Roofing in Delémont: roofing work and quotes

Are you looking for a roofer for a roof in Delémont? Whether your building is a house in the Sorne valley, an apartment block or a house in the old town, the roof covering remains the first protection against water, cold and snow. This page gathers what you need to know about roofing in Delémont before asking for quotes.

SOS Travaux is a neutral matching service: you describe your work online, your request is passed on to tradespeople and companies in the region, who contact you to prepare a free, no-obligation quote.

The most common roofing jobs in Delémont

The roofer’s trade covers several types of work, which do not raise the same issues depending on the building.

• Maintenance and repair: replacing broken or displaced tiles, repairing a ridge, cleaning and checking after the winter. This is often the way to avoid a complete renovation.
• Roof covering renovation: tiles, slate, fibre cement or a waterproofed flat roof. The choice depends on the pitch, the roof frame and the existing appearance.
• Sheet-metal work: gutters, downpipes, valleys, chimney flashings. In a town crossed by the Birse and located at the bottom of a valley, draining water deserves as much attention as the roof covering itself.
• Roof insulation: worthwhile for converted or convertible attics, especially when winters are cold.
• Roof windows: they bring light into the attic, but they pierce the roof covering and require a carefully made waterproof connection.

In Delémont, the buildings vary greatly from one district to another. The pitched roofs of older houses, the roofs of more recent apartment blocks and flat roofs are not treated in the same way: do not compare quotes without specifying which type of roof is involved.

Delémont’s old town and château: when the roof is part of the landscape

Delémont is the capital of the canton of Jura, with its old town and its château. In such a setting, a roof is not only a technical element: it is part of the overall look of the streets and squares. Changing the material, the colour or the pitch, or adding openings, can alter the appearance of the building, and therefore require a permit.

The known facts for the canton explicitly mention the old towns of Delémont, Porrentruy and Saint-Ursanne. If your property is in the old town or near a protected building, take the initiative:

• ask the municipality whether your project requires a permit;
• tell the roofer that the building is in the old town, so that they can price the appropriate material and method;
• do not place a firm order before you know the answer.

A roof laid without the necessary approval may have to be redone entirely. A week of paperwork beforehand is better than work to be done again.

Snow, cold and the valley: what the Jura climate demands of a roof

The canton of Jura has cold, snowy winters. The Franches-Montagnes are at altitude, while the Delémont valley and Ajoie are milder. Delémont lies in the valley, but that does not remove the need to think about snow: it weighs on the roof frame, slides down the roof covering and can fall onto walkways.

In Switzerland, roofs are designed for the snow load of the location (standard SIA 261), which is higher at altitude. In practical terms, for your project:

1. If you change the roof covering, for example to a heavier material, ask whether the roof frame is suitable.
2. If you add solar panels, the additional load and the strength of the fixings need to be checked.
3. Snow guards above entrances, pavements or parking spaces are discussed before installation, not after the first winter.
4. The alternation of frost and thaw puts stress on joints, gutters and waterproofing upstands: a check in spring identifies the damage caused by the winter.

Solar panels and insulation: making the most of the renovation

Renovating a roof is a chance to ask two questions. First, insulation: if the attic is or will be heated, insulating through the roof while the covering is open avoids having to intervene twice. Second, solar panels: the orientation of the roof slopes, the shade cast by the relief of the valley and the load on the roof frame should be examined before deciding.

The canton has a cantonal energy department and a cantonal subsidy programme. We quote no amounts: conditions change, and it is up to you to check them with the relevant department before signing a quote. This also applies to the question of permits, where the appearance of the roof is modified.

If your project is mainly about a photovoltaic installation, see also solar panels in Delémont.

Procedures: permits, landlord and co-ownership

In the canton of Jura, the building permit is issued by the municipality or by the canton, depending on the size of the project. For a roof, the question to put to the municipality is simple: does my project change the appearance of the building, and which procedure applies?

Depending on your situation, other agreements are needed:

• Owner of a house: you decide, subject to any permits required.
• Co-ownership: the roof is generally a common area. The decision goes through the co-owners’ meeting, which must be informed before the quote is signed.
• Tenant: you do not order the work. Report the leak or defect to the landlord or the property manager, in writing.

Work at height requires fall protection, according to the guidelines of Suva (the Swiss accident insurance fund). A serious quote includes scaffolding or protective devices; if they are missing, ask why.

Preparing your request and comparing roofing quotes in Delémont

A quote is only as good as the description that preceded it. Before requesting a quote, gather the following:

• the type of building (house, apartment block, building in the old town) and its district;
• the type of roof: pitched or flat, current material if you know it;
• the nature of the problem: leak, damaged tiles, insufficient insulation, attic conversion project;
• your wishes: roof windows, solar panels, new insulation;
• photos of the roof and the attic, if possible;
• the status of the property: owner, co-ownership, landlord.

When you receive several quotes, check that they cover the same scope. Each one should detail:

• the removal of the old covering and its disposal;
• the material of the new covering and the underlay;
• the insulation, if included;
• the sheet-metal work (gutters, downpipes, flashings);
• the scaffolding and fall protection;
• the roof windows or special features.

The cost varies with the surface area and pitch of the roof, access to the site (narrow old-town street, courtyard, sloping ground), the material, the condition of the roof frame discovered when it is opened, and the extent of the sheet-metal work. No price can be given without seeing the roof: it is the quote, free and without obligation, that allows you to compare.

Further reading for Delémont

• The trade page: roofing
• The town page: work in Delémont
• The canton page: canton of Jura
• Other work in Delémont: interior painting in Delémont, carpenter in Delémont, solar panels in Delémont