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Roofing advice

Choosing a roofer: what to check and what to ask

Practical checks, in the order they are worth making, whether or not you appoint us.

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  • Choosing a roofer
  • Costs
Roofer re-slating a pitched Cumbrian roof from scaffolding at dusk

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The short answer

Ask for a written specification rather than a single figure, confirm the insurance the contractor carries, check how access and scaffolding are being handled, and get the guarantee terms in writing. A contractor who explains the diagnosis before the price is usually the one who has actually looked at the roof.

What matters here

Before you decide

A specification, not a number

The quotation should say what is being removed, what is being installed, how details are being finished and what happens if concealed defects are found.

Verify insurance and access arrangements

Ask what public liability cover is in place and how work at height is being managed. Both are reasonable questions and easy to answer honestly.

Pressure is a warning sign

Same-day-only discounts, large upfront payments and a diagnosis produced without an inspection are all reasons to get a second opinion.

Guarantees are only as good as their wording

Ask what the guarantee covers, what voids it and who honours it. Get it in writing before work starts.

In depth

Full guides in this subject

Questions answered

Answers in this subject

Should a roofing contractor be insured?

Yes. Public liability insurance should be in place on any roof work, and you are entitled to see it. Roof work involves height, access equipment and open coverings, so damage to your property or injury to a third party is a real possibility — and without cover, that exposure sits with you.

What to check

Ask for the certificate and check the insured name matches the company quoting, and that the dates are current. Where subcontractors or scaffolders will be on site, ask whose policy covers them.

Insurance is not a substitute for competence, and it says nothing about the quality of the diagnosis — but its absence is a reason to stop.

What evidence should you look for?

These are indications, not conclusions. Each one narrows where to look; only an inspection confirms a cause.

  • A contractor declines to produce insurance details.

    Property damage during the works may be uninsured.

    Areas that may need investigating

    • insurance certificate
    • who covers subcontractors

Urgency: Monitor

A pre-appointment check rather than a roof condition issue.

Treat it as more urgent if you see:

  • Work is about to start with no insurance confirmed

What should you do next?

Ask to see current public liability cover before any work begins.

Call 07777389016Arrange a Roof Inspection

Should I obtain several roofing quotations?

Usually yes, provided you compare scope rather than totals. Several quotations reveal whether contractors agree on the cause — which is the more valuable information. Where diagnoses differ, that difference matters more than price, because one of the quotations may be pricing a symptom rather than the problem.

Compare the diagnosis first

If one contractor says a flashing has failed and another says the roof needs replacing, you do not have two prices for one job — you have two different views of the problem. Resolve that with evidence before comparing cost.

In a genuine emergency, getting the property made safe comes first; comparison can follow for the permanent repair.

What evidence should you look for?

These are indications, not conclusions. Each one narrows where to look; only an inspection confirms a cause.

  • Quotations differ by a very large margin.

    They are likely pricing different scopes or different diagnoses.

    Areas that may need investigating

    • each written scope
    • what evidence supports each diagnosis

Urgency: Monitor

Obtaining comparisons is prudent rather than urgent.

Treat it as more urgent if you see:

  • Water is entering and the property needs making safe

What should you do next?

Get written scopes from each contractor and compare what they found before comparing what they charge.

Call 07777389016Arrange a Roof Inspection

Keep going

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