Dry Verge & Dry Ridge Systems in Cheltenham & Gloucestershire

The ridge tiles along the peak of your roof and the verge tiles along the gable ends are among the most exposed and wind-vulnerable parts of any roof. Traditionally, these tiles are held in place with a sand-and-cement mortar bed. Over time — often within 10–15 years in the Cheltenham and Gloucestershire climate — this mortar cracks, shrinks, loosens and eventually falls away, leaving ridge and verge tiles unsecured and your roof open to water ingress, wind uplift, bird nesting and pest entry. 

Dry ridge and dry verge systems replace mortar with mechanical fixings, clips and flexible gaskets that hold each tile securely in place without relying on mortar at all. The result is a stronger, longer-lasting, fully ventilated finish that requires no ongoing maintenance and meets current building regulations. Dry ridge systems use a roll-out ventilated membrane along the apex of the roof, with individual ridge tiles clipped to a batten rail using stainless steel fixings. Each tile is mechanically secured rather than bedded in mortar — meaning it cannot crack, shrink or work loose. The system also provides continuous ridge ventilation, which is a requirement under Building Regulations Part C and Part F for most re-roofing projects. 

Dry verge systems use interlocking plastic or composite caps that clip onto the edge of the roof tiles along the gable end. These caps hold the tiles firmly in place, cover the exposed edge of the battens and felt, and prevent wind-driven rain from entering the roof at the verge. They also give a neat, uniform finish that doesn’t stain or deteriorate like mortar does. Since the introduction of BS 8612:2018, all ridge, hip and verge tiles on new-build properties and major re-roofing projects must be mechanically fixed — mortar alone is no longer compliant. Even if your property does not fall under this requirement, upgrading to a dry system is one of the most effective ways to protect the most vulnerable parts of your roof and eliminate future mortar maintenance. 

At Montpellier Roofing Contractors Cheltenham, we install dry verge and dry ridge systems on properties across Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Cirencester, the Forest of Dean and the wider Gloucestershire area. Whether you are upgrading failing mortar, carrying out a full re-roof, or repairing wind-damaged ridges, we provide a neat, professional installation with materials colour-matched to your existing roof tiles.