Common roof snagging issues on Swindon new builds.
If you have bought a new-build home in North Swindon, Wichelstowe, Tadpole Garden Village, Ridgeway Farm or any recent development, your roof should be perfect. Often it is not. Here are the most common snagging issues we find and what to do about them.
The single most common new-build roof issue across Swindon. Volume housebuilders use the cheapest sealant and the smallest clips that meet the minimum specification. Joints start leaking within 3-8 years. Water drips behind the gutter rather than into it, soaking the fascia board that should be maintenance-free for 25 years. Check every gutter joint after heavy rain — if water drips from the joint rather than flowing to the downpipe, it needs re-sealing.
Modern roofs use dry verge systems rather than mortar verges. The plastic caps should be firmly clipped and adhesive-bonded. On many Swindon new builds, they were push-fitted without adequate adhesive and rattle or lift in moderate wind. Check by hand — they should not move at all. Loose dry verge caps allow wind-driven rain under the tiles at the gable end.
Ridge tiles on new builds are bedded in mortar and should also have mechanical fixings. The mortar cracks within 3-5 years if it was applied too thin or in the wrong mix — common with the time pressure of volume housebuilding. If you can see gaps between the ridge tile and the mortar bed from the ground, it needs re-bedding.
The NHBC Buildmark warranty covers structural defects for 10 years. However, guttering, pointing and dry verge caps are typically excluded after the initial 2-year builder defects period. If your new build is less than 2 years old, report issues to the builder. After 2 years, these items are your responsibility. We fix new-build snagging issues across all Swindon developments — properly, permanently, and with our own 10-year guarantee. Call 0179 329 7084.
Call 0179 329 7084 for free advice.
0179 329 7084"Honest advice, professional work, fair pricing. Everything you want from a local roofer."
"Free survey was thorough. Clear explanation, no pressure. Will use them when the time comes."
"From first call to finished job — professional, punctual, clean. Highly recommend."
The single most common new-build roof issue across Swindon. Volume housebuilders use the cheapest sealant and the smallest clips that meet the minimum specification. Joints start leaking within 3-8 years. Water drips behind the gutter rather than into it, soaking the fascia board that should be main
Modern roofs use dry verge systems rather than mortar verges. The plastic caps should be firmly clipped and adhesive-bonded. On many Swindon new builds, they were push-fitted without adequate adhesive and rattle or lift in moderate wind. Check by hand — they should not move at all. Loose dry verge c
Ridge tiles on new builds are bedded in mortar and should also have mechanical fixings. The mortar cracks within 3-5 years if it was applied too thin or in the wrong mix — common with the time pressure of volume housebuilding. If you can see gaps between the ridge tile and the mortar bed from the gr
The NHBC Buildmark warranty covers structural defects for 10 years. However, guttering, pointing and dry verge caps are typically excluded after the initial 2-year builder defects period. If your new build is less than 2 years old, report issues to the builder. After 2 years, these items are your re
Nothing. Quotes are always free, written and itemised with no obligation. We never charge a call-out fee — the survey, diagnosis and written specification cost you nothing regardless of whether you proceed. For formal condition reports, the inspection fee (£120–£250) is credited against any work booked. We survey, photograph, explain and quote in writing. If you decide not to proceed, there is no charge.
Emergency repairs: same-day response, available 24/7 including weekends and bank holidays. Standard repairs: usually within a few working days of the survey. Planned re-roofs and larger projects: typically scheduled within 2-4 weeks depending on the time of year. We confirm your start date one week before and again the day before work begins.
Yes. Every job carries our written 10-year workmanship guarantee covering all labour, fixings and installation methods. This guarantee is backed by our NFRC membership and £5 million public liability insurance. Materials carry separate manufacturer warranties on top — typically 25-30 years for GRP and EPDM flat roofing systems and 40-60 years for tiles with stainless fixings.
Nothing. Quotes are always free, written and itemised with no obligation. We never charge a call-out fee — the survey, diagnosis and written specification cost you nothing regardless of whether you proceed. For formal condition reports, the inspection fee (£120–£250) is credited against any work booked. We survey, photograph, explain and quote in writing. If you decide not to proceed, there is no charge.
Emergency repairs: same-day response, available 24/7 including weekends and bank holidays. Standard repairs: usually within a few working days of the survey. Planned re-roofs and larger projects: typically scheduled within 2-4 weeks depending on the time of year. We confirm your start date one week before and again the day before work begins.
Yes. Every job carries our written 10-year workmanship guarantee covering all labour, fixings and installation methods. This guarantee is backed by our NFRC membership and £5 million public liability insurance. Materials carry separate manufacturer warranties on top — typically 25-30 years for GRP and EPDM flat roofing systems and 40-60 years for tiles with stainless fixings.
Nothing. Quotes are always free, written and itemised with no obligation. We never charge a call-out fee — the survey, diagnosis and written specification cost you nothing regardless of whether you proceed. For formal condition reports, the inspection fee (£120–£250) is credited against any work booked. We survey, photograph, explain and quote in writing. If you decide not to proceed, there is no charge.
Emergency repairs: same-day response, available 24/7 including weekends and bank holidays. Standard repairs: usually within a few working days of the survey. Planned re-roofs and larger projects: typically scheduled within 2-4 weeks depending on the time of year. We confirm your start date one week before and again the day before work begins.
Every job carries our written 10-year workmanship guarantee covering labour, fixings and installation method. Materials carry separate manufacturer warranties — 25–30 years for GRP/EPDM flat roofing, 40–60 years for concrete tiles with A2 stainless fixings. NFRC registered, £5 million insured.
If you have questions about any topic covered in this guide, call 0179 329 7084 for a free consultation. We can discuss your specific situation, inspect your roof at no charge, and give you honest advice tailored to your property type and local conditions. We do not employ salespeople and we do not pressure anyone into work they do not need. Our business is built on honest advice and quality workmanship — the kind of service that generates referrals and repeat customers. Twenty years of serving Swindon homeowners has taught us that the best customer is an informed customer who understands their options and makes their own decision.
We are NFRC registered, carry five million pounds of public liability insurance, and provide a written 10-year workmanship guarantee on every job. We have been serving Swindon and surrounding Wiltshire since 2003. Our business is built entirely on honest work and word-of-mouth recommendation. We do not advertise, we do not cold-call, and we do not employ salespeople. Every customer comes to us through recommendation or by finding us online — and we keep them by doing excellent work at fair prices. That is a business model we are proud of and one that benefits every homeowner who works with us.
Swindon's roofing market is served by a mix of national lead generation platforms, regional roofing companies and local sole traders. The national platforms route your enquiry to whoever pays them the most — you have no control over who turns up and no relationship with the company. Regional companies may send different teams for different jobs with variable quality. A genuine local roofer with their own team, their own reputation and their own guarantee on every job provides the consistency and accountability that matters when the work is on your home. We have been that local roofer for Swindon since 2003 and intend to be here for the next twenty years. Call 0179 329 7084 and talk to the people who will actually be on your roof.
We cover every postcode and neighbourhood across Swindon and a 15-mile radius. From the 1840s Railway Village to the 2020s Wichelstowe development, from hilltop Highworth to floodplain Cricklade, from the wind-exposed western estates at Shaw and Toothill to the sheltered inner suburbs at Covingham and Eldene. We carry the twelve most common tile profiles on every van, maintain relationships with specialist suppliers for reclaimed Welsh slate, Cotswold limestone tiles and traditional materials, and switch between modern specifications and period-appropriate techniques daily. Whether your property needs a single tile replacement, a full re-roof, a flat roof conversion, or specialist chimney work, we have the expertise, the materials and the local knowledge to do the job right first time.
A good roofer surveys from the roof, not from the ground. Photographs everything and explains what they find in plain language. Provides a detailed written specification, not just a price. Uses the correct materials for the property type and local conditions. Specifies stainless steel fixings as standard rather than the galvanised nails that caused Swindon's nail sickness crisis. Includes scaffold and waste removal in the quote. Offers a meaningful written guarantee backed by trade body membership and adequate insurance. Turns up when they say they will, does what they quoted, cleans up after themselves and stands behind the work for years afterward. This is the standard we maintain on every job and the standard you should expect from any roofer you hire.
From £150, no call-out fee.
More →Full re-roofs, 10yr guarantee.
More →GRP/EPDM, 25yr guarantees.
More →Same-day 24/7 response.
Call Now →Cleaning, repairs, replacement.
More →Repointing, flashings, stacks.
More →Biocide, 3-5yr protection.
More →uPVC roofline, ventilation.
More →Fitted to your roof.
More →Code 4 flashings, valleys.
More →Repair, matching, re-roofing.
More →Surveys from £120, fee credited.
More →Last updated: August 2026
Local Swindon roofers you can trust.
0179 329 7084