How to find out how long the roof will last

[ScottishStottie]

When we bought our house 2 years ago, one of the advisories in the survey was that the roof would need re-done. So have kept that in mind as our next big refurbishment.

However another thing listed in the survey was the electrics would need redone, but we habe since found out when replacing the boiler that the electrics had been done recently and are at a good quality and standard.

So sounds like the advisories were just based on age of house rather than anything else?

But im aware that if we got a roofer/builder in to look at it, they arent going to tell us theres another 20 years in it, as they are going to want the work now arent they?

How would we go about getting an honest analysis of the roof and when any work would need to take place?

Would love to put in a drive in front of the house, so want to do this first, but wary about spending money on this and then emergency roof work is needed.

You need someone you trust to get on the roof and have a look. It doesn't need to be a roofer. Also have a look in the loft for leaks. With this house we were told it needed a new one. I think this was based on caution and also that quite a few houses in our street had new roofs. It did not. What it needed was all the worn tiles replacing. This saved us thousands of pounds. Unless a roof is completely shot and has never been looked after it rarely needs a new one. It also depends on the tiles. Slate doesn't last as well as other types. I am obsessed with roofs!

Parents bought their house 51 years ago and had the same advisory. Still not needed doing! Occasional odd tile needs replacing. They once asked a building company who used many times before who also said they should do it but we were a bit dubious (no leaks or damp etc) and to untrained eye looked ok, then when they had scaffolding up to paint, an engineer friend popped up to look and said it was all fine and that the roof tiles were some amazing Edwardian tiles and that he was suspicious they would have been stripped off and sold whilst being replaced by something new and inferior. Sorry that doesn’t help. I’d wait and be vigilant to roof problems and do it then