Ridge and hip tile replacement - remove old mortar?
Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 2.48 PM
Had a experienced roofer quote for an insurance job on my house, hip and ridge tiles missing due to storm damage. Quote too expensive for the insurance company so sent their own guys round, first quote included removing all old bonding mortar and relaying new/old tiles on a new complete new mortar bed. The insurers builder is saying this is not necessary and they only need to take off a small amount of the old mortar. Do I need to insist they remove all the old mortar? If I was rebuilding a wall I would think all the mortar would need to be removed, I think the insurance may be trying to do a cheap job!
Graham,Ben, thanks for your replies. The roof is around 10 years old and now has around 6 metres of hip tiles missing on two hips. It also has loose ridge tiles but these have not come down yet! The bond on all missing tiles has failed on the tile, so they have come clean off with no mortar on them this all remains bonded on the hips. I want to insist they remove all the old mortar from the hips and ridge but want to be certain this is the correct method. I don't want the finished roof to look like a dogs dinner so to speak. Does the roofing federation have a correct method for carrying out this type of repair?
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
you're quite right. it sounds to me as if they just want to rake it out I little bit, and point it up. if a job's worth doing it's worth doing properly! they need taking off and completely rebedding otherwise it won't last 2 minutes.
regards
graham
come across this quite often with insurance company labour, they will only do the bare minimum required to fix a problem rather than a proper job, what you have to remember is they work for the insurance company and not for you. you can insist they do a proper job or tell the insurance you do not want their cowboys to do the job.
good luck Alex
If you got this through your insurance then you are lucky. Let's face it an adequately bonded ridge should not fail in high winds unless their are underlying problems with the mix/workmanship or general age and weathering of the joints ( making it more susceptible to coming off). Did many houses suffer the same damage?
The problem is that you do not have a Policy of Maintenance and your insurer is only liable to replace the damaged section (if they admit liability).
HOWEVER once liability is accepted then they should carry out any workmanship correctly and I would expect to see the old mortar removed and the new or existing tiles fitted on a fresh bed then pointed.
You are within your rights to ask how much this builder nominated by the insurer is charging, then opt to take a cash settlement on the claim.
Answered9 February 2014
2
Anonymous user
Depends on the age of the roof. If there is frost damage where certain parts of the ridge mortar has blown out or crumbled away along the span of the ridge then yes replace the whole lot, but if it's just the case that everything is intact by this one ridge and hip tile, then there is complete logic in the insurance company suggesting otherwise...but having said that, you're paying an excess to the insurance company that's a higher cost than getting a self employed roofer to do the same job.
If it's a case you go with insurance, I would want the whole ridge span do due to the excess your pay out even though it's not needed.
But I would get a quote from a local roofer to just replace that one ridge and hip tile and repoint it with fresh mortar.
Hope this helps.
Ben
Following on from your reply Daveh30 from this latest information I would have the hips and ridge re set, as clearly for a roof that has only been established for 10 years it's pretty poor and obviously the mortar is failing.
