Ridge & hips
Dry-fixed and mechanically secured, so there's no mortar to crack and blow off in the first winter storm.
Heritage roofing · Manchester · Since 1987
Every roof has a story beneath the slate.
Natural slate, lead and timber, restored by hand on Manchester's period homes. Scroll to see what sits between your family and the weather.
What lies beneath
Six layers.
One standard.
- 06Ridge & hip cappingDry-fixed, mechanically secured
- 05Natural Welsh slateHand-dressed, copper-nailed
- 04Treated battensGraded, gauged to the slate
- 03Breathable membraneSheds rain, releases damp
- 02Mineral-wool insulationWarm roof, lower bills
- 01Oak & pine raftersSurveyed, repaired, never replaced if sound
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Ashworth & Slate
We don't patch roofs. We restore them to the standard they were first built to, then write it down and stand behind it for twenty-five years.
- 1,200+
- period roofs restored across Greater Manchester
- 25 yrs
- insurance-backed guarantee on every re-roof
- 4.9★
- from 240 verified Google reviews
- 3rd
- generation of slaters in the family
The craft
What you're paying for, and why it lasts.
Most leaks don't start in the slate you can see. They start in the layer beneath it. We survey, photograph and put right every one.
Natural slate
Reclaimed or new Welsh slate, sorted by thickness, holed by hand and fixed with copper nails that won't rust through.
Battens
Graded, treated timber set to the exact gauge of the slate, the detail cheaper jobs skip and that decides how long a roof lasts.
Membrane
A breathable underlay that sheds wind-driven rain and lets damp escape, ending the condensation that rots old roofs.
Insulation
Warm-roof insulation laid while the roof is open, the cheapest time you'll ever get to do it.
Rafters
Every timber surveyed and photographed. Sound Victorian timber is kept and repaired, never replaced for the sake of it.
Selected restorations
Before & after. Drag to compare.
BeforeAfterDidsbury · 1930s semi · 4 days
Full natural-slate re-roof
BeforeAfterSalford · Chimney & lead
Repointed stack, new lead flashing
BeforeAfterStockport · Victorian terrace
Storm damage, re-slated & dry-fixed
BeforeAfterAltrincham · Detached
Complete re-tile, ridges & gutters
How we work
Four steps. Nothing hidden.
- I
Survey
A roof survey by drone and ladder, with a photo report of every layer we can see, sent to you the same week.
- II
Specification
A written specification and one fixed price, itemised layer by layer, so you can compare like for like.
- III
Restoration
Scaffold, protection and a named site lead. Daily photo updates while your roof is open.
- IV
Guarantee
A 25-year insurance-backed guarantee and a digital logbook of the finished roof, for you and the next owner.
The 60-second roof check
Is your roof telling you something?
Six quick questions for homeowners. An honest verdict, the likely cause and what we'd do. No email needed.
1 of 6
Most likely
What we'd do
A guide only, not a diagnosis. A survey confirms what's really going on.
Sample Google reviews for this concept
In their words.
4.9★★★★★240 Google reviews
“They sent a photo report of every layer before quoting. We could see exactly why the ceiling was staining. The finished roof is beautiful.”
“Reclaimed Welsh slate matched to the rest of the terrace. The conservation officer signed it off without a single question.”
“Daily photos while the roof was open, a named site lead, and they left the garden cleaner than they found it.”
“Honest enough to tell us the rafters were sound and didn't need replacing. Saved us thousands.”
- Checkatrade
- TrustMark
- NFRC member
- Which? Trusted Trader
- Historic England guidance
Example accreditations for this concept. A live site only shows schemes the business actually belongs to, using their official member badges.
Questions
Worth knowing.
Do you work on listed buildings and conservation areas?
Yes. We match slate, lead and detailing to the original, and prepare the specification your conservation officer will want to see.
Can you reuse my existing slates?
Often, yes. We sort every slate on the roof, keep the sound ones and top up with matched reclaimed Welsh slate, which keeps the character and saves money.
How long does a natural slate roof last?
Welsh slate can last well over a century. What fails first are the nails, battens and membrane beneath it, which is why we replace them properly.
What does the survey include?
A drone and ladder inspection, a written photo report of every layer we can see, and a fixed, itemised price. It's free and there's no obligation.
Is the guarantee really 25 years?
Yes, on full re-roofs, and it's insurance-backed, so it stands even if we're no longer trading. Repairs carry a 10-year guarantee.
Heritage survey · Free · No obligation