fixed onto structural spacer bars over weathered corrugated panels

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

High-level scaffolding erected along a sea-facing masonry parapet wall with fresh cement haunching and mortar weathering repairs overlooking an estuary shoreline.

Dustless mortar raking and joint preparation for repointing on a residential brick wall in Kent

A tradesman raking out old mortar joints from a brick wall using a specialized grinder connected to a dual-cylinder dust extraction vacuum system prior to repointing.

Dry ridge system installation on a concrete interlocking tiled roof in Kent

A close-up view of a freshly completed pitched roof featuring profiled grey concrete interlocking tiles and a mechanically fixed dry hip and ridge system.

Roof strip and retile in progress showing damaged underlay and exposed battens beneath concrete tiles

A pitched roof undergoing a strip and retile, showing concrete tiles removed to expose perished, torn bituminous roofing felt and weathered timber battens.

On-Site Video Walkthroughs

Take a closer look at our roofing, leadwork, and repointing stages in progress across Sittingbourne and Kent.

What to Look For in Our Workmanship Photos

A sound roof depends heavily on the preparation hidden underneath the outer tiles. When you browse through our site photos, you will notice both finished roofs and roofs mid-strip so you can see the underlying timber and membrane stages.

1. Breathable Underlays & Graded Battens

On every strip and retile, perished bituminous 1F felt is stripped back to the rafters and replaced with high-tensile breathable membrane and treated timber battens before any clay, slate, or concrete interlocking tiles are laid.

2. Code 4 & Code 5 Lead Detailing

Water ingress frequently starts at poorly sealed junctions. Our gallery highlights proper stepped lead flashings, soakers, chimney back gutters, and fibreglass or lead valley troughs dressed neatly to shed heavy rain.

3. Mechanical Dry-Fix & Clean Pointing

To handle coastal wind lift around Sheerness, Whitstable, and Herne Bay, we install mechanically fixed dry ridge and hip systems alongside dust-extracted brickwork raking and mortar repointing.

Need an Honest Assessment of Your Roof?

Based in Bapchild, Sittingbourne, C.L. Baker provides direct, owner-operated roofing services across North and Mid Kent within a 20-mile radius—covering Swale, Faversham, Sheerness, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Maidstone, Canterbury, and Whitstable.

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

Speak Directly to Chris Baker

Call 01795 904566 Send an Enquiry Online

Lomas Road, Bapchild, Sittingbourne, ME9 9BD

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Direct Site Assessment

Speak directly to us on 01795 904566

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