In this guide
A price becomes useful when you know exactly what it covers. Two roofs of a similar size can need very different work, and two quotes for the same roof can include different things.
Start with the fault, not a price per tile
A slipped tile above an open driveway is a different job from one above a conservatory at the back of a terrace. The replacement material may be inexpensive, but reaching the roof safely still takes planning and equipment. Sending a clear view of the building as well as a close-up of the damage helps explain that difference.
The details that change the job
- Access: roof height, scaffold positions, narrow passages and neighbouring buildings.
- Materials: the proposed tile, slate or flat roof system, including compatible fixings and trims.
- Roof shape: valleys, chimneys, dormers and rooflights create junctions that need their own work.
- Condition underneath: battens, decking or timber may need attention as well as the outer covering.
- Site arrangements: protection, deliveries, waste removal and any making good included afterwards.
A simple comparison
Imagine one quote includes replacing a damaged gutter section and another includes that section, its brackets and a faulty downpipe connection. The totals are not directly comparable. Put the two scopes side by side and ask each roofer to explain the difference. The same principle applies to re-roofing: a price for the covering alone is different from one that includes related roof details.
Example: two flat-roof quotes that cover different jobs
This is an illustrative comparison, not a Slate and Ridge quotation. One proposal might retain a deck assessed as sound and replace the covering and edge trims. Another might remove damaged decking, replace insulation and alter the outlet as well as renew the covering. Even on the same-sized roof, those are different scopes.
Ask each roofer which findings support their proposal, which layers remain and whether drainage work is included. If the condition underneath has not yet been established, the quotation should explain how that uncertainty is handled. A single price per square metre cannot show those differences.
Allow for what cannot be seen yet
Ask which parts of the roof have been inspected and which remain concealed. If an allowance is included for timber repairs, find out what it covers and how any additional work would be shown and priced. Keep agreed changes alongside the original quotation.
Turn an enquiry into a useful quotation
Send your postcode, the symptoms, when they happen and any previous repairs you know about. Mention access restrictions early. You do not need to measure or climb onto the roof to enquire.
For a practical comparison, use our roofing quotation checklist. For work on your property, tell us about your roof.
The NFRC’s advice on choosing a contractor also recommends written quotations and discussing payment terms before work begins.