Emergency Roofer in St Helens
Roofing problems can happen without warning. Strong winds, heavy rain and sudden roof damage can result in active leaks, slipped slates, missing tiles and water entering your property.
Our emergency roofing service covers St Helens, providing assistance for urgent roofing problems that require prompt attention.
Where weather conditions and safe access allow, our roofers can assess the affected area and undertake suitable temporary or permanent repair work.
If your roof has suffered sudden damage or water is actively entering your property, call our team on 0151 739 0669.
About St Helens
St Helens has a strong industrial heritage, particularly through its long association with glassmaking. The World of Glass tells the story of how the town developed into a major centre for the glass industry and preserves an important part of St Helens‘ industrial history.
The town’s past is also closely connected with coal mining. One of the area’s most recognisable modern landmarks, the 20-metre-high Dream sculpture, stands on the former Sutton Manor Colliery site and was developed with the involvement of former miners.
Today, St Helens includes a broad mix of established residential areas, commercial premises and newer development. Properties across the town can have very different roofing requirements, from tiled and slate pitched roofs to flat roofs on garages, extensions and commercial buildings.
St Helens Homes and Their Roofs
In short: St Helens has a large stock of Victorian and Edwardian terraces built for workers in its glass, coal and chemical industries, surrounded by twentieth-century council and private estates and newer developments. Slate and tiled pitched roofs, flat-roofed extensions and garages are all common, and the right repair depends on the age and construction of the house.
During the nineteenth century much of the town’s housing was built close to the works it served, in districts such as Sutton, typically as brick terraces with slate roofs. Later decades added council estates across the town, including post-war prefabricated houses, a few two-storey examples of which still stand in Clinkham Wood, along with private semis and modern estates. Prefabricated and other non-traditional houses are built differently from brick homes, so their roofs and structure should be assessed before major work is planned.
Mining History and Roof Movement
St Helens was built on the South Lancashire Coalfield, coal mining was a major industry here from the eighteenth century, and the last colliery in the immediate area closed in the early 1990s. Old mine workings can cause ground movement, which may show as cracked walls, sticking doors or a distorted roof line. A sagging roof more often has ordinary causes, though, such as heavy replacement tiles on an old structure, roof spread or timbers weakened by long-term leaks. For the common culprits, read why is my roof sagging or bowing?
If you suspect coal mining subsidence, contact the Mining Remediation Authority (formerly the Coal Authority), which investigates claims, and deal with the roof once the cause is clear.
Flat Roofs on Homes and Business Premises
Flat roofs are common across St Helens, on garages, dormers, rear extensions and commercial units. When an old felt roof fails, the usual choice is between new felt, EPDM rubber and GRP fibreglass. EPDM is laid as a single sheet with few joints, which suits simple shapes; GRP cures into a seamless finish that can be formed around awkward details, but needs dry weather and suitable temperatures. Whichever is chosen, the deck must be sound and the roof needs enough fall to clear water. See GRP fibreglass roofing and EPDM rubber roofing.
Conservation Areas Across the Borough
St Helens Council has designated conservation areas at Victoria Square and George Street in the town centre, and elsewhere in the borough at Rainford, Earlestown, Rainhill, Vulcan Village and High Street in Newton-le-Willows. Several, including Rainford and Vulcan Village, have Article 4 directions that bring extra controls. If your property is in one of these areas, talk to the council before changing roof materials. Like-for-like repairs are usually straightforward.
Covering St Helens from our base at Maghull Business Centre.
