Householder's speak for builder & roofer's speak

One of two ways:


(1) Some 10 cm x 6 cm tiles (very small) or 10" x 6" ones, but number unspecified; or


(2) 60 tiles, but size unspecified.


Completely away from the question, I noticed this week a neighbouring property which is being extended and totally refurbished and most of the south-facing new tiles appear to be photovoltaic.

To me, ten by six, even old imperial inches, seems small for a tile. It may be approximately the visible area but bear in mind a tile is well over twice its visible size when fitted, due to the considerable overlapping. I think he probably meant and area comprising ten tiles by six, i.e. 60 tiles.


You would be surprised to find how many people cannot multiply by ten. I've seen people get out a pocket calculator to do it.

It should translate to " 2 men place ladders against gutter, and scratch paint, one climbs ladder and scuttles over roof while chap below shouts things like 'leaks furver over  yamuppet!' Use nail ripper to remove nail heads on one row of tiles, wiggle and release tiles. Crack or drop at least one tile.

Move to one side and stack precariously, enough tiles to expose a builder sized aperture, while dropping the nails into car parking bay below- final size of aperture to match  with size of builder concerned."


The cutting nails step may not apply if the tiles are the type with nibs, as then  original roofers were probably a bit thin on the nailing, and only did occasional tiles to show willing, then it may be possible to expose part of a row without resort to the nail ripper.


Of course the last step my well be to realise after gaining access, that the water comes in from some join or flaunching someway upstream of where the leak shows in the room below, and not where the access has been cut. Unless a tile is missing, a tiled roof that was originally water tight almost never develops a leak in the middle of a tiled region, but rather where there is a discontinuity such as a ridge, a chimney or a valley between 2 slope angles, and something moves with settlement or if moss and leaves have blocked a water channel.


To lift 60 tiles may sound like a lot, but it will only be an hour or two, lifting each individual tile is perhaps ten seconds - most of the time is setting up access and deciding which bits to lift, and organising somewhere safe to put them when lifted..

Its the tile size. Standard concrete & clays are 10.5" x 6.5" but are commonly referred to as 10 x 6's.( used to be a director of a building company and we did a lot of roofing)


Rgds


Nick


Edited to add. What I would be more interested in is the fact tat they are removing above where the leak shows which may be a red herring, leaks have a funny way of travelling around under tiles and above felt and the water may be getting in, in a completely different area!!

Thanks for clarifying, Nick. I suppose there is some logic in going by the exposed area - after all this is what counts, and will need to be considered when one reckons up how many tiles will be needed for a roof of given dimensions.


Very valid point about leaks manifesting at some point distant from the point of ingress, due to running along felt. I am no roofer but a householder and I have seen this sort of thing myself.