Your local roofer in BR5 and BR6
Roofer in Orpington
Parts of Orpington have roofs the council protects tile by tile, right down to the bonnets over the hips. Worth a roofer who reads the rules before quoting.
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Text a photoRoofs in Orpington
What Orpington roofs are actually like
Orpington has two conservation areas whose appraisals were adopted in June 2025, The Covert off Crofton Lane and Chislehurst Road, and both of them talk about roofs in unusual detail. The tiles are described as red clay roof tiles modelled on Kent peg tiles, part of the garden-suburb return to vernacular materials, and the council says plainly that “wherever possible they should be retained”.
The detail that catches roofers out is the hips. In the council’s words, “most roofs are hipped, the hips being covered in bonnet tiles”. Bonnets are a different job from a standard ridge tile: they are bedded and pointed one at a time up the hip, and a repair that swaps them for a straight angle ridge is visible from the street and is exactly what the appraisal is written to prevent. It states that where roof repairs are undertaken, “matching materials should be used and details such as bonnet tiles or bargeboards retained”.
There is also an Article 4 Direction in force on these streets, removing the permitted development rights that would normally cover alterations to the roof of a house. Rooflights are expected to “sit flush within the roof with low-profile glazing”, and where a dormer is appropriate the council’s preferred type has a twin casement window and a hipped roof “covered in red Kent tiles with bonnet tiles over the hip”. Outside those areas, most of BR5 and BR6 is ordinary suburban roofing with none of these constraints, which is a very different quote.
What that means for the work
- Kent peg style red clay tiles retained and matched rather than swapped for whatever is on the van
- Bonnet hip tiles bedded one at a time. No angle ridge shortcuts on a conservation hip
- Article 4 on the conservation streets: roof alterations need consent, and we say so before quoting
- Rooflights set flush and low profile where they are allowed at all
Roof repairs
Roof leak repairs, slipped and cracked tiles, storm damage, felt and battens - fixed properly, not papered over.
New roofs & re-roofs
Full re-roofs and new roof installations in slate, clay and concrete tile, with a 10-year workmanship warranty.
Flat roofs
Flat roof replacement and repairs in EPDM rubber and GRP fibreglass, with manufacturer-backed cover on the material.
Guttering, fascias & soffits
Gutter repairs and replacement, leaking joints, overflowing runs and rotten fascia boards, priced in writing.
Gutter cleaning
Gutter clearing and cleaning, downpipes flushed through and the whole run checked while we're up there.
Chimney repairs
Chimney repointing, flaunching and lead flashing on tired stacks. Repairs first, rebuilds only when they're earned.
Getting to you
BR5 and BR6 are a run we make
Orpington is the eastern edge of where we work, out along the Cray valley. Worth a photo and a postcode first so we can tell you straight away whether the job suits us.
Reviews
What customers say
Straight from our Google profile, quoted word for word. Read them all on Google →
Roofing Croydon did an excellent job with our roof replacement. The team was professional, efficient, and kept us updated throughout the whole process. The work was completed to a very high standard, everything was left clean and tidy…
Posted on Google, 5 out of 5
Fantastic job—finished on time, no mess left behind, and the new roof is of top quality. Highly recommended!
Posted on Google, 5 out of 5
Fantastic work! The team was prompt, professional, and delivered top-quality results. The roof looks great—couldn’t be happier!
Posted on Google, 5 out of 5
Lovely friendly professional workmen. Great communication from these guys! Worked around us, and did it promptly. Thanks for a great service!
Posted on Google, 5 out of 5
Amazing work done. My roof looks very nice Will recommend them to others.🙌
Posted on Google, 5 out of 5
Questions
Orpington questions
What is a bonnet tile and why does my quote mention them?
Bonnets are the curved tiles that cover a hip, bedded and pointed individually rather than run as a straight angle ridge. On the Orpington conservation streets the council specifically asks that they are retained when roofs are repaired. They take longer to lay than a standard ridge and there is no honest way round that, so you will see them on the quote as their own line.
Can I put a rooflight in on a conservation street?
Sometimes, and the council sets the terms: rooflights are to be sited sensitively and, where appropriate, “designed to sit flush within the roof with low-profile glazing”. A standard chunky rooflight sitting proud of the tiles is what the guidance exists to stop. There is also an Article 4 Direction in force removing the usual permitted development rights for roof alterations, so check before you order anything.
Are all Orpington roofs covered by these rules?
No, and that matters for your budget. The Covert and Chislehurst Road are conservation areas with specific expectations. Most of BR5 and BR6 is ordinary suburban housing where a re-roof is an ordinary re-roof. Tell us the postcode and we will tell you which one you are, before we price anything.
Need a roofer in Orpington?
Send a photo on WhatsApp or book a roof check, and get a straight answer about your roof, in writing.