New Roof Installation in Laois
A New Roof Is a Big Decision — Here's How to Get It Right
A new roof is one of the most expensive jobs you'll ever do on a house, and one of the easiest to get talked into before it's actually necessary. Plenty of roofers in Laois will quote a full replacement on a roof that genuinely had years of life left in it, because a new roof is a far bigger job than a repair. We won't do that. If your roof can be properly repaired and will hold for years to come, we'll tell you that, even if it means a smaller job for us.
That said, there's a point where repair stops making sense — where you're patching the same areas every couple of years, where the felt underneath has perished across most of the roof, or where the structure itself has moved and settled in a way that no amount of patching will fix properly. When you're at that point, a new roof isn't a luxury, it's the only option that actually solves the problem rather than delaying it.
We install new roofs across all of County Laois — Portlaoise, Portarlington, Mountmellick, Abbeyleix, Stradbally, Mountrath, Rathdowney and the areas around them. Slate, concrete tile, composite and flat roof systems, built to handle midlands weather and backed by a written guarantee.
Why Some New Roofs Don't Last and Others Do
The lifespan you actually get from a new roof has far more to do with how it's installed than what it's made of. We've seen plenty of roofs in Laois that were replaced within the last ten or fifteen years already showing serious problems — not because the slate or tile was poor quality, but because of what was done underneath it.
The underlay and felt beneath the tiles is doing as much work as the tiles themselves, and it's the part that gets rushed when a job is being done quickly and cheaply. If it's not properly lapped and fitted, water gets behind the roof covering long before the tiles themselves show any sign of wear. The same goes for battens — if they're not properly treated and correctly spaced, they can rot or shift years before the rest of the roof would naturally need attention.
Flashing around chimneys, valleys and abutments is another area where corners get cut. A new roof with poorly fitted flashing will start leaking at those junctions within a few years, even though everything else on the roof looks brand new. When we install a new roof, the work that goes on underneath and around the edges gets the same attention as the visible tiles or slates — because that's what actually determines whether you get fifteen years out of it or fifty.
Covering All of County Laois
We're based in Laois and we work across the full county. There's no corner of Laois we won't travel to — from the larger towns to the rural parishes in between.
Portlaoise · Portarlington · Mountmellick · Abbeyleix · Stradbally · Mountrath · Rathdowney · Durrow · Ballylinan · Ballyroan · The Heath · Borris-in-Ossory · Clonaslee · Rosenallis · Castletown · Timahoe · Killenard · Emo · Graiguecullen
What's Involved in a New Roof Installation
Every new roof installation starts with a full strip-back of the existing roof covering, battens and felt — not just laying new material over what's already there.
We inspect the timber structure underneath once it's exposed, since this is the only point where problems with rafters or purlins are genuinely visible, and we'll flag anything that needs attention before continuing.
From there, we fit new breathable membrane or felt, correctly spaced and treated battens, and the new roof covering — slate, tile or flat roof system, installed according to manufacturer specification rather than however is quickest.
Flashing, ridge tiles, valleys and verges are all finished properly as part of the job, not treated as an afterthought once the main covering is down.
We clean up fully once the job is complete and leave you with a written guarantee covering the workmanship and the materials used.
New Roof Questions From Laois Homeowners
The honest answer is you usually can't tell from the ground, and a lot of roofers will tell you what gets them the bigger job rather than what's actually true. Signs that point toward replacement rather than repair include widespread sagging across the roofline, multiple separate leaks in different areas rather than one isolated spot, and felt that's visibly perished in several places when viewed from the attic. If you're not sure, get an honest inspection before committing to either option.
A standard semi-detached or detached house typically takes 3 to 5 days depending on size, roof complexity and weather. Larger properties or more complex roof shapes with multiple valleys and abutments can take longer. We'll give you a realistic timeframe once we've seen the property, not an optimistic one to win the job.
It can, particularly with slate and tile roofs where the existing covering needs to be stripped back before new material goes on. We plan around the forecast where possible and will be upfront with you if conditions mean a delay, rather than working in conditions that compromise the quality of the job.
In the short term, yes, almost always. The question is what happens over the following years. If a roof needs repeated repairs to different areas every twelve to eighteen months, the total cost of those repairs over a few years can end up close to what a full replacement would have cost, without ever actually solving the underlying problem. We'll give you an honest view on which makes more sense for your specific roof.
Where possible, yes. If only part of a roof needs replacing and the rest is in good condition, we'll source matching or close-matching material rather than leaving an obvious patch of different coloured tile that stands out from the street.
All new roof installations carried out by Bone Dry Roofing come with a written guarantee covering workmanship. The specific terms depend on the roofing system installed and will be confirmed in writing before the job starts.
Any Questions?
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Thinking About a New Roof in Laois?
Get an honest assessment before you commit to anything. Call Bone Dry Roofing on 085 733 1570 for a free estimate anywhere in County Laois.
More Roofing Services We Provide
From a slipped slate to a full re-roof, Bone Dry Roofing handles all roofing services and guttering work across County Laois. Whatever the job, you get a fixed price upfront and guaranteed workmanship.
Roof Repairs
A leaking roof gets worse the longer it's left. We locate the source not just the symptom and fix it properly the first time. Slipped slates, cracked tiles, failed flashing, storm damage.
New Roof Installation
If repairs no longer make sense, we'll tell you honestly. We install new roofs in natural slate, concrete tile and composite — built for midlands weather and guaranteed in writing.
Flat & Felt Roofing
Most flat roof problems come down to poor installation. We repair and replace flat roofs on garages and extensions using felt, EPDM rubber and fibreglass — materials that actually last.
Gutters, Fascia & Soffits
Blocked gutters and rotten fascias both let water where it doesn't belong. We clean, repair and replace guttering systems and fit new uPVC fascias and soffits across Laois.
Chimney Repairs
The chimney stack is one of the most exposed points on any Irish roof and one of the most common sources of hard-to-trace leaks. We repoint, reflash and rebuild — no temporary silicone fixes.
Roof Inspections
Roof over fifteen years old? We carry out full inspections across County Laois and give you a written report on what we find — useful before buying a property or after storm damage.