I am not out to sell everyone a contract. For a terraced house in an open setting with a gutter you can reach yourself, a one-off round each year is fine and you do not need a subscription.
There are situations, though, in which a regular round really pays for itself, and there are more of them than people think.
When it pays off
A roof that is hard to reach. A gutter that can only be reached with scaffolding or a cherry picker is, in practice, never checked. Then the regular round is the only time anyone looks.
Lots of trees nearby. With a lime tree, an oak or conifers close by, cleaning twice a year is not a luxury but a necessity. See
gutter cleaning.
A flat roof with many details. Penetrations, domes, upstands and outlets that should be checked every year. See
roof penetrations.
Rented property or an owners' association (VvE). Here speed saves money and demonstrable maintenance is an advantage for your records. See
leaks in a rented home.
A roof you want to keep going for years. For a roof that has to last another fifteen years, annual maintenance is the cheapest way to get those years.
“Most of the damage I repair was still a small job a year earlier.”
Fouad, owner of Astrodak Service
What it should include
Exactly what is done. Gutters and outlets emptied, downpipes cleared, ridge and bargeboards checked, leadwork and valley gutters inspected, and a look in the attic. No vague description like roof inspection.
How often and when. Preferably one round in late autumn and, with lots of trees, a second one in spring.
What you get back. A report with photos that separates what needs doing now, what can wait and what to have looked at again next year. That report is your record.
What is not included. Repairs themselves are separate, with a price up front. A contract that promises everything does nothing specific.
How to cancel. A maintenance round is a service, not a lifelong obligation.
Open setting
one-off round
often enough
Have it checked before it becomes a job
Most of the damage I repair was still a small fix a year earlier. Have your roof checked with no obligation and you will know exactly where you stand.
Why it counts with an insurer
In the event of damage, an insurer looks at the condition of the roof and at what you knew. Overdue maintenance is grounds for limiting or refusing a payout. A file with annual reports and invoices shows that you have maintained your roof.
That is not a guarantee, but it is a considerably stronger position than a roof nobody can say anything about. See
insurance and roof leaks.
What you can keep doing yourself
A regular round does not replace taking a quick look yourself once a year, and after a storm in any case. From the ground and from inside in the attic you see more than you think, and that is valuable precisely between two rounds.
Why a report is worth more than the round
Anyone can clean a gutter. What sets a maintenance round apart is the report: what was found, with photos, and what distinction is made between now, later and looking again next year.
That report is your record for an insurer, your supporting evidence at an owners' association meeting, and your own memory three years from now. A round without a report is a clean; a round with a report is maintenance. Ask every provider about it.
Frequently asked questions about a maintenance contract
