Chimney repairs in Cambridge
Chimney repairs that keep Cambridge rooflines intact: leaks diagnosed, brickwork repointed or rebuilt, lead renewed and flues inspected.
Chimney Repairs in Cambridge
Look along any Victorian street in Cambridge and the chimneys set the rhythm of the roofline. That is one reason the council takes an interest in them. In a conservation area, taking a stack down or changing how it looks can need permission, and on a listed building almost any change does. So our starting point with a Cambridge chimney is to repair it well and keep it, unless there is a good reason not to.
Symptoms and what they usually mean
- Damp patch on the chimney breast upstairs: the lead flashing or the back gutter behind the stack is letting water in
- Brown staining after heavy rain: water getting into the stack through open joints or cracked mortar at the top
- Bits of mortar in the gutter: pointing that has weathered out
- A pot that rocks in the wind: its bedding has failed and needs dealing with before the pot comes down
- A visible lean: a stack that may need taking down and rebuilding
Repairs we carry out
- Repointing to suit the existing joints and brick
- Rebuilding damaged stacks
- New Code 4 lead flashing and step flashing
- Flue inspections before a fireplace goes back into use
- Stack removal, where it is allowed and makes sense
Brick and mortar to suit the house
Many Cambridge terraces are built in pale gault brick, and a stack rebuilt in the wrong brick or repointed in the wrong colour of mortar stands out from the street. We look at what is there and aim to match it, which matters all the more in a conservation area.
How we keep it simple
We look from the loft and the roof, take photos, and give you a written quote naming the fix and the access. Many chimney repairs can be reached from a tower scaffold, which avoids full scaffolding on a narrow terraced street. When the job needs more, we explain why.
Storm damage
Cambridge is around 30 miles from our Bedford base, usually under an hour along the A428. If a chimney is leaking badly or shedding bricks after a storm, ring our 24-hour call-out on 01234 634 016 and we will make it safe first.
Recent work
Recent jobs
Our own photographs, from jobs across the area.
Peterborough A bungalow re-roof in Peterborough
A red tile re-roof in Sandtoft Olympus, Tuscan
A natural slate re-roof with hips and valleys
A Marley Modern re-roof, after some very bad spray foam
A big re-roof on TLX Gold, in a granulated grey tile
Letchworth A plain tile re-roof in Letchworth
A hipped roof in man-made slate
Milton Keynes A natural slate re-roof in Milton Keynes
How we work
Honest roofers: what the roof needs, not what pays best
Read our Google reviews and the same things come up: honest advice, the most detailed quote they received, and a team who arrive smart and leave the site tidy.
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A repair when a repair will do
A Bedford customer with a chimney leak got new lead and a metre of felt, not a new roof. "There was no need to start doing loads of unnecessary work," in her words.
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Itemised, line by line
Scaffold, skip, materials, even the portable toilet on a big job. You see exactly what you are paying for.
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Quick when it is leaking
Customers who called in the early evening with water coming in had us there the next day.
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Done the proper way
Dry ridge and verge systems, eaves support trays, welded lead, breathable membranes, and moss scraped off by hand. We never jet-wash a roof.
A 120-year-old roof, matched to the original
“The finished roof looks great, and is an excellent match to the original which is important in Letchworth.”
We noticed the felt in our loft was deteriorating quite badly, so decided it was time to get the roof replaced. We had three different companies out to quote, with Jude from Ultimate Roof Care being the last. Jude came across really well, very polite and well spoken, and took the time to explain everything properly. His quotation was by far the most detailed, with everything clearly itemised so we knew exactly what we were paying for. The team did exactly what was promised and we're really pleased with our new roof. We'd seen their vans working around Bedfordshire before, which was reassuring too. More than happy with the whole experience and would definitely recommend Ultimate Roof Care.
We had a bad leak coming into the roof and couldn't work out where it was coming from. We called Jude and he came out, had a proper look and identified the problem around the chimney. Our house was built in the 1980s and he showed us where the old felt had started collapsing around that area. One of his guys then came out and replaced the lead around the chimney as well as roughly a metre of felt around it. Jude explained that there was no need to start doing loads of unnecessary work and that a localised repair should sort the problem, which we really appreciated. The exact area where the water was coming in before has stayed completely dry. Really happy with the repair and thought the price was very fair. The guys were polite, turned up looking smart and were very professional. We're based in Bedford and would definitely recommend them.
We'd been having problems with a leak on our bungalow roof, despite previously having another roofing company out, so we decided it was time to have the whole roof replaced. Jude was brilliant from the start, and the detail in their quotation was on another level compared to the others we received. Everything was explained step by step, from the scaffolding and materials being delivered to the skip, even a portable toilet for the workers. Their price was very competitive too, but it was really the attention to detail and how professional they were that made us choose them. What a great company. We couldn't recommend Ultimate Roof Care enough!
I had spray foam insulation in my loft which was causing issues with selling my property. Jude explained the full process, gave me a clear written quote and even arranged for an electrician to safely disconnect and reconnect my solar panels. Once the foam was removed, they bagged and cleared every bit of waste and left the loft spotless. The surveyor who came afterwards commented on the quality of the job. True professionals, I'd highly recommend them.
I booked a roof MOT with Ultimate Roofcare because I wanted to be sure everything was in good condition before the winter. They showed me photos of a couple of cracked tiles and some minor pointing that needed attention, but reassured me the rest of the roof was in good shape. They fixed everything there and then at a very fair price. No pushy sales, just genuine advice and quality workmanship.
After the really heavy rain the other day we had quite a bad leak come through and called Jude at around 5 or 6 in the evening. He came out the very next day. Owen then came out shortly afterwards and got the repair sorted for us. They opened up roughly a metre along the bottom of the roof, renewed the felt in that area and fitted a new eaves support tray system. We've had more rain since and everything has stayed completely dry.
Jude and his efficient team of workers have done a complete roof replacement with slates on our 200 year old house. They have done an excellent job and the roof is now entirely watertight and looks very smart. Quality materials and experienced skills have resulted in a great job and peace of mind for us. Thankyou to all. Richard and Lorna
I found Ultimate Roofcare in the local Bedford Bulletin. Joe came along to check out the loft. Jude came along later in one of his branded vehicles (big reassurance) and explained that he could do the job in 4 days with 8-10 men. By Wednesday evening the roof tiles had been removed and replaced, a new roof lining installed, 3 layers of insulation placed between the joists, ventilated soffits and new gutters fitted and a good tidy-up completed. If you need any roofing or loft work done, you would struggle to find a better company.Read every review The full set, in their own words
Where we work
Chimney repairs nearby
Before you ring
Questions we get asked
Do I need permission to remove a chimney in Cambridge?
It depends on the house. On a listed building you will almost certainly need listed building consent, and in a conservation area removing a visible stack can need planning permission. Ask Cambridge City Council before you commit; we'll tell you if we think it applies.
Why is my chimney breast still damp after it's been repointed?
Repointing only deals with the brickwork. If the flashing or back gutter is letting water in, or the stack is open to the rain, the damp carries on. We check all of it before quoting.
Can you cap a chimney I don't use?
Yes. A cap that keeps rain out but still lets the flue breathe helps stop damp in an unused chimney breast, and it leaves the stack in place for the street.
Get in touch
Tell us about the roof
- We call you back To hear what the roof is doing.
- We come and look And take photos of what we find, so you can see it too.
- You get a written, itemised quote What the roof needs and what it costs. No pressure.