Roofing

Roof leaking at abutment but no rafter there to support a soaker!!!

Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 2.49 PM

Damp in terraced property on the adjoining upstairs wall. Find that there is no felt at the abutment, but unbelievably there is no rafter there either! A 1900s property, double clay Romans, obviously re-roofed in the 1960s with a good sturdy timbered cut roof (all sound), but they didn't put a rafter 50mm or so from the abutments. Consequently the tiles have to carry over on the battens for a full tile & a half. Felt has dropped down and cracked. Just morter on the outside to seal tile to abutment. No soakers or flashing is fitted! Because there is no rafter there is movement causing morter to fail and let the water in. I want to re-felt the damaged area, fit GRP soaker, bed the tile edge on morter then fit lead flashing over the vertical edge of the soaker to seal up. But how to support the soaker? Do I have to fit a rafter? or is there some other way to support the soaker. Id like a solution I can implement from outside with minimal access to the loft. I'm reluctant to fit a rafter as its a big chunk of timber to get in place, access is difficult and its a commercial premises that cant easily be shut for major works with people working under a dodgy 100 year old lath & plaster ceiling. Also got a problem neighbor on the adjoining wall suffering from short man syndrome! Like your guys advice.............