How much does roof repair cost?

There is no honest average that fits your roof, because the price comes from the job itself. The main factors are the size and pitch of the roof, how easy it is to reach and whether scaffolding is needed, the material, how many old layers have to be stripped, whether the decking or battens underneath are damaged, flashing and gutter work, and how urgent the call-out is. Ask two or three roofers to inspect the roof and give written quotes for the same scope, then compare what each one includes and excludes. A low price that leaves out scaffolding or disposal is not the cheaper quote.

Does a roofer need a licence?

In the US, it depends on the state and sometimes the city. Some states license roofing contractors, others cover roofing under a general contractor license, and some leave it to local rules. Ask for the license number and look it up yourself on the state or local licensing board. In the UK there is no roofing licence at all. Instead, check insurance, references and membership of a trade association or TrustMark, and ask whether the roofer is registered to self-certify work under Building Regulations where that applies.

Should I repair my roof or replace it?

A few slipped tiles or shingles, a cracked flashing or a blocked gutter are usually repairs. Widespread leaks, sagging, a covering that is failing across large areas, or repeated repairs in different places point towards a re-roof. Ask the roofer to show you photos of what they found and to explain why they recommend one or the other. If two roofers disagree, a third inspection costs less than an unnecessary new roof. Remember that a re-roof may need a permit in the US and may fall under Building Regulations in the UK.

A roofer knocked on my door after a storm. Should I sign?

Be careful. After storms, door-to-door contractors often appear offering free inspections and quick insurance work. Some are genuine, many are not local and disappear before problems show. Do not sign anything on the doorstep. Read every document, and be especially wary of contracts that let the contractor deal with your insurer or take over your claim. Call your insurer first, then get quotes from roofers you have checked yourself. In the UK, cold-callers who say they noticed loose tiles while passing are a known scam.

What warranty should I get on a new roof?

Ask for two things, both in writing. A manufacturer warranty covers defects in the roofing material, and some depend on the product being installed to the maker’s instructions or registered after installation. A workmanship warranty covers the installation itself, which is where most problems come from, and it is only as good as the business that gives it. Ask how long each lasts, what voids them, and whether they transfer if you sell the house. Keep the invoice, the warranty documents and any permit or completion certificate together.

How to Hire a Roofer: Licences, Warranties, Costs and Red Flags

If you are working out how to hire a roofer, you are probably looking at a leak, a missing tile or an old roof that has started to worry you. Roofing is one of the easiest trades to oversell. You cannot easily climb up and check what you are told, and a rushed decision after a storm can cost more than the damage itself.

This guide covers the United States and the United Kingdom. It starts with the difference between a repair and a re-roof, then explains what sets the price, which licences, insurance and permits to check in each country, how warranties work, the scams to watch for, and the questions to ask before anyone goes up a ladder.

Repair or re-roof: what kind of roofing job you have

The material and the size of the job decide who you need and what paperwork follows. Match the job first, then the contractor.

Old roof sheets on garages, sheds and outbuildings can contain asbestos. Do not let a general roofer break or remove them.
Job	Who to hire	What to check first
Slipped tiles or shingles, small leak, cracked flashing	A roofer for a repair	Photos of the damage, a written price and how they will reach the roof safely.
Full re-roof: asphalt shingles, tile or slate	A roofing contractor or roofing company	US: license, insurance and permit. UK: Building Regulations route, and consent for listed or conservation-area homes.
Flat roof or metal roof	A roofer who installs that system regularly	Recent jobs on the same material and the manufacturer’s warranty terms.
Gutters, downpipes, fascias	A roofer or a gutter specialist	Whether the roof edge or flashing is the real cause of the overflow.
Old fibre cement or corrugated sheets	An asbestos specialist	Testing before work, and a contractor qualified for asbestos removal.

Roof repair cost: what sets the price

A per-square-foot figure from a calculator tells you little about your roof. Two houses on the same street can need very different work, and much of the cost sits in things you cannot see from the ground. These are the items that move the number:

Size and pitch: a steep roof is slower and needs more safety equipment.
Access and scaffolding: height, a narrow side path, a conservatory or a busy street below.
Material: asphalt shingles, metal, slate, clay or concrete tile, or a flat roof system.
Tear-off: how many old layers have to be stripped and taken away.
What lies underneath: rotten decking, battens or rafters only show once the covering is off.
Flashing and gutters: chimneys, valleys, skylights and roof edges add time.
Urgency: an emergency call-out or a tarp in the rain is priced differently from planned work.

Get two or three written quotes against the same scope. Ask each roofer how they will price hidden damage to the decking, so a low quote does not grow once the old roof is off.

How to hire a roofer in the United States

License and insurance

Roofing licenses vary by state and sometimes by city or county. Ask for the license number and check it on the licensing board’s website, not just on a business card. Then ask for certificates of general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance, sent directly by the insurer or agent. Roofing is dangerous work. If an uninsured worker is injured on your property, the claim can end up with you.

Permits

A re-roof usually needs a building permit, and many places also inspect the work. A good contractor pulls the permit in their own name and tells you when the inspection is. If a roofer asks you to apply for the permit yourself, ask why.

Manufacturer warranty vs workmanship warranty

A manufacturer warranty covers the material. A workmanship warranty covers the installation. You want both in writing, with their length, what voids them and whether they transfer to a buyer. A verbal promise of “lifetime” cover is worth nothing.

Storm chasers and insurance claims

After hail or high winds, door-to-door crews arrive offering free inspections. Do not sign on the doorstep. Read every page, and be careful with any document that hands your insurance claim to the contractor or lets them negotiate with your insurer. Call your insurer first. The FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule may give you a short window to cancel some sales made at your home, so ask before you sign.

Got a roof that needs work?

Posting a job on Hirovo is free. Describe the problem, add photos taken safely from the ground, choose your area, and roofers nearby can apply or message you in the app. You compare them and decide who comes to inspect.

Post a free job →

How to hire a roofer in the UK

No licence, so check other things

Anyone can call themselves a roofer in the UK. Look for membership of a trade association and for TrustMark, the government-endorsed quality scheme. Ask for public liability insurance and check the dates cover your job. Ask for addresses of recent roofs you can look at from the street.

Building Regulations

Small repairs normally fall outside Building Regulations, but larger re-roofing can fall under them, for example when a significant part of the roof is renewed or the new covering is heavier than the old one. A roofer registered with a competent person scheme can self-certify the work. Otherwise, building control at your local council has to be involved. If you are unsure, ask building control before work starts.

Listed buildings and conservation areas

If your home is listed, changing the roof covering may need listed building consent. In a conservation area, a change of material can need planning permission. Check with the council first. Replacing slate with a cheaper product without consent can leave you paying to put it back.

Cold-callers and your rights

A stranger who “noticed some loose tiles” while passing is a known scam. Do not let them up the ladder. If you sign a contract at home, you usually have 14 days to cancel. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the work must be done with reasonable care and skill.

Safety: scaffolding, falls and asbestos

Fall protection is the roofer’s responsibility, not yours. Ask how they will work safely: scaffolding, edge protection or a mobile platform. A roofer who plans to work off a ladder on a large job is cutting corners. Do not go up yourself to inspect. Old roof sheets on garages and outbuildings can contain asbestos and must be handled by a specialist.

Questions to ask a roofing contractor

Can you show me photos of the damage you found?
Is this a repair or does it need a re-roof, and why?
US: what is your license number, and who pulls the permit?
UK: can you self-certify this under Building Regulations?
Can I see your insurance certificates?
How will you price rotten decking or battens if you find them?
Who does the work: your own crew or a subcontractor?
What warranties do I get, in writing, and how long do they last?
How do you protect the garden, gutters and windows, and who clears the waste?

How hiring a roofer works, step by step

Inspection: the roofer checks the roof and the loft or attic and shows you photos.
Written quote: scope, material, scaffolding, waste, start date and how hidden damage is priced.
Agreement: sign only after reading it. Pay a deposit only for materials ordered for your job.
The work: agree any extra in writing before it is done.
Sign-off: check the result, get the invoice, warranties and any permit or completion certificate, then pay the balance.

For a larger project, our guide on how to hire a contractor covers contracts and stage payments in more detail.

Red flag: a roofer who wants most of the money up front, pressures you to sign today, or will only take cash with no invoice. A fair deposit covers materials ordered for your job, not the whole roof.

Using a free Hirovo job post to find a roofer

Posting a job on Hirovo is free. Describe the problem, choose the trade and your area, and roofers nearby can apply or message you. Hirovo is a global platform and the number of roofers registered in the US and UK is still small, so use it alongside the other ways you find local tradespeople. You decide whom to invite for an inspection. Hirovo does not verify the people who reply and is not a party to the work, so run the checks in this guide on anyone who responds.

In short

Work out whether you need a repair or a re-roof, and get two or three written quotes for the same scope. Price depends on size, pitch, access, material, tear-off, hidden damage, flashing and urgency. In the US, check the license, insurance, permit and both warranties, and do not sign anything a storm chaser hands you. In the UK, check insurance, TrustMark or trade-association membership and the Building Regulations route, and turn away cold-callers. Leave asbestos to a specialist, agree extras in writing, and pay the balance once the work is done.