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Onduline Roofing Market Harborough
Across Market Harborough, sheds, garages, stables and log cabins take a beating from wet Welland Valley winters. When the old felt splits or the cover starts to leak, a lightweight bitumen sheet often solves it for years. Tate & Sons Roofing fits Onduline roofing in Market Harborough and the wider Harborough District, from a small workshop roof to a full stable block.
This page explains what Onduline is, how long it lasts, and what it really costs. You will see how bitumen sheet compares with metal box-profile and felt, and when it can go over an old roof. Onduline is one part of the wider service we run as a roofing contractor across Market Harborough. Start with a free drone survey and a written price before any work begins.
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What Onduline Roofing Is, and Why It Works So Well on Outbuildings
Onduline is a corrugated roofing sheet made from organic fibres soaked in bitumen. Heat and pressure bond it into a light, tough panel that sheds water fast. The sheets come in black, brown, red and green, so they blend in with most gardens and yards.
The big draw is weight. A bitumen sheet is far lighter than a tile or a metal panel. That means less strain on an older shed or garage frame, and a quicker, tidier fit. The material cuts with a handsaw and fixes down with capped nails or screws into the timber below.
People pick Onduline for a reason. It is well suited to these buildings:
- Garden sheds, summerhouses and workshops
- Single and double garages
- Log cabins and home offices
- Stables, field shelters and animal housing
- Car ports, lean-tos and low-pitch roofs
If your building has a steel or corrugated cover already, our Corrugated Roofing page walks through the metal side of the job. For many homeowners in Lubenham and Foxton, though, a bitumen sheet is the simplest fix for a leaking outbuilding.
How Long an Onduline Roof Lasts, and the Guarantee Behind It
A fitted Onduline roof gives you real, working life for the money. The premium Onduline Classic sheet carries a fifteen-year waterproofing guarantee from the maker. Fit it by the book and keep it clear, and many roofs run past that mark before they need replacing.
Lifespan depends on the fit as much as the sheet. The guarantee only holds when the sheets are laid, lapped and nailed to the maker's instructions. Skimp on laps or fixings, and the cover can lift, sag or let water track underneath. That is where a proper roofer earns their keep.
We fit every sheet to the pitch of your roof. A shallow pitch needs bigger overlaps and more nails than a steep one. Get that right at the start, and the roof stays flat and dry for its full life. Around Great Bowden and Medbourne, most of the bitumen roofs we fit are still watertight well over a decade on.
Onduline vs Metal Box-Profile vs Felt — Which Outbuilding Roof Wins?
Three covers suit almost every shed, garage and cabin roof in this area. Each fits a different budget and a different lifespan. In short: felt is the cheapest but the shortest-lived; Onduline bitumen sheet is the light, low-cost all-rounder for most outbuildings; metal box-profile costs more upfront but lasts longest on big or exposed roofs. The right pick depends on the building, how long you want it, and how exposed the site is.
Here is how each one stacks up in plain terms:
Ryan Tate, our project manager, fits all three day in, day out. He will tell you straight which one suits your building and your budget, in plain English, not sales talk.
| :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: |
| Roof cover | Typical cost (per m², supplied & fitted) | Typical lifespan | Best for |
| Felt (built-up) | £15–£30 | 5–10 years | Small sheds on the tightest budget |
| Onduline / bitumen sheet | £25–£45 | 15–20 years | Sheds, garages, log cabins and stables; light and quick to fit |
| Metal box-profile | £35–£60 | 30–40 years | Larger garages and exposed or agricultural roofs |
- **Felt*costs the least on day one. It cracks in cold weather and goes brittle with age, so you tend to redo it far sooner. Fine on a small shed you are not precious about.
- **Onduline bitumen sheet*is the value pick for most outbuildings. It is light, quiet in rain, and cheap to fit, with a fifteen-year guarantee behind the good sheets. It suits nearly every shed, garage and cabin we see.
- **Metal box-profile*lasts longest and stands up to the worst weather. It costs more and rings louder in heavy rain, but on a big or exposed roof it earns that back over time.
Fitting Onduline Over an Old Roof — When It Works and When It Doesn't
One of Onduline's best tricks is going straight over an old cover. When the felt below is sound and the deck is dry, we can lay the new sheets on top. That saves a strip-out, keeps the mess down, and often shaves cost off the job.
It does not work on every roof. We check what lies beneath before we commit to it. An over-fit is right when:
- The old felt is worn but still flat and stuck down
- The timber deck below is dry and solid
- The roof frame can carry a second, light cover
- The pitch is steep enough to shed water cleanly
When the deck is soft, damp or rotten, laying over the top just traps the problem. Water carries on working into the timber, out of sight, until the roof sags. In that case we strip back, sort the deck, then fit the new sheets. On a bigger job like a Garage Roof Replacement, that deck check is the first thing we do.
A free drone survey shows us the full picture from above. You see the same footage we do, so the choice between an over-fit and a strip-out is clear and honest.
What an Onduline Roof Costs in Market Harborough
Cost comes down to three things: the sheet, the size, and the state of what lies beneath.
The sheets alone run roughly £16 to £20 per square metre to buy. Supplied and fitted by a roofer, with battens, fixings and labour, most outbuilding roofs land around £25 to £45 per square metre. For a typical single garage or large shed of 15 to 25m², that works out near £400 to £1,100 all in.
What moves the price up or down:
- **Roof size and shape*— more edges, valleys and ridges mean more cutting and more labour
- **Deck condition*— rotten or soft timber has to be replaced before the sheets go on
- **Strip-out*— an over-fit costs less than clearing an old cover first
- **Access*— a roof tucked behind fences or trees takes longer to reach
- **Ridge and flashing kit*— proper caps and verges add a little but keep the roof watertight
These are general market ranges, not a quote for your roof. Two sheds the same size can price very differently once deck and access are weighed up. The only way to a firm figure is a proper look at the roof. Our free drone survey gives you that, followed by a clear written price with nothing added later. A fixed price needs a survey.
Getting the Fit Right So Your Sheets Never Sag
Onduline gets a mixed name in some quarters, and it nearly always comes down to the fit. Sheets that sag in summer heat were laid over gaps too wide, without enough support below. Fit the sheets over close, level battens, and they stay flat for years.
We follow the maker's fixing pattern on every job. Sheets lap by the right amount for the pitch, and every fixing goes into solid timber. On a low pitch we increase the laps and add more nails, exactly as the guide sets out. That is the difference between a roof that holds and one that ripples.
Good fitting also means clearing leaves each autumn so water runs off freely. If you want to read up on picking a roofer before you commit, the NFRC's homeowner guidance on choosing a roofing contractor is a sound, independent place to start. Around Kibworth Beauchamp and Great Glen, the roofs that fail early are almost always the ones fitted in a rush.
Why Market Harborough Homeowners Call Tate & Sons First
You are not just buying a stack of sheets — you are buying whoever fits them. Ryan Tate, our project manager, handles the sheet and outbuilding roofing on this page and runs the crew on site. He fits bitumen sheet, corrugated and metal roofs week in, week out, and he is there on the job, not just the man who quoted it.
Founder Michael Tate started his apprenticeship at sixteen and built Tate & Sons on one belief: survey the roof properly and fix the real cause, never patch it to last a season. He still sets the standard for how we look over every roof before we price it. Between us we carry over 45 years of combined experience, hold NVQ Level 2 and 3 qualifications in Roofing Occupations, and keep CSCS cards and NFRC trade-body membership. Read more about the people behind the work on our About Tate & Sons Roofing page.
Areas We Serve Across Market Harborough and the Harborough District
We fit and repair Onduline and sheet roofs across Market Harborough and the surrounding Welland Valley villages. If your area is not on the list below, call us anyway — if you are nearby, there is a strong chance we cover you.
- Market Harborough (LE16)
- Great Bowden (LE16 7)
- Little Bowden (LE16 8)
- Lubenham (LE16 9)
- Foxton (LE16 7)
- Medbourne (LE16 8)
- Kibworth Beauchamp (LE8)
- Great Glen (LE8 9)
- Fleckney (LE8 8)
- Husbands Bosworth (LE17 6)
- Desborough (NN14 2)
Got Questions?
Your Onduline Roofing Questions, Answered Properly
What is Onduline roofing?
Onduline is a corrugated roofing sheet made from organic fibres soaked in bitumen. Heat and pressure bond it into a light, tough panel that sheds water well. It comes in black, brown, red and green. Roofers fix it to sheds, garages, cabins and stables, where a light, quick cover suits the building. It cuts with a handsaw and nails down over timber battens.
How long does an Onduline roof last?
The premium Onduline Classic sheet carries a fifteen-year waterproofing guarantee from the maker. Fitted to the instructions and kept clear of leaves, many roofs run past that mark. Lifespan drops fast when the sheets are laid over gaps or nailed short of the pattern. A proper fit over close battens is what gets you the full life out of the material.
Is Onduline roofing any good?
Yes, when it is fitted right. Onduline gets a mixed name because badly laid roofs sag or lift, and that is a fitting fault, not a fault in the sheet. Laid over close, level battens with the correct laps and fixings, it stays flat and dry for years. It is light, quiet in rain and cheap to fit, which is why it suits so many outbuildings.
Can you fit Onduline over an existing felt or old roof?
Often, yes. When the old felt is worn but flat and the deck below is dry and solid, we can lay the new sheets straight over the top. That saves a strip-out and cuts the mess and cost. When the deck is soft or rotten, laying over it just traps the damp, so we strip back and sort the timber first. A survey settles which route your roof needs.
How much does Onduline roofing cost in Market Harborough?
The sheets alone cost roughly £16 to £20 per square metre to buy. Supplied and fitted by a roofer, with battens, fixings and labour, most outbuilding roofs land around £25 to £45 per square metre. A typical single garage or large shed works out near £400 to £1,100 all in. Deck condition, access and strip-out set the final figure, so a fixed price always needs a survey first.
Is Onduline suitable for a shed, garage or log cabin?
It suits all three well. The lighter mini profile fits sheds, summerhouses and workshops, while the classic profile suits larger garages and cabins. The sheets are light, so they put little strain on an older frame. They fix down fast and shed water cleanly on any pitch above the maker's minimum. For most garden buildings around here, it is the simplest, tidiest cover.
Does Onduline sheeting sag in hot weather?
It can, but only when it is fitted badly. Sagging happens when sheets span gaps too wide, without close battens holding them up underneath. Lay the sheets over proper, level support and fix them to the pattern, and they hold flat through summer heat. Every sagging roof we are called to re-do was laid short on support or fixings.
What guarantee comes with an Onduline roof?
The Onduline Classic sheet carries a fifteen-year waterproofing guarantee from the maker, with other sheets in the range guaranteed for ten to twenty years. That cover only holds when the sheets are fitted to the maker's instructions. We fit to that standard, so the guarantee stands behind your roof. You also get our own workmanship backing on the job.
Book Your Free Drone Roof Survey Today
See exactly what your shed, garage or cabin roof needs before any work starts. No ladders, no pressure — just a clear picture from a local Market Harborough team.
Every week a tired roof waits, water works deeper into the timber beneath it. A quick, free survey today tells you exactly where you stand — and often the fix is smaller and cheaper than you feared. Book now, get an honest quote, and protect your building before the next downpour finds the weak spot.
ð 5 Hood Close, Market Harborough, LE16 9XS
ð 01858 457600
Call the Market Harborough team today on 01858 457600, or request your free drone survey online. We're already working across your area.
Book Your Free Drone Roof Survey
See exactly where your roof stands, with no obligation and no pressure. Call our Market Harborough team or request your free drone survey today.
Get in Touch
Tate & Sons Roofing — Market Harborough Office
5 Hood Close, Market Harborough, LE16 9XS
📞 01858 457600
✉️ [email protected]