Roof work is expensive, hard to inspect once it is finished and out of sight for years, which makes the hiring conversation unusually important. You cannot easily check the quality of a membrane under tiles, or whether the battens were replaced as promised. What you can do is ask good questions up front and judge the answers. A roofer who can explain what they will do, in what order, with what materials and for what price, is usually one who has done it before. This page sets out the questions we think matter, grouped by the stage of the job, along with what a clear answer looks like.
Before anyone comes to the house
Do you survey first, and is it free? A roof cannot be priced responsibly from the ground. Ask whether someone will go up on the roof and into the loft, and whether you will get photographs of what they found. A free survey with photographs lets you see the problem yourself, and the photographs are useful if you want to compare another quote.
Will the quote be fixed and in writing? A verbal figure or a range gives you nothing to hold on to. A fixed written quote states the price and what it covers. Ask what happens if the roofer finds something unexpected once the old covering comes off, and how extra timber or other extras will be priced. A good answer names a unit price, for instance per batten, so you can see the exposure before you agree.
Who exactly will be doing the work? Some firms use their own crews, some use subcontractors and some use a mix. None of these is wrong, but you should know which applies. Ask who will be on site, who supervises and who you contact if something goes wrong.
What the quote should tell you
A decent quote lists the work in enough detail that you could hand it to another roofer and get a comparable price. Look for the covering, with the make and type named, not just "new tiles". Look for the underlay, battens, flashings, ridge and hip fixings, and what happens at the verges. Look for the scaffold, the waste removal and the clean-up. Check whether the quote covers the fascias and gutters or leaves them out.
It should also tell you what is not included. If it leaves out a chimney flashing or the lead around a dormer, you need to know before work begins. Our overview of what affects roofing costs shows which items usually move the price, so you can check each is accounted for. If the roofer has recommended replacement, ask them to show you why, and compare the answer with the tests in our guide to repair or replacement.
Money: deposits, payment and VAT
What deposit do you ask for, and what is it for? A deposit for materials on a large job can be reasonable, but you should know the amount, the reason and when the balance falls due. Be cautious of large cash demands before any work has begun. We look at the figures in our answer on what deposit a roofer should ask for.
How will I pay, and when? Stage payments tied to milestones, such as scaffold up, covering complete and final sign-off, keep both sides honest. Paying by bank transfer or card leaves a trail. Ask for a receipt or invoice every time.
Is VAT included in the price? Prices can be quoted with or without VAT, and the rate depends on the work. Ask for the figure inclusive of VAT, so you compare like with like.
Guarantees, insurance and paperwork
What guarantee do you give, and is it in writing? A guarantee is only as good as its wording. Ask what it covers (workmanship, materials or both), how long it lasts, what voids it and who you contact to claim. Be clear about whether it is backed by an insurance policy or is a promise from the firm alone; the two are different things. Our answer on what a roofing guarantee should cover gives a fuller checklist.
Can I see proof of your public liability cover? If a tile falls and damages a neighbour's car, or a scaffold board cracks a conservatory, who pays? A roofer should be able to show a current certificate on request. Ask to see the document, check the date and read what it covers.
Do roofers need to be registered? In the UK there is no legal requirement for a roofer to hold a particular qualification. Membership of a trade body can be a useful signal but is not the same as a licence. Our answer on whether roofers need qualifications covers what exists and what it means.
Who handles building control? If your job is above the thresholds, an application is needed. Ask who will make it and when you will receive the completion certificate. Small re-covering jobs are normally left alone by building control, but a big one is not, and when approval applies the insulation may have to be improved as part of it.
Questions about the materials and the build-up
What exactly am I getting on the roof? "New tiles" is not a specification. Ask for the make and type of tile or slate, the weight if it differs from the old covering, the grade of battens, the underlay and its name, and how the ridge, hips and verges are fixed. Current practice under BS 5534:2014 is mechanical fixing of ridge, hip and verge parts, so a quote that relies on mortar alone for those should prompt a question.
Are you replacing the underlay and battens? On a full re-roof, new underlay and battens are normal. If a quote reuses either, the reason should be stated, and you should see the existing ones with your own eyes first. Old felt that has gone brittle and battens with nail damage are cheap to replace while the roof is open and expensive to chase later.
What happens at the flashings, valleys and chimney? These are the points that leak first. Ask whether lead is being renewed, what weight or code is specified, and how the flashing will be fixed into the brickwork. A roofer who says "we will see what we find" on every junction has not priced them. If lead matters to you, our guide to how long lead flashing lasts shows what a properly done detail looks like.
What about ventilation and insulation? A new covering over a loft that cannot breathe invites condensation. Ask whether eaves and ridge ventilation are included and whether the loft insulation is being touched. If the roof is to become a loft room later, ask whether the work leaves that option open.
Questions about the survey and the findings
A roofer's survey is the evidence behind everything else, so ask how it was done. Did someone go on the roof, or look from the ground with binoculars? Was the loft checked? Are there photographs of the defects, with the location marked, that you can keep? If the report says the roof needs replacing, ask which tests led to that: tile condition, nail sickness, soft timber, failed underlay. If it says repair, ask what remains of the roof's life afterwards. We set out the tests ourselves in our checklist of signs your roof needs attention, and you can use the list to check whether a surveyor looked at the right things.
It also helps to ask what the roofer would not do. A firm that tells you a job is outside what it does, or that a chimney needs a separate specialist, is showing sense. One that says yes to everything may be stretching.
On site: access, safety and the neighbours
What scaffold will be used? Roof work at height should be done from proper edge protection. Ask whether scaffold is in the price and what it covers. A roofer working off a ladder on a full re-roof is a red flag.
How will you protect my property? Ask about sheeting, a skip position, protection for the garden and conservatory, and what happens with the driveway. Ask how neighbours will be told, since scaffold may affect their access and a shared party wall may be involved. Our answer on party walls and roof work explains when this matters.
What happens if it rains? Any roofer will have a plan for the weather, because an open roof must be made watertight at the end of each day. Ask how the roof will be protected overnight and how delays will be handled. Our answer on roofers working in the rain sets out what is reasonable.
Timing and finish
Ask for a start date and an expected duration, with a plain statement that weather can move them. A roofer who promises a very precise date months ahead is overpromising. Ask what the final stage looks like: a walk round, photographs of finished work, removal of scaffold and a clear garden. Ask where the old materials will go.
Red flags worth noticing
- A knock on the door offering to fix a "loose tile" you did not know about.
- Pressure to decide today for a special price.
- A quote on a scrap of paper with no breakdown and no business name.
- A large cash deposit for materials the firm could buy on account.
- A refusal to give a written guarantee or to show photographs of the problem.
- Vague answers about who will do the work or who pays if something is damaged.
The questions we expect you to ask us
We would rather you asked. Our survey includes photographs of your own roof, the price you receive afterwards is a fixed figure on paper, and we say plainly when a repair will do. The workmanship guarantee runs for 10 years and is set out on paper, and where work is notifiable we handle the Building Regulations side. When we finish, the site is left clear and the waste goes with us. To compare us against anyone else, line the quotes up side by side and ask each firm the questions on this page.
To start, ring 01256 213956 or send a WhatsApp, or return to the home page to see the full range of roofing we do around Basingstoke.
