If you live on a 1960s–70s estate in Cambridge — Arbury, King's Hedges, Cherry Hinton or similar — nail sickness is almost certainly affecting your roof. Here's what it means and what to do about it.
Nail sickness is the corrosion of the nails holding roof tiles in place, common on Cambridge's 1960s–70s estates. As nails fail, tiles slip in moderate winds. Localised re-nailing costs £800–£2,000; where more than 30–40% of tiles are affected, a full re-roof with stainless steel fixings is more economical.
Nail sickness is the corrosion and failure of the nails that hold roof tiles to the timber battens. When tiles were installed on Cambridge's 1960s–70s housing estates, galvanised steel nails were used. After 50–60 years, the galvanised coating has worn through and the steel underneath has rusted away. The tiles are no longer secured to the roof — they're sitting in place by gravity alone.
BS 5534, the British Standard for slating and tiling, was strengthened in 2014 to require mechanical fixing of every tile with corrosion-resistant fixings such as stainless steel or aluminium — eliminating the nail sickness that affects older galvanised-nailed Cambridge roofs.
Source: BS 5534:2014+A2:2018
The first sign is usually tiles that have slipped downward on the roof slope, leaving gaps at the top. You might find tile fragments or whole tiles in the garden after wind. From the loft, you can sometimes see daylight where tiles have moved. If you can lift a tile easily from the roof surface without it resisting, the nail has failed. On a healthy roof, tiles should be firmly fixed and resist lifting.
Nail sickness is most prevalent on the estates built between 1955 and 1980. In Cambridge, this means: Arbury (Carlton Way, Hazelwood Close, Aylesborough Close), King's Hedges (Northfield Avenue, Cameron Road, Ramsden Square), parts of Cherry Hinton (Fisher's Lane, Fulbourn Road area), and Coleridge (Davy Road area). Outside Cambridge, the 1970s estates at Oxmoor and Stukeley Meadows in Huntingdon and the Highflyer estate in Ely are also affected.
If nail sickness affects less than 30% of the roof, individual re-nailing is viable. We remove each affected tile, drive a new stainless steel nail into the batten, and refix the tile. This costs £800–£2,000 depending on the area affected. If nail sickness is widespread — more than 30% of tiles affected — a full re-roof is more economical. Stripping the whole roof allows us to replace corroded battens, fit modern breathable membrane and install new tiles with stainless steel nails that won't corrode.
There's no way to prevent nail sickness once the original nails have started corroding — the process is irreversible. Annual inspection allows us to catch the problem early and re-nail individual tiles before they fall. If your Cambridge home was built in the 1960s–70s and has never been re-roofed, a professional survey is the sensible first step.
When nail sickness is widespread, the re-roofing process follows a specific sequence. We erect scaffolding, strip all tiles and stack them for inspection — some may be reusable if they're not porous. We remove all old battens and felt, exposing the rafters for a full structural inspection. Any weakened timbers are sistered or replaced. New breathable roofing membrane goes on first, followed by treated softwood battens at the correct gauge for the replacement tile profile. New tiles are fixed with stainless steel nails — two per tile minimum, three on perimeter and exposed positions. Dry fix ridge and hip systems are installed last.
The whole process takes 3–5 days for a standard Cambridge semi. We keep the property weathertight at the end of each day — if rain is forecast overnight, we tarp any exposed sections before leaving. You can stay in the house throughout.
A single emergency tile replacement after a storm costs £100–£250. If nail sickness means you need 3–4 emergency repairs per year, that's £400–£1,000 annually — plus the inconvenience and stress of each incident. After 5 years of patching, you've spent £2,000–£5,000 and still have a failing roof. A full re-roof at £5,000–£8,000 eliminates the problem permanently and comes with a 10-year guarantee. For most Cambridge estate houses with widespread nail sickness, replacement pays for itself within 5–7 years compared to ongoing repairs.
If nail sickness is localised, we can re-nail affected tiles without a full re-roof. The process involves lifting each affected tile individually, clearing debris from the batten, driving a new stainless steel nail into the batten at the correct position, and re-seating the tile. We work across the affected area systematically, checking every tile for nail integrity as we go. Any cracked or porous tiles found during the process are replaced with matching stock. A re-nail of one roof slope on a standard Cambridge semi takes approximately one day and costs £800–£2,000 depending on the number of tiles affected. It's a cost-effective interim measure when the tiles themselves are still serviceable but the nails have failed.
If this guide has raised questions about your own roof, we are happy to help. We offer free, no-obligation roof inspections across Cambridge and surrounding areas — Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket, Royston, St Ives and all villages in between. We inspect the roof in person, check the loft space, assess the timber condition and give you a written report with honest recommendations. Whether you need a minor repair, a full replacement, or just peace of mind that your roof is sound, call 0122 366 6465 or visit any of our service pages to learn more about how we can help. We have been looking after Cambridge roofs since 2003 and we would be pleased to look after yours.
Need Expert Roofing Advice? Call Cambridge's Trusted Roofers
0122 366 6465"They explained nail sickness clearly — showed me the corroded nails and why the tiles were slipping. Re-nailed the worst areas and recommended monitoring the rest annually. Honest, practical advice."
"Full re-roof after they found nail sickness across 60% of the tiles. The old nails crumbled when they pulled them out. New roof with stainless steel nails — this one will outlast me."
"Had a free survey that found nail sickness starting on the front slope. They re-nailed it before any tiles fell. Saved us from a bigger problem down the line."
Nail sickness is the corrosion of tile-fixing nails, common on 1960s–70s Cambridge estates. It causes tiles to slip in moderate winds even when the tiles themselves are sound.
Localised re-nailing on a Cambridge roof costs £800–£2,000. Where over 30–40% of tiles are affected, a full re-roof is usually more economical.
Yes, if it is localised. We re-nail affected tiles with stainless steel fixings. Widespread nail sickness is better solved with a full re-roof.
The 1960s–70s concrete-tile estates across Arbury, King's Hedges and Cherry Hinton are most commonly affected as their original galvanised nails corrode.
Stainless steel or aluminium nails, now required under BS 5534, resist corrosion and eliminate nail sickness permanently.
Repeated slipped tiles after wind, and multiple tiles slipping across the whole roof rather than one area, are classic signs. A free survey confirms it.
No call-out fees. No obligation. Just an honest quote from a local Cambridge roofer who'll turn up when they say they will.
0122 366 6465Last reviewed: 19 July 2026 by Cambridge Roofing Experts.