Professional lead work across Leicester and Leicestershire. Chimney flashings, valley linings, flat lead roofs, bay window lead roofs and abutment flashings. We use code 4 and code 5 milled lead sheet throughout — properly dressed and clipped, not sealant-applied.
Covering Leicester and all of Leicestershire.
Lead work failures are the most frequent source of persistent roof leaks on Leicester's Victorian and Edwardian housing stock. The terraces in Highfields, Belgrave and Evington were built with generous lead detailing — valleys, stepped flashings, soakers and back gutters — that is now 80–120 years old. Original lead in good condition can last indefinitely; lead that has been repeatedly patched with sealant products degrades faster and eventually fails across multiple points simultaneously.
Bay window flat lead roofs are another constant call across Leicester's older properties. The shallow-pitch lead bays on Edwardian and 1930s semis hold standing water and develop fatigue cracks in the roll joints over time. We re-lead bay roofs using code 5 lead with correct roll and drip details, rather than applying GRP over failed lead which creates future diagnostic problems.
Chimney step and cover flashings. Valley linings (open and secret). Soakers and apron flashings. Bay window flat lead roofs. Parapet gutters. Abutment flashings. Lead dormers. All lead is dressed by hand to correct falls and fixed with lead clips.
Lead valley replacement in Leicester costs £400–£900 depending on length. Chimney flashing re-runs cost £250–£600. Bay window lead roof replacement runs £600–£1,400 depending on bay size
"Lead valley on our Evington Road terrace had been leaking for three years. Two previous roofers had sealant-patched it. These guys stripped and re-ran the full valley in new code 4. Completely fixed."
"Bay window lead roof on our 1905 Highfields semi replaced. Code 5 lead, proper roll joints, new drip at the fascia. Looks exactly right for the period of the house. Very skilled work."
"Chimney step flashings on our Stoneygate Edwardian detached were failing at three points. Full re-run in new lead, soakers replaced, mortared in properly. No leaks since."
Correctly installed and maintained lead flashing has an indefinite lifespan - historic buildings have lead flashings over 200 years old. The failure we see most commonly on Leicester properties is not the lead itself but sealant repairs applied over failed sections, which prevent proper diagnosis and cause the underlying lead to deteriorate faster.
Persistent chimney leaks on Victorian terraces in Highfields are almost always caused by failed step flashings or soakers - the horizontal lead steps that interleave with the roof tiles at the chimney sides. We re-run the full flashing detail in new code 4 lead rather than applying sealant, which resolves the leak permanently.
Lead sheet is graded by thickness. Code 4 (1.8mm) is used for flashings and soakers. Code 5 (2.24mm) is used for flat roof areas, valleys and bay roofs where greater durability is needed. We specify the correct code for each application rather than using single-weight lead throughout.
Yes. Bay window lead roof replacement is a common job across Leicester's older housing stock. We strip and re-lead using code 5 with correct roll and drip details. We do not apply GRP overlay over failed lead - this creates future problems and does not address the underlying drainage issues.
Lead sheet is graded by thickness. Code 4 (1.8mm) is used for flashings, soakers and chimney details where flexibility and detail work is required. Code 5 (2.24mm) is used for flat roof areas, open valleys and bay window roofs where greater durability under foot traffic or standing water is needed. Using the wrong code is a common cause of premature lead work failure.
Correctly installed lead flashings have an effectively indefinite lifespan — historic buildings have original lead details over 200 years old still in service. The failures we see on Leicester properties are typically caused by incorrect installation, insufficient fixing, or sealant-based repairs that have masked underlying movement. New lead work installed correctly should outlast the building structure it serves.
Sometimes. Small isolated cracks in otherwise sound lead can be addressed with lead-welded patches by a skilled plumber. However, lead work that has reached fatigue point — showing multiple cracks, lifting joints, or movement at fixings — is better replaced in full. Repeated patching on aged lead typically costs more than replacement over a 10-year period.
Lead code refers to the thickness of the sheet: code 4 is 1.8mm thick and appropriate for flashings, soakers, step details and chimney junctions. Code 5 is 2.24mm and is used for flat roof sections, open valley linings, bay window lead roofs and situations where greater durability is needed due to foot traffic or exposed position. Using code 4 where code 5 is required produces earlier fatigue failure. We specify the correct code for each application as standard — it is included in the written quote before any work starts.
Leicester's Victorian residential expansion produced tens of thousands of terrace properties between 1870 and 1914, the majority with clay plain tile roofs incorporating generous lead detailing at every junction. Open valleys, chimney step flashings, party wall soakers, back gutters and bay window lead roofs were standard on these properties. This lead was installed well — Victorian plumbers took pride in their leadwork — but it was installed 100–140 years ago and is now reaching fatigue point across the housing stock simultaneously.
The specific failure mechanism is thermal fatigue. Lead expands and contracts with temperature change — in Leicester's climate, a south-facing lead valley experiences approximately 70–80°C of thermal range between a cold winter night and a hot summer afternoon. Over 100+ years, this cycling works the roll joints open and eventually cracks the lead at points of maximum stress concentration. Once a hairline crack develops, water infiltration accelerates the problem.
The most common response to a lead failure on a Leicester Victorian terrace is to apply a bituminous sealant or flashing tape to the affected area. This approach costs £50–£150 per visit and typically lasts 2–3 years before the same or an adjacent point fails. Over a 10-year period, three or four sealant repairs on the same valley or chimney flashing costs £150–£600, produces no permanent resolution, and leaves the lead in progressively worse condition because sealant layers prevent inspection of the underlying lead condition.
Re-running a Leicester terrace lead valley in new code 4 lead costs £400–£900 and should not require further attention for 40+ years. The economics are not difficult. We will always tell customers honestly when sealant repair is genuinely appropriate (small isolated sections of otherwise-sound lead) versus when replacement is the correct long-term answer.
Leicester's Victorian and Edwardian housing stock has an unusually high proportion of properties with lead bay window roofs — the shallow-pitch flat lead covering on the projecting bay at the front of terrace and semi-detached properties. These bay roofs present specific challenges: the shallow pitch means water sits longer on the surface than on pitched lead; the junction with the main wall is a complex flashing detail; and the roll joints in the lead are subject to more foot traffic stress than valley or chimney lead.
We re-lead bay roofs in code 5 sheet with correct roll and drip details. We don't apply GRP over failed bay window lead — this approach, offered by some contractors, seals in any existing moisture, prevents future inspection of the underlying lead condition, and creates an incompatible junction between the rigid GRP and the flexible lead where the two materials meet the main wall flashing.
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