Gutters, valleys and flashing

Who said guttering had to be plastic? Lead guttering is often a feature of older homes and is a good alternative to plastic on newer buildings, if you’re trying to cut down on your plastic use. Properly patinated, lead also does not discolour or show dirty stains like plastic gutters can. Because of its flexibility lead can be moulded around any structure or even ‘secret’ – hidden out of sight with only the slates or tiles on show.

Lead valleys are another way of waterproofing the joins between sections of a roof; but unlike tiles which go over the join, valleys run underneath the join. Water runs straight off your roof, meaning that its most vulnerable areas (the joins) are watertight and don’t allow any water to collect.

Lead flashing helps to seal and make watertight areas where the slate or tile meets a chimney, or other section of your house, such as an extension. There are many different types of lead flashing that we install to help waterproof your roof: step flashing, continuous flashing, counter-flashing, base flashing, cap flashing, vertical-step, whatever suits the situation best!

Dormers, Bay Windows & Canopies

Bay windows, porches, doorways and dormer windows can be covered with lead in a flat, pitched or vertical layout. We make sure the substrate (felt or similar) allows proper temperature and humidity control, and the fixing allows the lead to shift, stretch and shrink, and not be constrained or cracked.

A lead canopy covering doors, windows or porch areas can be shaped to be convex or concave; the water runs off well either way, and gives a Georgian-period or European look to a building. Very nice!