Roofing is one of the most searched-for trades online, and homeowners shopping for roof work almost always want a written quote before they commit. A clear, professional roofing quote sets you apart from competitors, builds trust, and significantly increases your chances of winning the job. Yet too many roofers still rely on verbal quotes or vague text messages that leave both parties unsure about what has been agreed.

This guide provides a complete roofing quote template you can use as a framework, covers what to include in every roofing quote, lists typical prices for common roofing jobs in the UK, and explains how to measure, estimate, and handle the unique challenges of quoting for roofing work. including weather contingencies and access complications.

Essential Elements of a Roofing Quote

Every roofing quote you send should include these elements. Miss any of them and you risk disputes, customer uncertainty, or simply looking less professional than your competitors.

Business Details and Credentials

Include your full business name, address, phone number, and email. For roofing work specifically, include your trade body memberships (such as the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, Competent Roofer scheme, or TrustMark registration). Include your public liability insurance details and any manufacturer warranties you can offer through approved installer schemes. These credentials matter enormously to homeowners because roofing is a trade with a poor reputation due to cowboy roofers, and visible accreditation helps you stand out.

Detailed Description of Works

Describe exactly what roofing work you will carry out. Be specific about:

Itemised Pricing

Separate your pricing into clear categories. At minimum, break it down into labour, materials, scaffolding, and waste removal. Ideally, provide further detail within each category. This transparency builds trust and makes it easy for the customer to see where their money is going.

Scaffolding

Scaffolding is a significant cost on roofing jobs and should be clearly stated. Specify whether you are providing the scaffolding yourself or using a subcontracted scaffolding company, what areas of the property will be scaffolded, how long the scaffold will be erected for, and whether the hire period is included in the quoted price or charged separately if the job overruns.

Timeline and Weather Clause

Roofing work is uniquely weather-dependent. Include an estimated start date and duration, but add a clear weather contingency clause. Something like: "The estimated duration is five working days. This is based on suitable weather conditions. In the event of persistent rain, high winds, or frost that prevents safe working, the programme may be extended accordingly at no additional cost." This protects you from customers expecting completion by a fixed date regardless of weather.

Guarantees and Warranties

State clearly what guarantees you offer on your workmanship and what manufacturer warranties apply to the materials. A typical roofing guarantee is ten to twenty years on workmanship. If you are an approved installer for a tile or slate manufacturer, you may be able to offer a manufacturer-backed guarantee of up to thirty years, which is a powerful selling point.

Payment Terms

For roofing jobs, a staged payment structure is normal. A typical arrangement is twenty-five per cent deposit on acceptance, twenty-five per cent when materials are delivered to site, twenty-five per cent at halfway point (roof stripped and battened), and the final twenty-five per cent on completion. For smaller repair jobs, payment on completion is standard.

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Common Roofing Jobs and Typical Prices

Here are typical prices for common roofing jobs in the UK in 2026. These are guide prices. your actual costs will vary based on location, access, materials, and the specific condition of the existing roof.

Full Re-Roof

Flat Roof Replacement

Roof Repairs

Guttering and Fascias

All prices above exclude scaffolding unless stated. Add one thousand to two thousand five hundred pounds for scaffolding depending on the property size and configuration.

How to Measure and Estimate Roofing Jobs

Accurate measurement is the foundation of accurate roofing quotes. Here is a practical approach.

Measuring Roof Area

You rarely need to get on the roof to measure it for quoting purposes. Start by measuring the building footprint at ground level using a tape measure or laser measure. Then calculate the actual roof area using the pitch factor.

Common pitch factors for UK roofs:

For a three-bed semi with a footprint of eight metres by five metres and a thirty-five-degree pitch: eight times five equals forty square metres footprint, times 1.22 equals approximately forty-nine square metres of actual roof area. Always add five to ten per cent for waste and cuts.

Estimating Materials

Once you have the roof area, calculate your material quantities:

Estimating Labour

A competent two-person roofing team can typically strip and re-tile eight to twelve square metres per day on a straightforward pitched roof. So a forty-nine square metre roof would take approximately four to six working days. Add time for ridge work, leadwork, and any complex details like valleys, dormers, or chimneys.

Materials Markup

How you handle materials markup on roofing jobs affects your profitability significantly. Most roofers add a markup of fifteen to twenty-five per cent on materials to cover the time spent ordering, checking deliveries, storing materials on site, and managing waste and returns.

For bulk materials like tiles and battens that you buy at trade prices, the markup covers your buying effort and ensures you are compensated if prices change between quoting and purchasing. For expensive items like natural slate or specialist lead, a percentage markup on a high base price can feel excessive to customers. in these cases, some roofers use a fixed handling charge instead.

Be transparent in your quote about how materials are priced. You do not need to show the customer your trade price, but stating "materials supplied at cost plus twenty per cent" or simply including the materials total as a line item gives them visibility. For more on this topic, see our guide on how to price materials and markup.

Weather and Access Contingencies

Roofing has unique challenges that other trades do not face, and your quote needs to address them.

Weather. You cannot roof in the rain, in high winds, or in freezing conditions (mortar will not set). Include a weather clause in every roofing quote that explains the work is weather-dependent and the timeline may be extended. Some roofers build one or two weather days into their labour estimate; others quote the best-case timeline and add the clause as a safeguard.

Access. Limited access can significantly increase scaffolding costs and slow the work. Narrow passageways, conservatories below the roofline, neighbouring properties, and overhead cables all create challenges. Survey the access carefully before quoting and price accordingly. If access from one side is not possible, the scaffolding cost may double to cover the remaining sides.

Asbestos. Many older properties have cement fibre (asbestos) roof sheets, fascias, or soffits. If you discover asbestos, it must be handled according to HSE guidelines. For small quantities of non-friable asbestos cement (Category B non-licensed work), you can remove it yourself with appropriate precautions, but the disposal costs are higher than normal waste. Include an asbestos clause in your quote for older properties: "If asbestos-containing materials are discovered during the work, additional costs may apply for safe removal and licensed disposal."

Example Roofing Quote

Here is an example quote for a full re-roof of a three-bedroom semi-detached house.

Job: Strip and re-roof with Marley Modern concrete interlocking tiles (smooth grey). Replace all battens, breathable membrane, ridge tiles, and leadwork to rear abutment and chimney.

Labour:

Materials:

Other Costs:

Summary:

This level of detail gives the customer confidence in your pricing and protects you from disputes about what was included. It also makes you look professional. which is increasingly important in a trade where customers are wary of rogue operators.

Creating detailed quotes like this for every job takes time. QuoteSmith speeds up the process by generating branded PDF proposals from your input. you enter the job details and costs, and the AI creates the scope of work, timeline, terms, and weather clauses automatically. It takes minutes rather than hours, and the result looks far more professional than a handwritten estimate or email.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a roofing quote include?

A roofing quote should include your business details and insurance information, a detailed description of the roofing work to be carried out, an itemised breakdown of labour and materials, scaffolding costs, waste removal costs, the total price including VAT if applicable, a timeline for the work, payment terms, a weather contingency clause, and any guarantee or warranty information. It should also clearly state what is not included, such as internal decoration or guttering work.

How much does a new roof cost in the UK in 2026?

A full re-roof on a typical three-bedroom semi-detached house in the UK costs between five thousand and nine thousand pounds in 2026 for concrete tiles, or seven thousand to twelve thousand pounds for natural slate. This includes stripping the existing roof, replacing battens and membrane, tiling, re-pointing or dry-fixing ridges, and all associated leadwork. Scaffolding adds one thousand to two thousand five hundred pounds depending on the property.

How do roofers measure a roof for quoting?

Roofers measure the building footprint at ground level and multiply by the pitch factor to get the actual roof area. For example, a house with an eight by five metre footprint and a thirty-five-degree pitch has a roof area of approximately forty-nine square metres. Add five to ten per cent for waste and cuts. For complex roofs with multiple slopes, dormers, or hips, measure each section separately and add them together.

Should roofing quotes include scaffolding?

Yes, scaffolding should always be included in or clearly referenced in a roofing quote. Most roofing work requires scaffolding for safe access, and the cost is significant. typically one thousand to two thousand five hundred pounds for a standard domestic property. Some roofers include scaffolding in their overall price while others list it as a separate line item. Either approach works, but the customer needs to know the full cost upfront to avoid surprises.

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