Roofers in Tring

What makes the Rothschild estate roofs in Tring different?

They are steep, gabled and built to be looked at. Tring's 2019 conservation area appraisal describes Huckvale's buildings for the Rothschild estate as having "steeply-pitched and cat-slide roofs with gables and bargeboards", and the estate houses on Park Street as having "immensely steep roofs with acutely pointed gables". It notes massive chimney stacks on Rothschild buildings, sweeping tiled roofs on estate farms and cottages, and tile-hanging at 9 and 10 to 11 High Street.

The Rothschilds were rebuilding farms and building new cottages to replace decaying properties in the town. The appraisal says the original chimneys and pots survive in most cases, which means plenty of old stacks, flashings and flaunching to look after; our guide to chimney leaks and flashing explains where they let water in.

Steep roofs need proper access. HSE says sloping roofs require scaffolding to stop people and materials falling, and a cat-slide or pointed gable adds verges, valleys and edges to get right. The Chilterns roofing guide uses a Tring roof as its example of a valley formed with valley tiles.

Which Tring roofs are slate, and which are tile?

Both, sometimes on the same street. The appraisal's summary says local brick and clay tiles are used throughout, yet in Character Area 2 "slate is used almost everywhere for roofing and this has survived well", alongside some "replacement roofing in modern factory-made tiles". Akeman Street has steeply pitched tile roofs as well as shallow-pitched slate ones.

The conservation area, first designated on 6 October 1969, holds 54 listed buildings, among them the Grade I church of St Peter and St Paul. The appraisal notes a listed barn at Parsonage Place whose slate roof was only partly repaired in 2019. Where slate has lasted, we repair it in slate; the Chilterns guide says existing slates "should be re-used whenever possible" when re-roofing.

What needs permission on a roof in Tring's conservation area?

Anything that stands out from the roof plane by more than a little, and chimneys or flues facing the street. As summarised in the 2019 appraisal, roof alterations more than 150mm beyond the plane of the original roof need planning permission, solar panels need it if they protrude more than 200mm, and a chimney or flue on a slope fronting a highway needs it. Those were the national rules in 2019, so check they still apply.

Article 4 directions already cover some addresses: 1 to 18 Hamilton House, Kosicote and Hope Cottages on King Street, numbers 94, 96, 102, 104, 106 and 108 High Street, and Linwood and Farleigh on Park Road. Ask Dacorum what each one controls. The appraisal recommends more directions to limit uPVC, and criticises disproportionate modern dormers and a large mansard roof near Victoria Hall. When the council consulted residents in March 2018, the absence of roof lights on front roof pitches was one of the two character details most often rated not very important.

Which roofing jobs suit homes in Tring?

For Tring, the services that fit are roof repairs to slate and clay tile, chimney repairs for the tall estate stacks, and a roof inspection before buying an older house. The town is covered by the same roofers who work across Luton.

From the first call to a dry roof

1. You tell us what you can see

   A drip, a stain, a slate in the garden, a gutter that overflows. Phone 01582 377176 or send the form, and say whether water is coming in now.

2. We look at the roof

   From the ground, from a ladder where that is safe, and from inside the loft. We photograph what we find so you can see it too.

3. You get the options in writing

   What is wrong, what we would do about it and what it will cost, with any scaffolding, permissions and paperwork spelled out.

4. The work, then the proof

   We do the agreed job, show you photos of it finished and explain any certificate that applies to it.

Roofing in Tring: questions

Can you repair a cat-slide or steep gabled roof in Tring?

Yes. We plan the access first, since HSE expects scaffolding on sloping roofs, and we match the tiles or slates already on the roof.

Will I need permission for roof lights on a Tring house?

In the conservation area, a roof light projecting more than 150mm beyond the roof plane needs planning permission, and on a listed building, work that affects its character needs listed building consent. The Chilterns guide says roof lights should always be used sparingly and discreetly.

Should concrete tiles go back on a Tring roof?

The Chilterns roofing guidance advises against specifying concrete tiles and suggests considering a change to clay. Changing the covering can also need building regulations approval, so we explain both routes before you decide.

Sources and further reading

• Tring Conservation Area: Character Appraisal and Management Proposals, Beams Ltd for Dacorum, Sep 2019
• A Short History of Tring
• Roof work (construction safety topics), HSE, 5 Jun 2026
• Chilterns Buildings Design Guide Supplementary Technical Note: Roofing Materials, CCB, Mar 2007
• Cabinet report: Tring Conservation Area, Dacorum Borough Council, 15 Oct 2019
• Building regulations: Re-roofing, Planning Portal, undated (© 2026)