--- title: "Tenement Roof Re-Slating Edinburgh - Costs & Process" description: "Planning tenement roof re-slating in Edinburgh? Understand slate choices, realistic costs, shared ownership rules." url: "https://edinburgh-roofing.com/tenement-roof-re-slating-edinburgh/" --- # Re-Slating a Tenement Roof in Edinburgh Edinburgh's sandstone tenements are built to last centuries, but their roofs tell a different story. Scottish slate, laid over sarking boards, weathers decades of Atlantic wind and frost before mortar cracks, slates slip, and water finds its way into the top-floor flat. Re-slating is the only permanent answer once a roof reaches that point. ## What Makes Tenement Roofs Different A traditional Edinburgh tenement roof spans a shared stone building, often four or five storeys tall, with a steeply pitched profile and multiple chimney stacks. The pitch varies by era: Victorian tenements in Marchmont and Newington typically run at 45–50 degrees, which demands experienced slaters and a full scaffold rather than a ladder and hop-up. Ownership is split between proprietors under Scots property law. Each flat owner holds a share of the common roof, which means any major re-slating project requires agreement among all proprietors before work can start. A factor or property manager often coordinates this; in a self-managed close, one owner usually takes the lead. ### Sarking Boards and Felt Underlay Beneath the slates sit sarking boards, horizontal timber planks fixed directly to the rafters. Many Edinburgh tenements still have original Victorian sarking. When that timber is sound, a roofer can strip the slates, lay a breathable membrane over the existing boards, and re-slate onto the original structure. Where rot or beetle damage has spread, sarking replacement adds both cost and time to the project. Pre-1960s tenements rarely have a felt underlay beneath the sarking. Modern re-slating almost always introduces one, improving thermal performance and giving a secondary barrier against wind-driven rain. ## Re-Slating Edinburgh Properties - Choosing the Right Slate Scottish slate from Ballachulish or Easdale is the material of choice for Edinburgh conservation areas and for any building where planning conditions apply. It carries a lifespan of 80–150 years with proper maintenance, matching or exceeding the original roof's service life. Welsh slate from Penrhyn or Ffestiniog shares a similar quality tier and is often accepted by Edinburgh City Council planning officers as an equivalent. Both sit at the upper end of the cost range for full replacement, which runs £80–£150 per square metre for supply and installation. Imported Spanish slate costs less per unit and is widely used on non-listed buildings outside conservation areas. Its typical service life is shorter than Scottish or Welsh natural slate, making it a practical but shorter-horizon choice. Roofers will advise on whether the council's conservation guidance applies to your tenement before ordering materials. ## Tenement Re-Slating Cost Edinburgh The square metre rate of £80–£150 is the starting point, not the final figure. A typical Edinburgh tenement roof section covering one close measures roughly 150–250 square metres, depending on ridge length and the number of dormers or chimney stacks interrupting the plane of the roof. Scaffold is a significant line item for tenement work. A full perimeter scaffold on a four-storey building can cost £3,000–£8,000 alone, and it must stay erected for the duration of the project. Neighbouring proprietors sometimes share scaffold costs if they coordinate timing, which is worth exploring before individual blocks commission separate contracts. Chimney repairs, valley replacement, and ridge re-bedding are almost always needed alongside a full re-slate. Chimney repointing runs £300–£800 per stack depending on height and mortar condition. Each additional element adds to the contract sum, so any quote that does not itemise chimneys and valleys separately is worth querying. For minor repairs that fall short of a full re-slate, single slate replacement or a small patch costs £150–£400. That range covers the callout, the slater's time, and the cost of matching slates. Emergency roof tarping, used to protect the building while a proper repair is arranged, runs £200–£500 per job. ### Getting Multiple Quotes Three quotes is the minimum for a tenement re-slating project. Ask each contractor to specify the slate type, thickness, and origin; the membrane specification; how they will handle sarking if rot is found on stripping; and whether the quote includes ridge and hip re-bedding or prices those separately. A roof inspection before quoting gives the contractor solid information to price from. A standard survey costs £150–£300 and produces a written report. Drone surveys sit toward the upper end of that range but are increasingly useful on tall tenements where a roofer cannot easily access the full slope by ladder alone. ## The Re-Slating Process Step by Step Work typically begins with scaffold erection, followed by stripping the existing slates. Sound slates are sorted and set aside; Scottish or Welsh slates are often re-used if the project budget allows and the tile condition warrants it. Sarking is inspected board by board, with replacement sections cut and fixed before membrane is laid. New slates are sized, cut where needed, and fixed with copper or stainless steel nails direct into the sarking. Galvanised fixings are cheaper but rust and stain the slate face within a decade, so specify non-ferrous fixings explicitly. Ridge tiles are re-bedded in fresh mortar, hips are dressed, and any lead flashings around chimneys and dormers are dressed or replaced. A full re-slate on a single Edinburgh tenement close generally takes two to three weeks from scaffold up to scaffold down, weather permitting. The Scottish climate means rain days are built into the programme; reputable contractors factor this in rather than giving an unrealistically tight completion date. ## Working with Shared Ownership The legal requirement for proprietor agreement before major common repairs can delay a project by weeks or months if one owner is uncontactable or withholds consent. A factor with the right to instruct emergency repairs can sometimes bypass this for urgent work. Where agreement is reached, costs are split by the proportion set out in the title deeds, which is usually equal shares per flat. Local housing associations and Edinburgh City Council's private sector housing team can sometimes advise on funding routes for tenement repairs, particularly where the building is at risk. The council's conservation team is also the right contact if the tenement sits within a conservation area and you are unsure whether planning permission or listed building consent is needed before work begins. ## Finding the Right Contractor Look for an NFRC-registered contractor or equivalent approved roofing contractor with demonstrable experience on Edinburgh tenements specifically. Pitched slate work on a shared four-storey building is not the same skill set as replacing a flat roof on a bungalow. Ask for references from completed tenement projects and, where possible, visit a finished job. Emergency cover matters too. Reputable Edinburgh roofers offer a 24/7 emergency line and aim to reach city-area properties within one to two hours when slates have blown off in a storm and the building is exposed. Out-of-hours callout fees run £150–£300, with temporary tarping on top if needed. Get the contract in writing before any scaffold goes up. It should state the slate specification, the membrane type, the fixing material, the programme, the payment schedule, and the warranty on workmanship. A clear contract protects all proprietors and gives the lead contact something concrete to share with the rest of the close. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How Much Does Tenement Re-slating Cost in Edinburgh? **Full re-slating runs £80–£150 per square metre for supply and installation.** A tenement close roof of 150–250 square metres puts the slating element alone at £12,000–£37,500 before scaffold (£3,000–£8,000), chimney repointing (£300–£800 per stack), and any sarking replacement. Always get itemised quotes that separate these elements. ### What Is Involved in Re-slating Edinburgh Properties? **Re-slating an Edinburgh tenement involves stripping existing slates, inspecting and replacing any rotten sarking boards, laying a breathable underlay membrane, and fixing new slates with copper or stainless steel nails.** Ridge tiles are re-bedded, lead flashings around chimneys and dormers are dressed or replaced, and the full project typically takes two to three weeks on site. ### Do All Flat Owners Need to Agree Before a Tenement Roof Is Re-slated? **Under Scots property law, the common roof is shared between all proprietors, so agreement is generally required before major repair work can be instructed.** A factor with authority over common repairs can sometimes act for emergency work without full consent. Costs are split according to the proportions set out in each flat's title deeds, usually equal shares. ### Which Slate Is Best for an Edinburgh Tenement - Scottish, Welsh, or Spanish? **Scottish slate from Ballachulish or Easdale and Welsh slate from Penrhyn or Ffestiniog both carry a lifespan of 80–150 years with proper maintenance and are generally accepted by Edinburgh's conservation planners.** Spanish slate costs less per unit but has a shorter service life and may not be permitted in conservation areas or on listed buildings. Your contractor should confirm planning requirements before ordering materials. ### How Long Does a Tenement Roof Re-slate Take to Complete? **A single tenement close re-slate typically takes two to three weeks from scaffold erection to scaffold removal, assuming no major sarking replacement is needed.** Discovering widespread rot in the sarking boards can add several days. Scottish weather means rain days are a realistic part of the programme, and reputable contractors build this into their schedule rather than offering an unrealistically short timeline.