The Short Answer
On our estimates, replacing lead flashing where a roof meets a wall costs £60 to £85 a metre, or £95 to £140 for stepped flashing up the side of a wall or chimney. New flashing all round a chimney is £540 to £720 if it can be reached without scaffold, £960 to £1,450 with it. A patch repair on a chimney is £300 to £450.
Properly sized and fitted lead lasts a very long time: British Lead, a maker, puts it at 60 to 100 years. So when a flashing leaks, I'd suspect the fitting or fixing first, and ask about a repair before a whole new set.
Leadwork prices
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Lead flashing (Code 5, up to 150mm), per metre | £60 to £85 |
| Stepped flashing, per metre | £95 to £140 |
| Chimney flashing patch repair | £300 to £450 |
| Chimney flashing, all four sides, no scaffold | £540 to £720 |
| Chimney flashing, all four sides, with scaffold | £960 to £1,450 |
| GRP valley (a lead alternative), per metre | £35 to £50 |
| Chimney scaffold, a week | £600 to £980 |
What a good lead flashing looks like
British Lead's fitting guidance gives you things you can check from the ground or a ladder:
- Short lengths, lapped. Flashings no longer than 1.5 metres, overlapping each other: the laps allow for the lead's thermal movement.
- Tucked into the wall. The top edge goes into a joint cut into the brickwork (a chase) and is held with lead wedges or stainless steel clips, then pointed. I wouldn't accept lead simply stuck to the face of a wall with sealant.
- Clipped. Clips at the laps and ends; British Lead says they also help prevent theft.
- Patination oil. New lead forms a white carbonate that rain washes onto the wall or tiles below and stains them. Patination oil, brushed on when it's fitted, stops that.
If a quote is just "reseal the flashing", ask whether the lead is properly chased in. Sealant over a badly fixed flashing won't last.
Lead codes explained
Rolled lead sheet is sold by code: the higher the number, the thicker and heavier it is. Ask which code each quote is for, because thinner lead is cheaper.
| Code | Thickness | Weight per m² | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code 3 | 1.32mm | 14.97kg | Soakers |
| Code 4 | 1.8mm | 20.41kg | Soakers, flashings, vertical cladding |
| Code 5 | 2.24mm | 25.4kg | Flashings, gutters, flat and pitched roofs, dormers, bay roofs |
| Code 6 | 2.65mm | 30.05kg | As Code 5, heavier duty |
| Code 7 | 3.15mm | 35.72kg | Flat roofs, gutters, dormers, bay roofs and canopies |
| Code 8 | 3.55mm | 40.26kg | Flat roofs, gutters, dormers, bay roofs and canopies |
Lead theft and alternatives
Lead gets stolen (British Lead sells its clips partly to help prevent it), and alternatives such as GRP valleys and synthetic flashings avoid that. British Lead says lead outlasts any man-made alternative; that's a maker's claim, but the long life of lead is why it's still the default. If your house has been targeted, or the leadwork can be reached from a flat roof or a neighbour's, I'd use an alternative on those details. On a listed building, ask the council before you replace lead with anything else.
Will insurance pay for a leaking flashing?
Buildings insurance covers sudden damage, not wear and tear. If a storm tears a flashing loose, the Financial Ombudsman's test is whether there were storm conditions, whether the damage looks like storm damage, and whether the storm was the main cause. A flashing that has slowly worked loose or cracked over the years fails that last test. Theft is a separate question for your insurer; check your policy.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does lead flashing cost per metre?
On our estimates, £60 to £85 for standard Code 5 flashing up to 150mm, and £95 to £140 for stepped flashing, fitted.
Can lead flashing be repaired?
Often, yes: a patch repair on a chimney is £300 to £450 on our estimates. If the lead is cracked along its length, or was never properly chased into the wall, replace it.
What is the lifespan of lead flashing?
British Lead says correctly sized and fitted lead lasts 60 to 100 years.
Is flashing repair expensive?
Not usually, unless it needs scaffold. All four sides of a chimney are £540 to £720 without scaffold and £960 to £1,450 with it.
Does house insurance cover chimney leaks?
If a storm was the main cause of the damage, it can be; that's the Financial Ombudsman's test. Leaks from wear and tear aren't covered.
How much does it cost to replace chimney flashing?
£540 to £720 for all four sides without scaffold, or £960 to £1,450 with it, on our estimates.
What code lead is used for flashing?
Codes 4 and 5 are the usual choices for flashings; heavier codes go on flat roofs, gutters and bays.
How we priced thisView sources (3, 1 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- IndustryBritish Lead product guide (V6), British Lead. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryGuide to Rolled Lead (BS EN 12588 codes, thicknesses and weights), Associated Lead Mills. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- OfficialStorm damage (home buildings insurance complaints), Financial Ombudsman Service. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
