The ridge is where the hip bars and glazing bars meet at the top of a lantern, usually under a moulded or pressed end cap. Send photos from Bideford (EX39) and we'll tell you which it is — with the price agreed in writing before any work.
What you might be seeing
- Drips near the centre or top of the lantern
- A cracked or faded ridge end cap
- Staining along the hip bars inside
Common causes we find
Movement at the junction
Several bars meet at one point and each moves slightly with temperature; the seals at the ridge take the strain.
Poor original sealing
Ridge details are fiddly. If the original sealing was rushed, it's often the first place to leak.
Covering Bideford and nearby
Western and upland parts of the UK get more rain and more wind-driven rain than the east, and that's what finds weak cappings and blocked eaves first. Lanterns here benefit from a check of the bars on the most exposed face and a clear eaves channel before winter.
Near the coast, salt in the air is hard on aluminium finishes and fixings; washing the frame occasionally and touching in chips keeps corrosion away.
From Exeter to Bideford is roughly 36 miles — all part of the Devon area we cover.
Close by, we also cover Barnstaple (8 miles), Tiverton (32 miles), Exeter (36 miles).
How much should it cost?
Typical range: £195–£445 ex VAT, which is £234–£534 with VAT, per lantern. Towers or scaffold, where needed, are priced into the quote. Your fixed price is confirmed in writing before any work starts.
Do you need permission in England?
Most lantern repairs in England need no approval at all. Where a job turns into a replacement, the Building Regulations 2010 apply and we confirm how the work will be signed off before we start. Listed buildings need listed building consent from the local council for alterations, and conservation areas can have extra controls; like-for-like repairs are treated differently from changes, so check with the council's conservation officer first.
How does it work?
- Send photosWhatsApp or upload a few photos and tell us when it leaks.
- Guide priceWe reply with a guide price and whether a visit is needed.
- Fixed price in writingYou approve the price and the date before anything starts.
- Repair and testWe fix what's failed, water-test where it matters, and send photos.
Ridge and hip repairs in Bideford: questions
Do you cover Bideford?
Yes. We cover Bideford, including the EX39 postcode area, as part of Devon. Send photos by WhatsApp or the form for a free guide price, and we'll confirm the fixed price in writing before any work starts.
Can you repair a lantern someone else installed in Bideford?
Yes. We repair lanterns whoever fitted them. If yours is still under the installer's warranty, contact them first so you don't affect it.
My ridge cap is a different colour from the frame — does that matter?
Faded or chalky caps are a sign of UV damage. Colour alone isn't a leak, but brittle caps crack, so we check them.
Can you replace just the ridge cap?
Yes, if a compatible cap is available and the seals underneath are sound.
Other lantern repairs in Bideford
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- Leak investigation and inspection in Bideford
- Cleaning and maintenance in Bideford
Ridge and hip repairs near Bideford
More about ridge and hip repairs · All roof lantern repairs in Bideford