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In Loughborough, we get your roof ready before the solar panels go on. Tate & Sons handles the roofing side of solar β roof surveys, tile and slate repairs, structural checks, flashing, leadwork and mounting preparation. This page covers what a roof needs before an array is fitted, and what we do when panels sit on a roof that already needs work.
Because we're a roofing contractor, not a solar sales firm, our only job is making sure that roof stays sound and watertight for the panels' full 25-year life. Book a free drone roof survey to start.
Solar panels are a long-term fixture. They stay on your roof for 25 years or more, so the roof beneath them has to last just as long. A worn covering, tired battens or a weak rafter turns a smart investment into an expensive problem.
Getting the roof right first is the cheapest step in the whole process β and the one most people skip.
How Do I Get My Roof Ready for Solar Panels in Loughborough?
Getting your roof solar-ready means fixing anything that could fail once panels are bolted on top. A roof covering that outlasts the panels, a sound structure underneath, and watertight fixings are the three things that matter most. Here is the order we work in:
- Book a free drone roof survey to check the covering, felt and structure.
- Replace cracked, slipped or missing tiles and slates.
- Renew failing felt, underlay and rotten battens.
- Reinforce or "sister" weak or undersized rafters where the survey flags it.
- Repair flashing, leadwork and chimney mortar.
- Confirm the whole roof is watertight before a single panel goes on.
Most Loughborough roofs need little more than minor repairs. Only very old or damaged roofs need
structural reinforcement β but the only way to know which camp yours falls into is a proper look.
We Survey Your Roof Before Any Solar Panels Are Fitted
A solar roof survey checks whether your roof can carry an array for decades. That is the first job for any Loughborough homeowner planning an install. Our free drone survey inspects tiles, felt, flashing and the structure below β no ladders, no scaffolding, no mess.
You get a clear picture of the roof before a single panel is ordered. We look for slipped tiles, moss, worn felt and any sagging. We also check the timbers β rafters, battens and joists β for rot, damp or deflection that would rule out a 25-year installation. If something needs fixing first, we tell you plainly and show you the photos.
A written survey report is useful well beyond the solar job, too. It supports insurance claims, planning applications and gives your chosen solar installer the roof detail they need to design the system properly.
Exposed roofs near Beacon Hill Country Park and the higher ground around Nanpantan take a battering from wind and driving rain. That weathering shows up on tiles and flashing long before you notice a leak inside. A proper survey catches it early.
Repair, Reinforce or Re-Roof β And Share the Scaffolding
We tell you whether your roof needs a quick repair, structural work, or a full re-roof. That call matters before you commit to solar. Fitting panels to a covering that is near the end of its life just locks in a problem you'll pay to undo later.
Removing and refitting panels down the line is costly and slow. If your roof has five to ten years left at best, a re-roof now is the sensible route. And here is where using one contractor pays off:
- When scaffolding is already up, we plan the roof work around it β one set of access, one visit.
- A coordinated re-roof and solar job means the mounting points and flashing are designed into the new covering from the start.
- Responsibility for the roof stays in one place, so no two trades point the finger at each other if a leak ever appears.
Shepshed's older housing stock often hides worn felt and tired battens under sound-looking tiles. The post-war semis across Thorpe Acre and the Victorian and Edwardian terraces near the town centre each throw up different issues. We check what is really there before you spend on panels.
Felt, Battens, Flashing and Fixings Made Solar-Ready
Roof prep is detailed work: felt, battens, flashing and how the mounting brackets are fixed. Get these right and the array stays watertight for its full life. This is the part solar-only firms often rush.
Here is what we prepare before panels go on:
- Renew failed underlay and rotten or undersized battens.
- Replace cracked or brittle tiles around every mounting point.
- Reseal flashing, leadwork and chimney junctions.
- Fix mounting hooks into the rafters β never just the tiles β with a weatherproof seal at every penetration.
Fixing into the rafters and sealing each hook is what stops leaks later. A poor install that bolts through tiles alone is one of the most common causes of roof leaks under
solar β and it's completely avoidable. Barrow-upon-Soar's pitched roofs suit standard rail-and-hook mounting well, so prep here is usually straightforward. Heavier natural stone or Swithland-style slate needs more care, as those tiles crack easily and are slow to lift.
Older garage, extension and outbuilding roofs may hold asbestos cement sheeting. Panels can't be drilled into or mounted on asbestos, so we flag it early and handle it correctly.
We Re-Roof and Repair Under Panels You Already Have
We lift your existing panels, repair the roof, and refit them β all in one job. Most roofers refuse this work and send you back to your original solar installer to arrange removal yourself. We do the whole thing for Loughborough homeowners.
If your roof is leaking or ageing under an old array, the panels have to come off to reach it. We isolate the system safely, remove the panels, store them on site, carry out the roofing work, then refit them β adjusted, sealed and secure.
This is a growing job locally. Thousands of homes had solar fitted during the boom years, and those roofs are now reaching the age where the covering underneath needs attention. Sileby's
Victorian terraces often have panels sitting on felt that is well past its best. One contractor handling both trades keeps the job simple and the roof accountable to us.
Conservation and Heritage Roofs Prepared the Right Way
Period roofs in Loughborough's conservation villages need careful prep and the right materials. Slate matching, lead detailing and lime mortar all matter around solar fixings. Hard modern cement on old brickwork traps damp and speeds up decay β the opposite of what you want.
We prepare these roofs so the array sits securely without harming the fabric. Where a flush, in-roof finish suits a sensitive property, we can strip back and prepare the covering so panels sit level with the tiles rather than proud of them. We also flag the planning position early:
- Most roof solar counts as permitted development and needs no application.
- Panels on a front slope facing the highway in a conservation area usually do need permission.
- Listed buildings need Listed Building Consent, and some streets carry Article 4 directions that remove permitted development rights.
Quorn, Woodhouse Eaves and Rothley are full of stone and character homes where this expertise is the difference between a lasting job and a botched one.
Areas We Cover for Solar Panel Roof Preparation Around Loughborough
We prepare roofs for solar across Loughborough, Charnwood Borough and the Soar Valley. If you're in any of these areas, we're already on your patch:
- Loughborough (LE11) β our home base, town centre to the university campus
- Shepshed (LE12 9) β mixed residential and light industrial
- Quorn / Quorndon (LE12 8) β conservation village, period and slate roofs
- Barrow-upon-Soar (LE12 8) β commuter village, re-roofs and retrofits
- Hathern (LE12 5) β quiet residential, tiling and flat roof work
- Woodhouse Eaves (LE12 8) β stone and character properties, heritage prep
- Mountsorrel (LE12 7) β granite terraces and modern housing
- Sileby (LE12 7) β Victorian terraces, re-roofs under existing panels
- Rothley (LE7 7) β larger residential properties, premium roofing
- Syston (LE7 1 / LE7 2) β commercial and post-war housing
- East Leake (LE12 6) β new-build and commuter homes near the Notts border
Not sure if we cover your postcode? Call 01509 277099 and we'll confirm straight away.
Got Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions About Solar Panel Roof Preparation
Does my roof have to be in good condition before solar panels go on?
Yes β the roof should be structurally sound and watertight before any array is fitted. Panels last 25 years or more, so a worn covering, damaged tiles or perished felt should be sorted first to avoid removing the panels later.
Should I repair my roof, replace it, or just fit the panels?
That depends on how much life your covering has left, which our free drone survey confirms. A roof with only a few years left is best re-roofed before solar; a sound roof usually needs only minor repairs first.
Is my roof strong enough to hold a solar panel system?
Most Loughborough roofs are β modern panels and rails add only a modest, well-distributed load. Older or altered roofs with weak or widely spaced rafters may need strengthening, which the survey identifies before you commit.
Do I need my roof reinforced before panels are installed?
Only if the survey finds weak, rotten or undersized rafters, which is uncommon on most homes. Where it's needed, we can "sister" the timbers to add strength before the array goes on.
Can you repair or re-roof under solar panels I already have?
Yes β we lift the panels, complete the roofing work, and refit them ourselves. You don't need to call the original installer or coordinate two separate firms.
Do the mounting brackets cause leaks on a tiled roof?
Not when they're fixed into the rafters and each point is properly sealed. Leaks come from poor fixings driven through tiles alone, which is exactly what our preparation work prevents.
Do solar panels need planning permission in Loughborough?
Most homes fall under permitted development, so no permission is needed. Listed buildings, conservation-area front slopes and Article 4 streets are the main exceptions β we check yours before work begins.
Can you prepare a flat roof or garage roof for solar?
Yes β we ready flat, garage and outbuilding roofs across Loughborough and the surrounding villages. We also check older garage roofs for asbestos sheeting, which can't take panels and must be handled correctly.
Get Your Roof Solar-Ready β Book Your Free Drone Survey
A solar system is only as good as the roof it sits on. Before you spend thousands on panels, spend nothing finding out whether your roof is ready for them.
Our free drone roof survey gives you a clear, honest picture β what's sound, what needs fixing, and what it'll take to get your roof solar-ready. No scaffolding, no pressure, no obligation. Just straight answers from a local roofing contractor who'll still be here in Loughborough when your panels need the roof underneath them to hold up.
Book your free drone roof survey today, or call the team to talk it through. The sooner you know where your roof stands, the sooner your solar plans can move forward with confidence.
π Call now on 01509 277099
Get in Touch
Tate & Sons Roofing, Loughborough Office
5 Middleton Place, Loughborough, LE11 2BY
π 01509 277099
βοΈ [email protected]