Home / Services / Box gutters and parapets
Box gutters, valley gutters and parapets
Box gutters and parapets are hidden from the street and full of leaves, which is why they fail without anyone noticing. Recent jobs include a lead box gutter replacement with lead coping caps in central London and an EPDM rubber box gutter between two pitched roofs.
What we do
All carried out by our own team:
- Box gutter replacement in lead or EPDM rubber
- New timber bases and falls under the gutter where the old boards have rotted
- Valley gutters between roofs relined
- Lead coping caps and parapet cappings
- Felt or lead flashings over coping stones to stop water getting into walls
- Outlets, hoppers and overflows cleared, renewed or added
Lead or EPDM?
Lead is the traditional lining and the right choice on many period buildings. It has to be laid in short bays with drips between them so it can move, which is where badly laid lead fails. EPDM can line most box gutters in one piece with no joints at all, and is often the better value. We recommend one at the visit and tell you why.
Why they fail
Leaves and silt block the outlet, water backs up, and a gutter designed to carry water away starts holding it against the joints and the timber underneath. Most failed box gutters we strip have rotten boards beneath them, which is why we price the base as well as the lining. A maintenance visit once or twice a year stops most of it happening.
Questions
How do I know if my box gutter is leaking?
Stains on a top-floor ceiling or wall near a party wall or valley, especially after heavy rain, are the usual sign.
Can you just clear it?
Yes, and sometimes that is all it needs. If the lining has split we will show you photographs.
Do you work on central London terraces?
Yes, including properties with difficult access, where the access is planned and priced up front.