Natural slate roof with code-4 lead flashing dressed to brick chimney stack by RTC Roofing, Wirral

Bespoke Lead Work& Heritage Flashings— Wirral & Merseyside

Properly dressed, correctly weighted, mechanically fixed leadwork — the detail that keeps 90% of pitched-roof leaks out of your ceiling. Done to Lead Sheet Association standards.

Get Free Fixed-Price Quote 0800 043 1108

10-year insurance-backed guarantee £5M public liability Most quotes booked within 48 hours

20+

Years experience

TrustMark

Government-endorsed

9.5 / 10

Fair Trades rated

£5M

Public liability

10-year

HomePro guarantee

Overview

Lead Work — what, who, when & why

What it is

Design, forming and installation of milled lead sheet flashings, soakers, valleys, saddles, bay roofs and dormer cheeks in code 4, code 5 and heavier grades to Lead Sheet Association guidance.

Who it's for

Homeowners with chimney or dormer leaks, conservation officers requiring like-for-like heritage detailing, and other trades who need a specialist for lead-only work packages.

When you need it

During a re-roof, after visible cracks or lifting in existing lead, on period properties where mastic 'repairs' have been used to hide underlying failure, and on all chimney work.

Why professional matters

Cheap flashings — cement fillets, self-adhesive flashband, mastic — are the number-one cause of chimney and abutment leaks in Wirral housing stock. Properly-formed lead lasts 100+ years and costs less across its lifespan than any alternative.

The cost of waiting

What happens if you leave it

Damage escalation

Cement fillets to chimneys crack within three winters and channel water into the flue and ceiling void.
Flashband and mastic degrade under UV; you get one dry summer, then a wet one.
Lifted lead in a gale becomes a projectile and leaves the abutment fully open to wind-driven rain.
Once a chimney breast is saturated internally, the plaster comes off and the smell of damp doesn't go until the whole area dries out — often months.

Common mistakes

Reusing tired old lead 'to save money' during a re-roof — false economy that fails first.
Under-specifying lead code (using code 3 where code 5 is required) on exposed elevations.
Fixing lead with iron nails instead of copper or stainless — electrolytic corrosion eats the fixings within a decade.

Our process

How we deliver the work

Step 1

Inspection

Chimney and abutment survey with photographs — free written quote with specific lead codes and detail types listed.

Step 2

Design & code selection

Correct code (4/5/6/7/8) chosen per element, bays sized to LSA guidance, expansion joints planned.

Step 3

Forming

Lead cut, bossed, welded and dressed on-site or in the workshop; heritage detailing to conservation officer specification where required.

Step 4

Fixing

Copper or stainless fixings, correct clip spacing, mortar chases neatly cut and repointed with lime or fibre-reinforced mortar as appropriate.

Step 5

Sign-off

Water test, photographic record, and included in the workmanship guarantee for the wider works.

Benefits

What you get from booking RTC

100+ year lifespan

Properly-formed lead lasts as long as the building it serves — no other flashing material comes close.

Heritage-appropriate

The right detailing for period property, listed buildings and conservation areas — inspectable by planning officers.

Ends chimney leaks properly

The single most effective fix for chronic chimney-breast damp.

Specialist skill retained in-house

Directly-employed team members trained in traditional and modern leadwork — not a subcontracted afterthought.

LSA-standard detailing

Bay sizing, welt and roll detail, and clip spacing all to current Lead Sheet Association guidance.

Fully insured

£5M public liability and £5M employers' liability with Covéa Insurance plc.

The detail

Materials, methods & specifications

Chimney flashings — the four elements

Front apron, side stepped flashings with soakers, back gutter, and where wide enough, a saddle. Each element sized to LSA bay-length limits and mechanically fixed into a raked-out mortar joint with lead clips at 500mm centres.

Valleys — open, secret and mitred

Open lead valleys in code 5 or code 6 with correct upstand, wedged and clipped, laps of at least 150mm. Secret valleys detailed for slate roofs where required.

Dormer roofs & cheeks

Bay-sized code 6 or code 7 for dormer roofs, with welted rolls and clips. Vertical cheeks in code 4 with correct joggle detail and hidden fixings.

Bay window roofs

Full bay-window lead roofs in code 5 or code 6 with welted rolls, correct falls and lead-lined gutters where required — a genuine specialist detail.

Heritage & conservation

Traditional detailing including wood-cored rolls, cast lead flashings and pattern-matched dressings for listed buildings and conservation-area consents.

Frequently asked

Lead Work — your questions answered

How much does chimney leadwork cost?+

A full four-sided chimney reflash in the Wirral is priced on a fixed, itemised written quote after a free inspection — every job varies by pitch, access, materials and scope. Every quote is free and fixed-price.

How long does leadwork last?+

Correctly-specified and correctly-fixed milled lead lasts 100+ years. The failures you see on housing stock are almost always fixing failures or wrong-code specifications, not the lead itself.

Can you match existing lead patina?+

Yes — we can patinate new lead with an oil finish to reduce initial white-carbonate staining and blend visually with existing dressed lead.

Do you do listed-building leadwork?+

Yes. We work to conservation officer specifications including wood-cored rolls, cast dressings and traditional welted detailing where required.

Can leadwork be done in isolation from a re-roof?+

Absolutely — chimney reflashing, valley replacement and dormer relead are common standalone jobs. No obligation to book wider works.

What guarantee do you offer?+

12-month workmanship warranty on standalone leadwork, or full 10-year HomePro insurance-backed guarantee when combined with a qualifying re-roof.

Do you provide emergency lead repairs?+

Yes — lifted lead after a gale can be made safe within 24 hours via the mobile line (07722 733343) with permanent redressing scheduled after.

Are you insured?+