Roof replacement and even roof maintenance on your house can seem very daunting as it is such a large expensive task to undertake and will have fateful consequences if you do not use the correct roofing materials for your home.
If you notice your roof starting to sag or have seen tiles that have slipped off the roof, it may be time to call in a roofing contractor to look at the health of your roof and advise you on your best course of action.
You might just want to upgrade your home and have a new design of tiles to replace old shabby ones, uplifting the exterior of your home.
In any case, a roofer's average hourly rate in the UK is £29 per hour but can fluctuate depending on your area. Our database would suggest variations between £21 and £39. HaMuch has roofers in your location waiting for you to post your job so they can quote you.
If you have a small repair job they will quote you by the hour but might add on a call out charge and VAT.
A sagging roof, missing or cracked tiles and leaks in the loft are all signs of needing a replacement roof or at least some maintenance on the roof. If the damage is all around the chimney area, e.g., missing bricks, leaks coming from the chimney or you have noticed the mortar is in a bad state of repair, it is then time to fix the chimney before the wood in the loft begins to rot and your loft is filled with moisture.
For larger projects like this the roofing company will quote you by the day for labour costs. The average daily rate for a roofer in the UK is £207 but this fluctuates through the UK, with the South East being the most expensive. Roofer can charge anything from £165 to £242 per day (per person).
Self-employed roofers are just as qualified and experienced as those working for a big company.
By being a small business a roofer avoids many business costs (e.g. administration staff, office rental etc), charging less for roofing work, but giving you the same level of quality.
Get quotes from self-employed roofers and talk directly with the person who is going to do the job.
When choosing a Roofer be sure to get at least 3 comparison quotes asking each contractor to come and do a sight inspection rather than only have them quote over the phone. This is because they need to take note of the angle of your roof as well as its current state. They can also estimate the age of the roof so ask what materials they would recommend using. Remember, choosing a roofer based on different quotes is not only about who is the most affordable but who has given the best advice, leaving you feeling the most confident with their experience and knowledge.
Due to the expense and importance of a new or refurbished roof, make sure that the quote for the roof will come with some sort of guarantee aside from the roofing specialist’s own guarantee (if the roofer’s business closes down due to unforeseen circumstances, you still want to be assured that you roof is under guarantee). There is a scheme called insurance Backed Guarantee which backs up the contractors guarantee.
When discussing the new roof or repairs, check with the roofer if they think you would need to apply for any planning permission as this always falls under the responsibility of a property owner rather than the contractor.
A scaffolding company for larger jobs will be required to give the roofer safer access to the roof area and to protect the roof while the work is being carried out. You will be paying for this and if the works overrun so will the charge for the scaffolding. Make sure this is either in the quote or in a separate quote with the scaffolding company. If you live in a mid-terraced or semi-detached house, discuss any access issues and do make neighbours aware of the roofing project in case the roofing specialist needs access into the neighbouring gardens.
Be sure to get the quote in writing and make sure it is noted in writing if there will be any changes to the cost once tiles or slates have been removed, exposing the underneath waterproof membrane. The quote should also state payment terms and if any sort of deposit or part payment is expected, as well as how they accept payment. Don’t pay cash for larger roofing jobs.
Important to note in the UK, if 25% or more of the roof is being refurbished, you must use a NFRC Competent Person Scheme registered roofer, or you need to contact your Local Authority Building Control. This is because the new roof or roof repair must be upgraded to meet thermal requirements of Part L of the current Building Regulations.
A new roof is a significant outlay and if you are going to do it you should first ask yourself if you want to extend your home's living space with a loft conversion. If you are intending to eventually sell the property it could add up to 15% to the value of the house. If you don’t have that kind of money to invest then a new slate roof on a 4 bedroom detached house will cost approximately £8300. As slate is significantly more expensive than conventional tiles, a new tiled roof on the same 4 bedroom detached house would cost in the region of £6600.
Tip: When having a new roof fitted, it is often a good idea to replace the gutters, fascias and soffits at the same time. Be led by the advice of the contractor. If you have a chimney, it might be a good time to re-point the chimney as well as having the flashings renewed so that you do not have a tired old chimney spoiling the look and cost of the flashy new roof.
Is your flat roof showing up with uneven lumps or sagging? In that case it may need replacing. For the complete replacement of a single flat roof first of all you need to decide on what type of roof you want to replace it with. You can have a traditional felt roof (bitumen),an EPDM rubber or fiberglass roof. All of them have their pros and cons and depending on the state of the roof you might also need new flashing, new plastic facia boards and guttering. For a rubber solution installing a flat roof with a rubber membrane on a single garage you will be looking at parting with £950. There will be a regional variation but for a single garage you should not spend more that £1200.
Fact: Did you know that flat roofs are not flat. You need the water to run off and not pool which could allow it to gather moss, causing degradation and shorten the life of the roof replacement.
You might notice leaks coming through the ceiling or damp in the loft from a cracked or missing tile. If the tile is missing you need to act quickly, as this gap allows wind to whip in and lift more tiles. A clear sign that roof shingles are breaking up and need sections replaced, are when pieces of the shingles start dropping off into the surrounding area of your house or clogging up the gutter as well as the blatantly obvious visual of sections missing from the roof.
Perhaps you have noticed gaps appearing on joins (this can be around the chimney, the tiles at the top called roof ridges or roof valleys where tiles meet) you might have noticed rays of daylight shining through roof gaps in the loft.
Tip: Discuss with the contractor how straight forward a job your roof replacement or repair is, because a more complex roof (different levels, roof valleys, chimney stacks or loft windows) can add more of a challenge to the roof replacement / repair which means the job will involve more labour which equates to more money.
Job | Estimate |
Cost to build a new roof | £5500 |
Cost to replace roof ridge tiles | £180 |
Cost to replace a gutter | £150 |
Cost to replace flashing and leadwork | £600 |
Cost to replace fascia and soffits | £200 |
Cost to repair a chimney | £200 |
Cost to repair a leaky roof | £100 |
Cost to replace a flat roof | £600 |
Chimney flue installation | £400 |
Upgrading old tiles or Cotswolds stone roofs | £2500 or a 2bed house |
Bird proofing fitting multi-purpose chimney cowls | £100 |
Site visit to inspect the health of a roof | £200 |
Fitting 1 or 2 air vents on a roof | £240 |
Replacement of 6 broken standard tiles | £100 |
Stripping old slate and replacing with new slate on a 4 bed, 2 storey, detached house | £8300 |
Stripping old tiles and replacing with new tiles on a 4 bed, 2 storey, detached house | £6600 |
Stripping old slate and replacing with new slate on a 4 bed, 2 storey, semi-detached house | £6200 |
Stripping old slate and replacing with new slate on a 2 bed bungalow | £5000 |
Stripping old tiles and replacing with new tiles on a 2-bed bungalow | £4500 |
Installing a flat roof on a 4x4m conservatory | £1200 |
Installing a flat roof with a rubber membrane on a single garage | £950 |