Traditional Hand-Cut Roof Carpenter in Berkshire & South Bucks

Yes. We work to the consented drawings alongside the architect and, where required, the conservation officer. Listed and period roof carpentry is priced per project after a site visit, since the existing structure is rarely square and every job throws up its own problem to solve.

Yes, routinely. On listed and period work we build to the consented drawings and liaise directly with the architect or heritage consultant on site, rather than working from the drawings alone.

Yes. I’ve run teams of 35-plus carpenters as head foreman and head carpenter across London and Berkshire sites over three decades, and I lead every roof we cut. We can supply a single carpenter or a full roof team, depending on what your programme needs.

Yes. Steel ring beam roofs built to the engineer’s design, and double and triple apex roofs, are both regular parts of our work, alongside hipped, up-and-over and lean-to structures.

The roof structure is the critical path on most builds — get it cut, fixed and signed off, and the roofers can cover the building while the other trades keep working underneath. We sequence our work to get the structure inspected and handed over fast, rather than let it become the bottleneck.

Yes — these are among our core areas. We also cover Windsor, Stoke Poges, Wokingham and Bracknell, and take on project work further out in Maidenhead, Reading and Camberley.

A cut roof is built rafter by rafter on site rather than lifted into place as prefabricated trusses. We set out and cut each rafter, hip, valley and the ridge to the engineer’s design, so the roof ties into an existing roofline or accommodates dormers and roof lights that a standard truss cannot easily handle. Most extensions and loft conversions in Berkshire need a cut roof for this reason.

We build to a structural engineer’s or architect’s design; we do not design roof structures ourselves. If you do not yet have a design, we can recommend engineers we have worked alongside, but the structural calculation and drawing need to come from a qualified designer before we price or start cutting timber.

No. Roof carpentry, as we carry it out, is structural timber only — rafters, hips, valleys, ridge and joists. We do not supply or fit membranes, felt, battens for tiles, tiles, slates, leadwork or guttering. That work is carried out by roofing and leadwork trades once our carpentry has passed Building Control inspection.

In almost all cases, yes. Structural roof carpentry — a new cut roof, dormer framing, loft conversion alterations — falls under Building Regulations and is inspected by the local authority or an approved inspector before it is covered. We leave the structure accessible for that inspection and build to the standard the engineer’s design specifies.

Whatever the structural engineer specifies — typically C16 or C24 graded timber under BS EN 338, chosen according to the span and load each member carries. The grade is part of the structural calculation rather than a finishing choice, so we supply timber to the specified grade rather than substituting a cheaper one.

Yes. We cut the structural opening in the main roof, frame the dormer cheeks and front wall, and build the dormer’s own roof structure, tying it into the surrounding rafters. Dormer position and dimensions follow the approved planning drawings, since the framing has to match what was consented.

A single-storey extension roof typically takes a roof carpentry team three to six days, depending on size and complexity — longer where there are hips, valleys, or dormers. Loft conversion roof alterations vary more widely depending on what is being strengthened or replaced. We give a specific timeline once we have seen the drawings or the roof itself.

Ideally, yes, for anything structural — a cut roof, dormer, or loft conversion alteration needs an engineer’s design before we can price timber sizes and connections accurately. If you only have architect’s drawings at this stage, send them over and we will advise on what structural information is still needed.

Yes. Roof carpentry sits in a sequence — our structural work has to be complete and signed off before the roofing contractor battens, felts and tiles. We coordinate directly with roofing contractors, builders and project managers on timing, and are comfortable working on managed sites.

Yes. All our workmanship, including roof carpentry, is covered by our 2-year workmanship guarantee, and we carry full public liability insurance.

Yes. Roof carpentry is usually scheduled alongside first fix on an extension — stud walls, floor joists and door linings — and second fix follows once the roof is weathertight and the plasterer has been and gone. See our first fix and second fix carpentry pages for those stages.