Cosham is defined by its 1930s suburban housing stock — semis and detached properties spreading into Drayton and Farlington. The concrete interlocking tiles on these roofs are now 80 to 90 years old, well beyond their typical 60-year design life. Widespread nail sickness, surface erosion and cracked tile bodies are the result. We are the most experienced contractors for 1930s roof assessment and replacement across the Cosham area.
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📞 Call Now: 0239 307 1334Full roofing service across Cosham — repairs, replacements, flat roofing, guttering and emergency call-outs. Free quotes.
Fast, honest repairs. Missing tiles, failed flashings — diagnosed and fixed properly with no call-out fees.
Learn more →Full re-roofs with 10-year guarantee. Itemised written quote before any work starts.
Learn more →GRP fibreglass, EPDM rubber and felt. Long-lasting coastal-grade systems for extensions and garages.
Learn more →Same-day emergency call-outs across Cosham. Storm damage and active leaks prioritised 24/7.
Call now →Lead valleys, chimney flashings and bay roofs. Coastal-grade specification for salt air environments.
Learn more →Cosham's inter-war housing dominates streets including Medina Road, Northern Road, and the estates spreading into Drayton. Concrete interlocking tile roofs that were state-of-the-art at construction are now approaching end of life. Original galvanised nails corrode progressively until failure — nail sickness — presenting as tiles that have slipped slightly or lift in wind.
The tile bodies themselves are also eroding: 90-year-old concrete surfaces lose their protective finish, become porous, and absorb moisture that accelerates freeze-thaw cracking. A visual inspection from ground level routinely underestimates the true extent of the problem.
Common roofing problems in Cosham: Nail sickness across the dominant 1930s concrete tile stock. Surface erosion and cracking on older tile bodies. Ridge and hip mortar failure — the same age as the roof itself on properties with no previous maintenance. Valley blockages from moss on north-facing slopes.
Local roofers covering Cosham and all of Portsmouth. Call for a free, no-obligation quote.
0239 307 1334Mon–Fri 8am–6pm · Sat 8am–2pm · 24/7 Emergency
"Had three roofers tell us our Cosham semi just needed a few tiles replacing. Portsmouth Roofing were the only ones who actually got up there and counted the nail sickness — 40% of the rear slope was affected. We did the full re-roof. Best decision we made."
"1930s detached in Drayton — full re-roof in modern clay to match the street character. Four days, garden left clean, guarantee paperwork the same week."
"Ridge mortar had failed completely across our Cosham semi. Portsmouth Roofing repointed the full ridge and re-bedded four loose tiles. Quoted clearly, came when they said, no call-out fee."
Most Portsmouth roof problems announce themselves as a damp patch, a slipped tile visible from the street, or debris in the gutter after a storm — not as a dramatic failure.
When it is not the answer: If more than a third of the covering has failed or nail sickness affects several slopes, repairing tile-by-tile is money wasted Read the full guide.
Portsdown Hill shelter reduces salt slightly, but 1930s concrete tiles here are shedding surface aggregate at 85–90 years old. Cosham's 1930s semis have generous simple roofs with good access, though mature avenue trees complicate scaffold and skip placement. It is why we specify marine-grade fixings and correct lead codes as standard on Cosham roofs — the coastal environment punishes anything less.
We inspect the roof, trace the actual fault — often metres from the visible stain — and check the wider covering and fixings.
You get an itemised quote separating investigation, access and repair, with coastal-grade materials specified.
We book a slot and arrange any scaffold or tower access in advance.
We carry out the repair with marine-grade stainless fixings and flexible ridge compound, not sand-cement.
We clear debris, walk you through what was done, and issue the written 10-year workmanship guarantee.
| Job | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Slipped or cracked tiles (up to 5) | 1–2 hours |
| Leak diagnosis & repair | Half a day |
| Chimney flashing renewal | Half to full day |
| Rear valley rebuild | 2–3 days |
| Nail-sickness re-fix (per slope) | 1–2 days |
Wet or high-wind days pause tiling and lead work — we build weather margin into every Portsmouth booking.
Most repairs run from towers or roof ladders; scaffold is quoted only where the job needs safe standing time at height. Scaffold is specified for: chimney-side repairs, full valley rebuilds, and anything beyond a day at height on a two-storey terrace - always itemised in your written quote, never a hidden extra, and we arrange it.
Cosham's 1930s semis have generous simple roofs with good access, though mature avenue trees complicate scaffold and skip placement. Pavement scaffold and skip permits go through Portsmouth City Council; allow a few working days on streets like High Street, Wootton Street, Spur Road where space is tight.
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Slipped or cracked tiles | £150–£350 | Per visit incl. access |
| Leak diagnosis & repair | £150–£500 | Depends on water travel |
| Chimney flashing | £200–£600 | Code 5–6 lead |
| Valley repair | £400–£900 | Strip and re-lay |
| Nail-sickness re-fix (per slope) | £600–£1,200 | Estate stock |
Worked example: A typical job on a property off High Street in Cosham, including access and waste removal, sits in the middle of the ranges above once surveyed.
No deposit on repairs under £500. Staged payments on re-roofs — nothing up front before materials are on site. All prices include VAT; written itemised quote before any work.
Covering PO6 and surrounding postcodes.
Workmanship on the repaired section is covered for 10 years in writing; any replacement tiles or lead carry their manufacturer warranties on top.
If a fault appears in covered work, we come back and put it right. No quibbling, no re-charge.
A day of ladder or scaffold work and a small amount of tile debris — we sheet below the work area and clear everything before we leave. You do not need to stay home for external work - we just need power and access agreed in advance.
Repairs run year-round and temporary weatherproofing goes on the same day if rain stops play. Portsdown Hill shelter reduces salt slightly, but 1930s concrete tiles here are shedding surface aggregate at 85–90 years old.
Signs include tiles that have slipped down the slope, tiles that lift slightly in wind without falling, or a course of tiles that have moved uniformly. We offer free assessments across Cosham.
If nail sickness is present on more than one slope, or tile bodies show widespread erosion and cracking, replacement is almost always better long-term value than piecemeal re-fixing.
A typical 3-bed semi in Cosham costs £7,000 to £10,000 including scaffold, breathable membrane and marine-grade fixings. Full itemised quote before any work starts.
Yes — all of Cosham, Drayton, Farlington and surrounding north Portsmouth areas.
All roofing services in Cosham including repairs, replacement, flat roofing, emergency, guttering, chimney, lead and Velux.
We aim to reach Cosham within 2 to 4 hours. Call 0239 307 1334.
All roofing services in Cosham and Drayton including 1930s tile assessment, nail sickness surveys, flat roofing and emergency call-outs.
No call-out fees. No obligation. Just an honest quote from a local Portsmouth roofer.
0239 307 1334