A counter-batten is a strip within the assembly beneath tile battens on a pitched roof. It contributes to the spacing and relationship between underlying layers and the tile battens.
What does this mean on your roof?
Counter-battens and tile battens therefore identify different components. An existing roof first needs its actual arrangement established, because older roofs were not all built alike.
Drawings and photographs of previous work may help, but concealed or unidentified parts should remain recorded as unknown rather than assumed to match a modern standard example.
When underlay is renewed or insulation added, counter-batten arrangements may become part of the design. Ask how that relationship has been considered and which layers are retained or replaced in the proposal. New visible tiles do not answer those questions. Keep records before the roof is closed so later maintenance need not rely solely on the covering’s appearance.
Frequently asked questions
Can counter-battens be assessed from the street?
Usually not completely. Their position beneath tiles limits what can be observed.
Why identify them separately in a quotation?
Because tile battens, counter-battens and decking may represent different work.