A quote for roof work should read like a work plan. Not like a line with an amount and a nice photo above it. Because that amount only means something once you know what work is behind it.
Below is what belongs in it. Not to tick off suppliers, but so you can see whether you have a complete plan in your hands.
The build-up from inside to outside
With a pitched roof: what happens to the roof boarding, is there a new membrane and of what type, are the counter battens and tiling battens renewed, which tiles go on, and how is the ridge finished. With a flat roof: which insulation and what thickness, what type of roofing and in how many layers, how are the upstands and the roof edge finished.
This is the part most often summarised as ‘including materials’. That is not a description; that is a category.
The items that prevent the most leaks
Lead and zinc work. Lead flashings at the chimney and wall junctions, valley gutters, wall copings. Does it say whether it is new or reused? That is a fundamental difference.
The ridge finish. Are the ridge tiles bedded in mortar or dry-fixed with a ridge roll? See
wet or dry fixing.
The eaves and the gutter. Does the membrane run into the gutter, is there an eaves protection strip, are bird guards fitted?
The penetrations. Vents, roof windows, rooflights, solar panel brackets. Every interruption in the roof surface is a detail that needs attention.
“If the detailing is not named, it is not costed. And if it is not costed, it does not get done.”
Fouad, owner of Astrodak Service
The practical side
How do the workers get onto the roof: scaffolding, mobile scaffold tower, ladder hoist or cherry picker, and is that in the price? Who disposes of the old material, and is the skip included? How many working days does it take, and what happens if it rains? How are your garden, drive or pavement protected? Who can you speak to during the work?
With us, scaffolding and disposal are included in the price as standard, and you can speak to me personally. That saves you the question afterwards of who pays for what.
Want to know what your roof will cost?
A price per m² is a guideline, not a quote. I come round with my colleagues, we measure the roof, look at the structure and then send a quote with a fixed price. The inspection is free and puts you under no obligation.
Four phrases worth pausing on
“Including materials.” That is a category, not a description. Which membrane, which tile, which type of insulation and in what thickness? It is precisely with the membrane and insulation that there is a difference you can never see again after completion.
“Reuse existing lead work.” Sometimes justified, with lead that is still sound. But on a thirty-year-old roof the lead is usually as old as the rest, and then you are putting new tiles on an old weak spot.
“Excluding unforeseen costs.” If it does not say what could be unforeseen and at what price, this is open-ended. Ask for unit prices. See
avoiding extra work.
“By arrangement.” Fine for the planning, less fine for the execution. What gets built should be fixed in advance.
Guarantee and what happens afterwards
A guarantee period says little without knowing what it covers. The work, the material, or watertightness? And who do you go to: the company that sent the quote or the party that actually carried out the work? We give a 100% guarantee on our work, and you call me, not a service desk. More on this in
guarantees on roof work.
Unsure about something in a quote, even a quote from someone else? Call me. I would rather explain how a roof build-up works than have you make a choice based on the amount at the bottom. See also
why quotes vary and
how I work.
What a quote says about the roofer
Apart from the content, a quote tells you something about how someone works. A quote that describes the build-up of the roof, names the risks and states the lead time has been drawn up by someone who has been there and has thought about it. A quote that consists of three lines has been drawn up without anyone looking in the attic.
That is why, when I get a request, I first come round with my colleagues and only then put something on paper. Not because that is more efficient, because it is not, but because a fixed price without an inspection is not a fixed price but a gamble whose risk you carry.
Frequently asked questions about the roofing quote
