We carry out ridge and hip repairs in Chatham and across the ME4 area. 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.
Is it time for ridge and hip repairs?
- 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.
Poor original sealing
Ridge details are fiddly. If the original sealing was rushed, it's often the first place to leak.
Roof lanterns in Chatham
Drier, sunnier parts of the UK are kinder to seals than the wet west, but strong sun ages sealant, gaskets and plastic end caps, and south- or west-facing lanterns can make rooms very warm. Solar control glass and an opening vent help.
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.
Chatham is around 8 miles from Maidstone, and both are within our Kent coverage.
Neighbouring places we cover include Gillingham (1 mile), Rochester (1 mile), Strood (2 miles).
Guide prices for ridge and hip repairs in Chatham
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 Chatham: questions
Can you repair a lantern someone else installed in Chatham?
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.
Which places near Chatham do you cover?
As well as Chatham, we cover nearby Gillingham, Rochester, Strood, Maidstone and the rest of Kent.
What does a ridge repair cost?
Usually £195–£445 ex VAT for a standard lantern, confirmed in writing before work starts.
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.
Other lantern repairs in Chatham
- Flat roof junction and flashing repairs in Chatham
- Cracked lantern glass replacement in Chatham
- Solar control and self-cleaning glass upgrades in Chatham
- Condensation diagnosis and fixes in Chatham
- uPVC roof lantern repairs in Chatham
- Leak investigation and inspection in Chatham
Ridge and hip repairs near Chatham
More about ridge and hip repairs · All roof lantern repairs in Chatham