Independent Kent roofer with over 30 years experience · Direct personal service across Sittingbourne and North Kent
Call Chris: 01795 904566Checkatrade & Three Best Rated® verified
I’ve been roofing around Sittingbourne, Swale, and Medway for over thirty years. Below you’ll find plain-speaking, practical guides written from real site experience—covering everything from diagnosing ceiling leaks and Part L Building Regulations on a full strip and retile, to caring for Kent peg tiles and choosing between GRP fibreglass and felt.
Owner-operated accountability: Every survey, diagnosis, and quote is carried out directly by Chris Baker—no sales reps and no subcontractors.
Select a guide below for straightforward answers on roof repairs, replacement costs, local planning and conservation rules across Swale, Medway, and Canterbury, and how we keep your property watertight.
Learn why swapping clay or slate for heavier concrete roof tiles increases weight on your rafters and when you need a Building Control structural check.
Learn the difference between Code 3, 4 and 5 milled lead sheet, colour codes, and how to check your roofing quote specifies the right thickness.
Find out how often your commercial roof needs inspecting. Use our seasonal checklist for valley gutters, skylights, and flashings to prevent costly leaks.
Learn how roofers use a slate ripper, copper tingles, and stainless steel hooks to replace slipped slates properly without destructive silicone patches.
Compare deep-flow, square, and half-round uPVC guttering profiles to see which system best prevents rainwater overshooting onto your brickwork.
High-pressure jet washing strips the protective finish off clay and concrete roof tiles. Find out why manual moss scraping and biocide treatment is safer.
Find out how a redundant chimney stack is safely taken down below your roofline, tiled over, and when you need a Party Wall Agreement with your neighbour.
Find out when roof work on a terraced street needs a highways scaffolding permit, how safety lighting works, and why a ladder is not enough for safe repairs.
Find out why BS 5534 requires mechanically fixed ridge tiles and how a dry ridge system compares to traditional mortar for wind resistance and ventilation.
Find out why a seamless GRP fibreglass roof laid on new OSB3 decking lasts for decades, and why dry weather and proper curing temperatures are vital.
Find out how long a modern three-layer torch-on felt roof lasts, how it improves on old felt, and how to spot early signs of blistering or UV wear.
Learn how vented uPVC soffits and eaves trays keep fresh air moving through your loft, stop condensation, and protect timber rafters from rot.
Find out why puddles sit on your flat roof and how timber firring strips create a proper 1-in-40 fall to prevent sagging boards and premature leaks.
Learn why older brick chimneys need breathable lime mortar instead of hard cement to prevent trapped moisture, frost damage, and spalling brickwork.
See how we phase commercial flat roof renewals around your trading hours, handle Part L insulation upgrades, and compare GRP fibreglass and felt.
Not sure whether your roof needs a simple repair or a full strip and retile? Learn how to spot perished felt, rotten battens, and isolated tile damage.
Find out why traditional clay plain tiles are curved, how single and double cambers stop leaks, and why they need at least a 35-degree roof pitch.
Learn the five main causes of a leaking chimney breast—from cracked flaunching and spalled brickwork to lifted lead flashings—and how I diagnose them.
No two roofs across our 20-mile catchment face the exact same conditions. Having worked on Kent properties since the 1990s, I tailor every repair and renewal to your building stock and exposure level.
A single slipped Welsh slate or cracked concrete tile only needs a straightforward repair. However, if the old bituminous 1F felt underneath has perished and rotted the timber battens, we’ll show you photographic evidence and explain whether a full strip and retile is more cost-effective.
Properties in Sheerness, Whitstable, and Herne Bay take heavy winds off the Thames and Swale estuaries. Cement-bedded ridge tiles crack over time, which is why we fit mechanically fixed dry ridge systems and joint-free GRP fibreglass flat roofs.
In historic centres like Faversham, Rochester, and Canterbury, modern interlocking concrete tiles aren't suitable. We source reclaimed and handmade Kent peg tiles, dress Code 4 and Code 5 milled lead flashings, and repoint chimneys with traditional lime mixes.
Replacing over 25% of a roof covering requires Building Control notification (such as STG Building Control across Swale and Medway) to meet Part L thermal insulation rules. For terraced chimney stack removals, we also advise on Party Wall Act considerations.
If you have water coming through a ceiling or want an honest appraisal on an ageing pitched or flat roof, give me a ring directly. If I’m halfway up a roof when you call, leave a message and I will get straight back to you.