In South Ockendon, 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.

Is it time for ridge and hip repairs?
- Drips near the centre or top of the lantern
- A cracked or faded ridge end cap
- Sealant around the ridge cap split or missing
What usually causes it?
UV-damaged end caps
Plastic ridge end caps become brittle and crack, especially on south-facing lanterns.
Poor original sealing
Ridge details are fiddly. If the original sealing was rushed, it's often the first place to leak.
Covering South Ockendon and nearby
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.
South Ockendon is around 18 miles from Chelmsford, and both are within our Essex coverage.
We also cover nearby Grays (3 miles), Hornchurch (4 miles), Dartford (5 miles).
What should you expect to pay in South Ockendon?
Guide price for ridge and hip repairs: £195–£445 ex VAT (£234–£534 inc 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 South Ockendon: questions
Do you cover South Ockendon?
Yes. We cover South Ockendon, including the RM15 postcode area, as part of Essex. 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 South Ockendon?
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.
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Ridge and hip repairs near South Ockendon
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