Welsh slate on Shrewsbury's Victorian housing stock
The Victorian terraces of Belle Vue, Monkmoor and the streets off Town Walls were originally laid with Ffestiniog or Penrhyn Welsh slate. These slates have a blue-grey tone distinct from Spanish or Chinese slate and must be matched correctly on any repair or partial replacement. Using mismatched slate on a conservation area property is both visually obvious and potentially in breach of planning conditions.
When does a slate roof need replacing?
A well-laid Welsh slate roof should last 80–150 years. The failure point is usually not the slate itself but the fixings. Nails corrode over time, a process called nail sickness, causing slates to slip. When more than 20–25% of slates on a pitch are affected, a full de-slate, re-nail and re-lay is more economical than ongoing individual repairs. We survey and give you an honest recommendation.
What we cover
- Individual Welsh slate repair and matching
- Reclaimed Ffestiniog and Penrhyn slate sourced to order
- Full de-slate, re-nail and re-lay
- Conservation area — like-for-like specification
- New Welsh slate roofing installations
- Spanish natural slate (non-conservation) available