We take the concrete away and replace it with a conventional, insulated roof edge, or give you an honest view on whether relining is enough for your house.
Common Finlock problems we help with in Dorchester
- Joints in the concrete gutter leaking onto walls and windows
- A band of damp or black mould where upstairs ceilings meet the outside wall
- Bitumen or membrane liners that have cracked or peeled away
- Flaking concrete and rust stains from the steel inside
- Gutters holding water because they've settled out of level
- Plaster damage on bedroom walls under the gutter line
Why the problem keeps coming back
Concrete gutters sit on top of the wall, so any leak goes straight into the masonry. On top of that, the concrete conducts cold through the wall, leaving a chilly strip on the inside where condensation and mould form. A liner can deal with the first problem but not the second.
- 1Finlock concrete trough spanning the wall head
- 2Rain reaches the gutter from above
- 3Water can enter through joints or defects in the concrete
- 4Thermal bridge — the concrete chills the upper internal wall
- 5Cold band forms on the internal wall
- 6Condensation and mould can follow
Repair or replace?
A repair or reline may be enough if
- The concrete is solid and undamaged
- The only symptom is an occasional drip at a joint
- There's no mould or damp inside
Full removal is usually better if
- Damp or mould is showing indoors
- The concrete is cracked or the steel is rusting
- Liners have been tried and failed
- You'd like to add insulation at the wall head
Repair
Seals a joint and buys some time, but the cold bridge and the damp are still there underneath.
Line
Stops water getting in for less money, but every liner has a service life and will need doing again.
Remove & replace
Ventilation and redecoration can ease the symptoms, but they won't remove the thermal bridge or fix water getting in. What's right depends on the condition of the Finlock system and how it's built.
Working in and around Dorchester
Parts of central Dorchester sit in a conservation area, and while Finlock is mostly on post-war homes outside it, we'll check before starting on anything that might need a conversation with the council. Many Dorchester Finlock houses are semis or short terraces, so we plan how the new edge meets the neighbour's gutter line, and we also cover nearby villages such as Charminster, Puddletown and Crossways.
What the replacement involves
Scaffold goes up, the concrete is cut out in sections and removed, and the rafter feet are extended or supported where needed. We then fit new fascias, ventilated soffits, insulation at the wall head where there's space, and new guttering and downpipes, finishing the lower tile courses neatly.
Existing Finlock
The concrete trough built into the wall head, with joints starting to open up.
Removal & rebuild
Blocks cut out, eaves rebuilt in timber, and the wall head insulated properly.
New roofline
New fascia, soffit and guttering, falling correctly to the outlets.
Recent Finlock projects in Dorchester
We're adding write-ups and photos of recent local jobs here. In the meantime, we're happy to share examples of similar work when we visit.
- Location
- The problem
- Work carried out
- The result
- Before and after photos
Want to see similar work? Call 07931 159315 or email info@latituderoofing.co.uk.
Common questions
What homeowners in Dorchester usually want to know about finlock concrete gutter removal.
Ask us anything- Finlock Concrete Gutter Removal — Finlock removal choices and construction
- Dorset — Finlock services across Dorset beyond Dorchester
- Fascias, Soffits & Guttering — the guttering and roofline fitted afterwards
- Roof Repairs — general roof repairs in Dorchester
- New Roofs & Re-Roofing — if the whole roof is due for renewal
