The roof over a house in Exmouth doesn't live the same life as one up in Heavitree. Same tiles, maybe, but one gets salt on the wind every day and the other doesn't. You see it in the fixings first. Rust streaks under the ridge, nail heads gone to powder, clips that crumble when you touch them.
NHBC has now caught up with that. Its 2027 Technical Standards, due in January and applying to registered new homes where foundations start on or after 1 January 2027, add a new Chapter 3.4 on Coastal Locations, covering how to choose materials for salt-laden air. Only 5.6% of clauses bring in a new technical position, so it's a targeted change rather than a rewrite.
The chapter is about new homes, but the thinking carries straight over to repair work. NHBC's note doesn't spell out roofing details, so here's what we'd do on a coastal job anyway. Stainless steel fixings, A4 (316) grade rather than A2 when you're within a few miles of the sea. Aluminium or stainless clips on the verges and ridge. Code 5 lead on abutments and valleys, dressed properly with 150mm laps. Mortar-free dry verge systems where the wind drives rain in sideways.
Batten gauge matters more than people think. If a plain tile roof is laid with the gauge a touch too wide, the headlap shrinks and wind-driven spray gets underneath. Check the breather membrane isn't torn at the eaves, because moisture has nowhere to go if the felt laps are lifting.
So if you've got a roof in Topsham, Exmouth, Chudleigh or Kingsteignton that's showing rust or slipped tiles, get it looked at before the winter gales do the job for you. Ayre Roofing Contractors, based in Exeter, can take a look and advise on the right materials, and you'll find them at ayreroofing.co.uk.
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