Roofing - Plastic edge tiles

[GreenDog]

We moved to a newish house nearly 2 months ago and since then I've noticed that a few people have had scaffolding around the house having some sort of plastic edge tiles fitted to the gable ends of the roof. I was starting to wonder if there was some sort of problem that was being dealt with under the NHBC warranty, however this morning a young blokes turned up at the door and proceeded to tell Mrs GD that we need these plastic thingumybobs to cure the problems with our gable end etc etc.

Anyone know what these are for ? Currently there looks to be a line of mortar between the bricks and tiles.

Cheers.

[Ledaig]

Sounds like they are having a 'dry verge' fitted, this is in addition to, or in place of the mortar under the end tiles. It is supposed to be more durable and has a maintenance free aspect to it.

[swiftpete]

Dry verge and ridging is done because it's a lot faster and less messy than pointing them. They look crap though in my opinion compared to pointing. I used to fit them when I worked on site years ago and always thought they looked pretty rubbish, but they do mean you can slap a ridgeline and gables on in 1/20th of the time that pointing takes. This means that a 4 man gang can put a fully completed roof on a house in one day.

Unless you like the look of them I wouldn't bother personally.

[GreenDog]

Sounds like some roofing company have persuaded some of the folks in the vacinity that they need these things retro-fitting then. The houses are only in the region of 8 years old and I've not noticed the mortar falling off, on our house at least.

Thanks for the answers.

[roofer]

Roofs are under warranty and they're bunging them on as its cheaper/quicker than pointing, bodgers. Does it have a cemented ridge or vented dry ridge?

[GreenDog]

Spoke to a neighbour last night and apparently the houses that have had dry verge fitted have been done on the NHBC warranty due to the mortar failing. The guy who turned up at the door yesterday must have been chancing it and hoping that we'd pay to have it done.

[philmots]

I had a 'traveller' who was doing the house opposite knock on my door and offer me a bargain price for my 1 side of a modest 3 bed semi... £290!!! I nearly fell on the floor laughing, god knows how much he conned the old dear opposite into paying on her detached, bigger house. Probably in the region of a grand.

I had a quick gander on ebay and I could buy the bits of placcy to do it myself for about £70 - even that sounded expensive for what it is.