Call us

Roofers in Orpington and Petts Wood

Petts Wood has some of the strictest roof rules in Bromley. Across its 1,500 or so homes, changing a roof needs planning permission. Here's what that means before you call anyone.

Houses and roofs typical of Orpington and Petts Wood

Orpington and Petts Wood

We visit within 2 days, and quotes are free.

Hipped red clay tile roofs and mock-Tudor gables of 1930s detached houses among mature trees, seen from a scaffold with a stack of new clay plain tiles on the boards
Orpington and Petts Wood, lit up among our five areas

Orpington and Petts Wood BR5 BR6 London Borough of Bromley

  • A short drive from West Wickham
  • Free quotes, and we visit within 2 days

Streets we've roofed on in Orpington and Petts Wood

  • Petts Wood RoadBR5
  • Warren RoadBR6

Petts Wood roofs: red clay tiles and hipped garden-suburb homes

Petts Wood is a garden suburb laid out in the late 1920s and 1930s by Basil Scruby, who used plot covenants to "control the building lines, roof heights and materials" (Chislehurst Road appraisal).

The council's own description of those roofs is worth quoting: "The largest number of roofs in the area are covered in red clay roof tiles, modelled on the red Kent Peg tiles ... Most roofs are hipped, the hips being covered in bonnet tiles." The same appraisal says new roof lights should sit flush with the roof.

Orpington itself is "primarily a 20th century town", built out between the wars on both sides of the High Street (Ideal Homes).

Illustration of a 1930s hipped house roofed in red clay tiles with bonnet hip tiles
Red clay tiles on a hipped roof, the hips finished in bonnet tiles.

Choosing a roofer in Orpington: what to check

There are plenty of roofers in Orpington, and six checks sort them quickly. Every one is something you can look up yourself, and every one is ticked for us.

Then compare like with like: our quotes are free and show the price with VAT included, and every one of our Google and Trustatrader reviews is on our reviews page, word for word, good or otherwise.

A 1930s semi-detached house with a hipped red clay tile roof, surrounded by a properly erected scaffold with guard rails at eaves level

How to check any roofer, including us

Six checks, all ticked for us

  1. A trade body you can look up. We've been CoRC members since 1996, no. 1501. Check the CoRC
  2. Insurance that covers fire. Ask to see it, and ask about hot works by name. Ours includes fire, with £5m public liability.
  3. A real company. Raise the Roofs London Limited is company 15585290. See it on Companies House
  4. Reviews somewhere independent. We're on Trustatrader, member TT671.
  5. No money up front. We don't take a deposit, on any job.
  6. Scaffolding, not a ladder. Unless it's a few minutes' work, like a gutter bracket, the roof needs scaffold, and a flat roof needs handrails round its edge. HSE guidance says so, and so do we.

Roof repairs in Orpington and Petts Wood

Orpington grew up between the wars, and most Petts Wood roofs are hipped, in red clay tiles with bonnet tiles on the hips. A repair there should match, down to the bonnet tile.

In Petts Wood, a like-for-like repair is the safe route: changing the roof covering, adding a dormer or fitting a roof window can need planning permission under the 2022 Article 4 direction.

Close-up of a hipped roof in weathered red clay plain tiles, the hip finished with curved bonnet hip tiles, beside a brick chimney

Roof repairs in OrpingtonPrices checked 22 October 2026

Replace slipped or broken tiles£200£166.67 + VAT
Ridge tile repair£300£250 + VAT
Small lead flashing repair£360£300 + VAT

We'll tell you honestly if a good match isn't possible.

Petts Wood Article 4: roof changes need planning permission

Across the whole Petts Wood Area of Special Residential Character, about 1,500 homes, an Article 4 direction confirmed in June 2022 removed the right to make "any other alteration to the roof of a dwellinghouse" without planning permission, along with roof additions such as dormers (Petts Wood direction).

The Chenies, The Covert, The Thrifts and Chislehurst Road conservation areas have their own roof directions too; in The Chenies that explicitly includes roof lights on slopes visible from the road (The Chenies direction). If you're in Petts Wood, check with Bromley's planners before changing a roof covering, adding a dormer or fitting a roof window.

1930s detached houses with steep hipped red clay tiled roofs and mock-Tudor gables behind clipped hedges on a quiet suburban road

Roof rules in Petts Wood

  • The Petts Wood residential area, about 1,500 homesArticle 4 since June 2022: roof alterations and dormers need permissionStrict rules
  • The Chenies, The Covert, The Thrifts, Chislehurst RoadTheir own roof directions; in The Chenies, roof lights seen from the roadStrict rules
  • Like-for-like repairsThe safe route: ask the council first if anything changesCheck first

A guide, not planning advice: Bromley Council has the final word.

Roofing services in Orpington and Petts Wood

Petts Wood itself was saved in memory of William Willett, the local resident who campaigned for daylight saving, and is looked after by the National Trust.

  • Roof repairs Slipped and broken tiles, ridges and leaks. If a repair will do, a repair is what we quote. From £200 inc VAT
  • Pitched roofing Plain tiles, interlocking tiles and slate, laid at a pitch the tile is made for. From £16,800 inc VAT
  • Velux roof windows Skylights and roof windows fitted, flashed and made watertight. From £1,680 inc VAT

Orpington and Petts Wood roofing questions

We also cover West Wickham, Beckenham, Bromley, Chislehurst, Dulwich, Forest Hill, Sydenham, and Westerham.

Do I need planning permission for roof work in Petts Wood?

Often, yes. Since June 2022 an Article 4 direction across the Petts Wood residential area means alterations to a roof, and roof additions such as dormers, need planning permission. Check with Bromley Council before changing the roof covering or adding a dormer or roof window.

Can you match old red clay tiles in Petts Wood?

Matching matters here, because the council wants the look of these roofs protected. We'll tell you honestly whether a good match is possible before any work starts.

How much does a roof repair cost in Orpington?

Replacing slipped or broken tiles is from £200 inc VAT (£166.67 + VAT) and a ridge or hip tile repair from £300 inc VAT (£250 + VAT). Quotes are free, and we visit within 2 days.

Are you vetted and insured?

Yes. We've been members of the Confederation of Roofing Contractors since 1996 (no. 1501), with £5m public liability and £10m employers' liability, and we're insured for hot works, so torch-on jobs are covered.

Do you cover Orpington as well as Petts Wood?

Yes, both are part of one area page and one patch, and we visit to quote within 2 days.

Written by , Director, and editorially reviewed by John Ireland, Director. Published , last reviewed .

Editorial integrity: read our editorial standards.

Roof trouble in Orpington and Petts Wood?

Free quotes, and we visit within 2 days. No deposit. If it only needs a repair, we'll tell you.

Call us 07976 611534