Nail Sickness Explained: A Guide for 1960s Homeowners in Basingstoke

If you live on one of Basingstoke's 1960s overspill estates — Popley, Winklebury, South Ham, Oakridge, Buckskin, Black Dam — there is a high probability your roof has nail sickness. Here is what it is, how to spot it, and what to do about it.

What Is Nail Sickness?

Concrete interlocking tiles are held in place by nails driven through the tile's nailing hole into the timber batten beneath. In the 1960s, these nails were typically plain iron or mild steel. After 50–60 years of exposure to moisture — condensation in the roof space, rain tracking under tiles, and general humidity — these iron nails corrode. As they corrode, they lose diameter and grip. Eventually the tile is no longer held securely and can slip, lift, or blow off in wind.

Key Fact: BS 5534:2014 now requires stainless steel or aluminium alloy fixings for all new roofing installations, replacing the iron and mild steel nails that cause nail sickness on pre-2000 housing. Source: BS 5534:2014 — Code of Practice for Slating and Tiling

Why Is It So Common in Basingstoke?

Simple maths. Basingstoke's population quadrupled in the 1960s through the London overspill programme. Tens of thousands of homes were built within the same decade, all using the same materials and techniques. The iron nails used across Popley, Winklebury, South Ham, Oakridge, Buckskin and Black Dam are all the same age, all exposed to the same conditions, and all corroding at roughly the same rate. It is not a question of if — it is a question of when.

How to Spot Nail Sickness

From the ground, look for tiles sitting unevenly — dipped or raised compared to their neighbours. Look for gaps between tile courses that were not there before. Check the garden and paths for tile fragments after wind. From inside the loft, you may see daylight through the tile courses where tiles have shifted. Crumbling rust-coloured debris on the underlay beneath the battens is a clear sign of corroding nails.

Repair or Replace?

If nail sickness is limited to one area — perhaps a more exposed slope — individual tiles can be re-nailed with stainless steel or aluminium nails. But if the problem is widespread, which it usually is on Basingstoke's estates because all nails are the same age, a full re-roof is the only permanent solution. Re-nailing every tile individually costs almost as much as a re-roof and does not address the battens and underlay that have also deteriorated over 60 years.

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Getting a Second Opinion

Roofing is one of the few trades where the customer usually cannot see the work being discussed. That asymmetry is why getting a second opinion on any significant quote is sensible — not because most roofers are dishonest, but because specifications genuinely vary and comparing them is the only way to know what you are buying.

When comparing quotes, look past the headline figure. Does each quote include scaffold? Are materials named by manufacturer or described vaguely as "quality tiles"? Is waste disposal included? Is there a written guarantee, and what does it actually cover? A quote that is £500 cheaper but omits scaffold and dry ridge is not cheaper at all.

Questions Worth Asking

Ask what happens if additional problems are found once work starts. A good answer describes a process: stop, photograph, discuss, agree cost, then continue. A vague answer suggests you may face unexpected charges. Ask what guarantee is provided and request it in writing. Ask whether the guarantee transfers if you sell — a transferable guarantee is a genuine selling point.

Finally, ask for references from recent local work. Any roofer confident in their standards will provide them readily, and following up two or three takes ten minutes that could save you thousands.