can you talk to me about my Mum's roof please?

[clarinet9]

OK quick question (or 10) from memory roof is over 20 years old (maybe 30 or max 40) slate tiles on a tiny terrace. House was surveyed 20 years ago and roof was all very good and looked newish (but comment made that flashings around chimney might need replacing eventually)

there has been a problem with dampness (peeling plaster wallpaper etc) and have now had 2 roofers round
1 says need a new roof (5K) and other says
need a new roof (5K) and neighbour needs theirs doing too.

So questions are

1. does a new roof really only last 30 years?
2. does quote sound about right? (is tiny house 2 up 2 down at best lol)
3. how likely is new roof to fix problem if 1 guy says neighbours need doing to and other guy doesn't?
4. any comments on Spanish slates laid with minimum 75mm headlaps vs cement slates laid with minimum 100mm headlaps?
5. I am right in thinking this was post asbestos aren't I?

i do realise some of these questions can't be answered without seeing it but I am trying to help Mum from afar and she is getting older now and struggling a bit to do it herself so I just need to try and find something out for her.

She has had so many cost this last year I don't think we can afford to do much more (she is the woman whose washing machine, fridge and cooker all went within 4 weeks doesn't own dishwasher or dryer lol)

thanks so much

I am not an expert but I have been involved with quite a lot of buying houses and property renovating.
Is the damp around the chimney breast in the ceilings of the bedrooms? If so then it could be what is called the flashings around where the chimney meets the roof. It could be missing or damaged. This allows water in underneath.
Can you see the ridge tiles? Ridge tiles are the tiles at the top of the roof, where one side of the roof meets the other side. The mortar could be missing and then water could be seeping through.
Is the roof bowed ? If it is then the struts underneath could be rotten. Can you get in the loft and have a look.
5 K seems a lot but it depends on where you are in the country. In the South everything is more expensive. I think it is a lot for a small house. You can get the roof tiles painted with water proof paint.
Get an estimate for the ridge tiles and the flashings and ask what state the drains are in. If you have blocked or cracked drain pipes that carry the excess water off the roof, they could cause damp.
I always have at least 3 or four estimates and they usually vary widely.
My motto is I'm afraid ' don't trust anyone!

re the dampness - have the gutters and downpipes been checked as if these are blocked, or leaking, they could be causing the damp and will be much easier and cheaper to fix. Victorian slate roofs normally last well over 100 years - but if it was re-done with Spanish slates then having looked it up on google it looks as if this does only have a life of 25 - 30 years. Probably worth getting more than one quote for something like this.

Be aware that concrete/cement tiles are far heavier than slate and so any cost savings there may be outweighed by additional timbers to support the roof.

Could you get an independent surveyor to take a look, so that there is no vested interest in selling you a new roof?

Agree with previous posters regarding where the damp is and the cause.

If you are talking about proper slate tiles, then these will be slightly more expensive than orange tiles, but you can get cheap chinese slate tiles. Has the roof been felted etc?

If it is victorian house then sorting out repointing and flashing around chimney could work wonders.

What is the damp proof like? Damp rises (doesn't it?)

£5k for a two bed terrace (in the NW) is about right by what friends have paid. But that was a 100 year old house with water pouring in in many places. Our old house had a 100 year old roof that was fine. Damp on front walls could be gutters. Damp round chimney breasts probably flashings. We just got ours done in our new house as we could see damp timbers in loft. £200
Where is the damp.?What does roof look like from the loft space?
Get at least 2 more opinions. We found a great guy who told us not to believe people who would happily sell us a £5k new roof in our old house. He fixed ours for £350 and it never leaked again.
Also look at the road - if almost no one else has a new roof then it's unlikely hers needs a full re roof