In Basildon, as everywhere, 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 and we'll tell you what we think has failed.

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
Why it happens
UV-damaged end caps
Plastic ridge end caps become brittle and crack, especially on south-facing lanterns.
Movement at the junction
Several bars meet at one point and each moves slightly with temperature; the seals at the ridge take the strain.
Roof lanterns in Basildon
Sun and UV do more damage than rain on many lanterns here: brittle ridge caps, chalky finishes and hardened gaskets. They're cheap to replace before they let water in.
We cover Basildon as part of Essex, about 12 miles from Chelmsford.
If you're just outside Basildon, we also cover Stanford-le-Hope (3 miles), Wickford (4 miles), Billericay (4 miles).
What should you expect to pay in Basildon?
Most ridge and hip repairs jobs come in between £195 and £445 ex VAT (£234–£534 including 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 Basildon: questions
How do I get a price for ridge and hip repairs in Basildon?
Send a few photos of the lantern and the problem, with your Basildon postcode. We'll reply with a guide price and tell you whether a visit is needed before we can fix the price.
Do you need to visit to price ridge and hip repairs?
Not always. Clear photos are often enough for a guide price. Where the cause isn't obvious, a visit to inspect and water-test is charged from £145 ex VAT, confirmed before we come.
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 Basildon
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- Leak investigation and inspection in Basildon
- Cleaning and maintenance in Basildon
Ridge and hip repairs near Basildon
More about ridge and hip repairs · All roof lantern repairs in Basildon