Roof Leak Repair in South Dublin
What's causing the drip, what it costs to fix, and when you need someone on the roof today
What's causing the drip, what it costs to fix, and when you need someone on the roof today
By Patrick Foley, Business Owner
South Dublin's housing stock splits roughly into two camps, and each fails in its own way.
Estate housing built between the mid-1970s and the mid-1990s, Knocklyon, Templeogue, Ballinteer, large parts of Sandyford and Stillorgan, is almost universally concrete tile on softwood battens with a felt underlay. Concrete tile has a 40-50 year service life, so these roofs are now in the window where things start letting go. What we see week in, week out:
Period and older suburban stock, the red-brick terraces of Ranelagh, Terenure, Rathgar and the older parts of Dundrum, is a different animal. Natural slate roofs, often original, with lead flashings and chimneys that are working hard. Here the leaks come from:
Then there is the flat-roof extension that many South Dublin houses now have. If it was done in felt in the 1990s or early 2000s it is at or past the end of its 15-20 year life. Blistering, ponding at the outlet and splits along the upstand are the tell-tales. Our case study on a flat roof in Blackrock shows exactly what happens when a felt roof is left too long: by the time a ceiling stain appears, water has already been getting in for a while and the cost is no longer just a roofing cost.
Not every ceiling stain is a roof. Before booking a repair, look for these signs:
If the stain is directly under a bathroom or over a radiator pipe, a plumber should be first. If it is on a ceiling with roof above it and it flares up in the rain, it is a roof job.
Indicative ranges for 2026; VAT at 13.5% applies on top. The exact cost is confirmed after a free on-site survey, because the cause, the access and how far water has already travelled all move the figure within the range.
Indicative 2026 price range in euro, VAT at 13.5% not included
What moves the price within the range: the cause (a single slipped slate is not a failed valley), the access (a three-storey terrace in Ranelagh needs more setup than a bungalow in Knocklyon), how far the water has already travelled inside the roof, whether scaffolding is genuinely required, and whether internal damage needs making good afterwards.
A note on scaffolding: it is not automatic. Most South Dublin leak repairs are done from ladders or, where the reach demands it, a cherry picker. Scaffolding is only added where the building is very tall or fronts a busy street and the public underneath needs protecting. When it is needed it appears as an itemised line, never buried in the price, and you are welcome to source your own if you can arrange it at a better rate.
Every leak repair we carry out in South Dublin follows the same shape:
For a view of finished repair work across South Dublin and further afield, the completed jobs gallery shows every kind of repair described above on real houses.
Call for a same-day response if any of these apply:
For live storm damage or an active leak, our South Dublin emergency roof repair service is available 24/7 with a 4-hour on-site target across Dundrum, Rathfarnham, Templeogue, Knocklyon, Sandyford, Stillorgan, Dún Laoghaire and the surrounding areas. The callout is a make-safe, sheeting, tarping, securing loose slates, and a photographic report for your insurer. The permanent repair is quoted separately once the roof is dry enough to assess properly, and we say that up front because it is the single biggest source of misunderstanding on emergency jobs.
Storm-driven damage, a slate lost in a storm, a wind-lifted flashing, is generally covered under the storm peril, subject to your excess and policy wording. Gradual wear (nail sickness, perished felt, torching failure) is not: insurers treat that as a maintenance matter. For more detail on how insurance claims work for roof damage, see our guide to storm damage insurance in Dublin.
Where it is an insurance job, we provide the photographic evidence and written assessment your insurer will ask for. Loss adjusters know what a proper storm damage report looks like, and a vague write-up gets claims rejected. You deal with your insurer; we give you the documentation to do it with.
Repair if the covering has meaningful life left and the failure is localised: a slipped slate, one failed flashing, one bad valley. Consider a full replacement if:
We go into the attic and tell you which it is in writing. On a re-roof, the work carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee plus the Lifetime Leak Guarantee, which covers every full roof replacement for as long as you own the property. See our guide to new roof costs in Dublin if you are weighing up a full replacement.
Every repair we complete in South Dublin carries a written workmanship guarantee of at least 3 years, rising to 10 years on major repair work. The guarantee is handed over in writing before contracts are signed, you do not have to ask for it or register anything. Our crews are directly employed: the people on your roof are our people, not subcontractors. On a full roof replacement the guarantee extends to 10 years on the workmanship plus the Lifetime Leak Guarantee. See our customer reviews and case studies for the record of completed work.
“Gerry, John, Kesha and Micha did an excellent and professional job. We are delighted with the finished work. No more climbing ladders and trying to fix leaks for me!!”Sean Breen, Dublin, ★★★★★ on Google
We carry out roof leak repairs across all four cities we cover. If you are looking for the same service elsewhere:
We cover the full South Dublin patch, including Dundrum, Ranelagh, Terenure, Templeogue, Knocklyon, Ballinteer, Goatstown, Sandyford, Stillorgan, Dún Laoghaire and surrounding areas.
To book a free, written, no-obligation quote, visit our contact page or call our Dublin line on 01 2657795. We will come out, go into the attic, and tell you honestly whether it is a repair or a bigger conversation.
Recommended Roofing is a CIRI-registered roofing contractor founded in Cork in 2019, working across Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. We employ our own crews and do not subcontract the work. We carry €6.5 million public liability insurance and €13 million employer liability insurance.
Repairs carry a written guarantee of a minimum of 3 years, and up to 10 years on major repair work. Replacement work carries a 10-year written guarantee, and any job that involves a roof or gutter replacement also carries our Lifetime Leak Guarantee. The Lifetime Leak Guarantee does not apply to a repair that replaces neither.
To have Recommended Roofing look at roof repairs in Dublin, call Dublin 01 2657795, or request a free quote. You can read what customers say on our reviews page and see real jobs in our case studies.
The indicative range for a standard roof leak repair is €400 to €2,500, depending on the cause and the access. Storm damage work where a larger area has opened up typically runs €1,500 to €8,000. These are indicative 2026 figures; VAT at 13.5% applies on top. The exact cost is confirmed after a free on-site survey.
For a live emergency, water actively coming through a ceiling, we aim to be on site within 4 hours, 24/7, across South Dublin from Dundrum to Dún Laoghaire.
No. An emergency callout makes the roof safe and stops water coming in, sheeting, tarping and securing loose slates. The permanent repair is quoted separately once the roof is dry enough to assess properly.
On 1970s-1990s estate housing the most common causes are slipped or cracked concrete tiles and perished ridge bedding. On period properties the typical culprits are failed lead flashing at chimneys and nail sickness in original slate.
Usually not. Most South Dublin repairs are carried out from ladders or a cherry picker. Scaffolding is only added where the building is very tall or fronts a busy pedestrian street. When it is needed it is an itemised line on the quote, never buried in the price, and you are welcome to source your own.
Every repair carries a written workmanship guarantee of at least 3 years, rising to 10 years on major repair work. It is handed over in writing before contracts are signed, you do not have to ask for it or register anything.
Storm-driven damage is generally covered under the storm peril, subject to your excess and policy wording. Gradual wear and maintenance issues are not. We provide the photographic report and written assessment your insurer will need.
If the stain worsens during or after rain and sits below a roof feature such as a chimney, valley or skylight, it is most likely a roof leak. Warm or soapy water suggests plumbing. An attic inspection will confirm it.
Repair if the covering has meaningful life left and the failure is localised. Consider replacement if the roof is at or past its design life, if you are calling a roofer repeatedly for the same roof, or if the felt underlay has failed across the whole area. We go into the attic and give you the honest answer in writing.
Replacement work carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee plus the Lifetime Leak Guarantee, which covers every full roof replacement for as long as you own the property.
Yes. Recommended Roofing is CIRI registered, holds €6.5 million public liability insurance and €13 million employer liability insurance, and is a member of the National Guild of Master Craftsmen. We will show you the certificates before you appoint us.
Yes. A quote visit for work we could carry out is free and comes with no obligation. We provide a written, itemised quote after inspecting the roof, including the attic. Call 01 2657795 or use the contact form on the site.
Roof Repairs in Dublin, Ireland. Free survey, written fixed-price quote, 10-year guarantee.