Roofing Service
Leadwork
Chimney flashings, valley gutters, parapet cappings, and dormer leadwork — Legacy Roofing handles all lead roofing details across Berkshire and London.
Lead is one of the oldest and most durable roofing materials available — when correctly specified and installed it outlasts most other components on a roof by a considerable margin. The problem is that poorly dressed or undersized lead detail will fail in a fraction of that time, and the failure point is almost always at a junction: where the roof meets a chimney stack, where two roof slopes form a valley, or where a parapet wall sits above a flat or shallow-pitch section.
Legacy Roofing carries out leadwork across Berkshire and London — from straightforward chimney flashing repairs on Reading's Victorian terraces to new valley gutters on large detached properties around Windsor and Ascot. We work to correct Code specifications — Code 4 for flashings, Code 5 for soakers and valleys, Code 6 for flat areas — using lead of the right weight for the application rather than cutting corners with lighter sheet.
Good leadwork is cut and dressed in bays with proper expansion joints rather than laid as a single sheet that will buckle under thermal movement. Chimney back-gutters are formed at the correct height above the roof covering. Soakers are sized and lapped correctly beneath slates or tiles rather than replaced with a smear of sealant.
If you have persistent leaks around a chimney, valley, or parapet that have resisted previous repair attempts, the lead detailing is very often the culprit.
Contact us for a free quote on your leadwork.
Good to know
Leadwork — Common Questions
Correctly specified and installed lead flashings can last 60 years or more. Failures typically occur within much shorter periods when the wrong Code weight is used or details are not properly dressed.
Minor cracks and splits can sometimes be repaired, but failed step flashings or split valley gutters usually need replacing. We will assess and advise on the best approach.
This is usually a sign that the lead was tuck-pointed into the mortar joint rather than fixed into a proper reglet, or that the mortar has deteriorated around the fixing. We re-dress and re-point correctly as part of our chimney flashing repairs.
Where We Work
Leadwork Across Berkshire & London
We provide leadwork throughout Berkshire and London. Select your area for local detail.
Ready to sort your roof?
Get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote. We cover Berkshire and London from our Wokingham base — and we're on call for emergencies.