Do Roofers Charge VAT?

When VAT applies to roof work

VAT is a tax on goods and services that a business adds to its invoice once it is registered with HM Revenue and Customs. Registration becomes compulsory when a business's taxable turnover passes a threshold set by the government, and a business can also register voluntarily below it. Roofing work on an existing house, whether it is a repair, a re-cover or a flat roof renewal, is generally charged at the standard rate. If the roofer is registered, the VAT shows as its own line on the quote and the invoice, together with a VAT number. You can read the official position on gov.uk, and the thresholds are reviewed from time to time, so check the current figure there rather than relying on an old article.

A few types of work attract a different rate. Some energy-saving installations have been charged at a reduced rate, and building a new dwelling can be zero-rated. Those rules are specific, change with budgets, and depend on the exact work, so ask the roofer to state which rate they are applying and why. Do not assume a lower rate applies to an ordinary re-roof.

Reading a quote with VAT in it

The most common confusion is not whether VAT exists but whether the figure on the page includes it. Two quotes for the same roof can look hundreds of pounds apart when one is quoted before VAT and the other after. Put them side by side and ask each roofer for the total you would actually pay. A proper written quote shows the work, the materials, the labour, any scaffold, the waste removal, and then the VAT and total. If you only get a verbal figure, ask for it in writing.

Because VAT is 20% on top of the net price, it adds up on a larger job. On a typical UK range for a three-bedroom semi re-roof, reported by third-party cost guides, the difference between a net and a gross figure is a meaningful sum. We do not quote prices here, since your fixed quote follows the survey, but the principle holds for every job: the total is the number to compare.

Cash prices and unregistered traders

You may be offered a lower price for cash, or a quote with no VAT mentioned. Being unregistered is lawful for a small business below the threshold, and it is not a warning sign by itself. What deserves attention is the paperwork. A roofer who will not put the price, the scope and the guarantee in writing leaves you with nothing to rely on if the work goes wrong. Ask how any guarantee is documented, who you contact afterwards, and whether you will receive an invoice with the trader's name and address on it.

If work is notifiable under Building Regulations, such as a new roof covering that crosses the thresholds, a proper completion certificate or notice should follow whatever the VAT position is. Our page on building regulations for roofing work explains when approval is needed, and it applies to registered and unregistered roofers alike.

Payment timing is the other thing to pin down. A deposit, if one is asked for, should be modest and tied to materials, and the balance should fall due when the work is finished and you have inspected it. VAT is charged on every part of the invoice, including any deposit, so a registered roofer should show it on a deposit receipt as well. Keep every receipt together with the quote, because you will want the whole set if you later sell the house or make an insurance claim.

Questions worth asking

Ask whether the quote is inclusive or exclusive of VAT, and what the total is. Ask whether scaffolding, skip hire and waste disposal are included, since these are sometimes added at the end. Ask what happens if the survey finds extra work, such as rotten battens (the timber strips that carry the tiles) or a failed deck, and whether any change will be agreed in writing before it is done. Our guide on what to ask a roofer before hiring lists more.

At Beacon we visit, survey and photograph your roof, then give you a fixed written quote that states the total clearly. You can see how we price in the costs guide, or go back to the homepage and ring 01256 213956 to book a free survey.