Hipped slate roof with clay hip tiles and dormer

A hipped roof with a front gable dormer was re-slated in smooth fibre cement slates. Red clay half-round hip tiles were fixed on a dry hip system, and the dormer and roof window were flashed in lead.

Slate with a red clay finish

Dark slates with red clay hips and ridges is a classic look on older houses. It also lets the roofline match neighbouring properties that still have original clay ridge tiles.

The hip tiles here sit on a dry hip roll and are clipped at every joint. That keeps the hip line ventilated and removes the need to re-point mortar every few years.

Getting the dormer details right

Where a dormer meets the main roof there is a valley on each side and flashings up the dormer cheeks. The first photo shows the lead valley running down beside the dormer and the slates cut neatly into it.

Roof windows need the same care. A proper flashing kit and a tidy slate cut around the frame make the difference between a window that stays dry and one that leaks in wind-driven rain.