Anyone who gives you a price for a new roof without looking at it is guessing. The covering is only part of the cost, and two roofs of the same footprint can differ substantially once access, structure and detailing are taken into account.
What moves the price
- Roof area and pitch, since a steeper roof takes longer and needs more fixing
- Complexity: hips, valleys, dormers and chimneys all add labour and lead work
- Access and scaffold, which is a significant line on a terrace or a property with restricted frontage
- The covering chosen, from concrete tile through to natural slate or handmade clay
- Condition of the battens, felt and timber once the old covering is stripped
- Conservation area or listed status, which can dictate the material rather than leaving it to choice
- Disposal of the old covering, which is weighty and chargeable
Why square metre rates mislead
A rate per square metre only works on a simple rectangular roof with easy access. Add a valley, a chimney and a dormer and the labour content changes completely while the area barely moves. Quotes built purely on area tend to be revised upward once work starts, which is exactly the situation you want to avoid.
What a proper quotation contains
- The specification, naming the actual covering, underlay, battens and fixings
- Whether the existing timber is being retained, and what happens if defects are found once it is open
- Scaffold, who supplies it and for how long
- Waste removal and making good
- The programme, so you know how long the roof is open
- What guarantee is issued and what it covers
If a quotation does not tell you those things, it is an estimate with a signature on it. Ask for the detail before you compare prices, or you are comparing numbers that describe different jobs.
We survey, then quote in writing with the specification set out line by line. Call 01296 325155 or request a survey.
