Three quotes for the same roof can differ by thousands of pounds, and the cheapest is rarely the one that does the most. The reason is that a roof quote is a description of work, and the description is often thinner than people assume. One roofer may be pricing a full strip, new battens, a breathable underlay, fresh lead and mechanically fixed ridge tiles. Another may be pricing a new covering on the old timber with the existing flashings left in place. Both are called a re-roof. This guide shows how to lay your quotes out in columns and compare them item by item: the scope, the materials, the hidden details, the exclusions and the way each roofer handles things they cannot see yet. It will not tell you who to pick. It will tell you what to ask, so that whichever you choose, you know what you are buying.
Start with scope, not the total
Before the numbers, read what each quote actually covers. A scope of works should say which roof slopes are included, whether the existing covering is stripped or overlaid, what is renewed beneath it, and which details are in. If a quote simply says "supply and fit new roof" with a single figure, it leaves too much open.
The first question to settle is the extent of the job. A full re-roof covers every slope. A partial job might cover only the front, or the main roof without the extension, or the roof without the chimney. If one quote includes the rear slope and another does not, the lower price is for less roof. The same goes for outbuildings, porches and bay roofs, which are often added or left out without comment.
Then look at the sequence of work. Does the quote take everything off down to the rafters so the timbers can be inspected, or lay new material over the old? Our page on strip and re-cover explains the difference and why it matters. A strip allows the structure to be seen and put right, while an overlay does not.
It helps to build a simple grid. Down the side, list the parts of the job: covering, underlay, battens, ridge and hips, verges, valleys, flashings, gutters, fascias, scaffold, waste, timber repairs and Building Regulations. Across the top, put each roofer. Then tick what is stated, mark what is vague and leave blanks where nothing is said. The blanks are where the questions are. For the service as a whole, go to roof replacement.
The covering: what is being laid and from where
The covering is the most visible line and the easiest to mis-describe. A good quote names the product. For slate it gives the type and origin, such as Welsh or Spanish, the size and the grade. For tiles it gives the manufacturer, the range, the colour and the profile. For stone it says whether the tiles are reclaimed or new. "Natural slate" on its own can mean very different qualities, and "concrete tile" covers many different products.
Matching matters on an older house. If your roof is natural slate, a quote that proposes concrete tiles is not the same job, and may be a change that B&NES expects to hear about when the property carries a listing or stands in the conservation area. If it is clay or stone, the same logic applies. A roof renewed in its original material keeps its appearance and its weight. Where a new covering makes the roof 15 per cent heavier or more, approval is required according to the Planning Portal, so ask how heavy the proposed product is.
Price ranges give a rough check. As a rough check, MyBuilder (2026) shows a typical UK band of £5,000 up to £12,000 for a replacement roof, with labour running at £50 to £130 per square metre. A quote far below the range should prompt a question about what is missing. One far above it should prompt a question about what is included. These are national typical ranges and not what any one roofer will charge, and your own fixed price comes after the survey.
Ask also whether the old material is reused. On a period house, careful reuse of sound slates is good practice, but it needs to be written into the quote. See our page on reusing old roof tiles for how that works.
Underlay, battens and the layers nobody sees
The layers beneath the covering are where a low quote often hides a saving. Once the covering is on they are out of sight for a very long time, so the specification matters.
Underlay
Underlay is the sheet that sits between rafters and battens as a second line of defence against driven rain and condensation. A quote should say which type it is. Breathable membranes let moist air out of the roof space, and are the usual choice for a roof that must stay ventilated. Our guide to re-roof materials sets out the options.
Battens
Battens are the small timbers that carry the slates or tiles. They should be new, treated and sized to suit the covering and the rafter spacing. Check that the quote says the battens are renewed. Reusing old battens saves money and reduces the life of the new roof, because the nail holes and any decay are still in them.
Fixings
Look for the fixings too. Nails or hooks for slate, clips for tiles, and a mechanical fixing at ridge, hip and verge. Under BS 5534:2014, bedding mortar is no longer trusted to hold those pieces on its own. A quote that mentions a dry-fix ridge system is describing exactly that sort of fixing, and BS 8612:2018 is their test specification. MyBuilder's 2026 dry ridge guide puts a dry ridge at a typical £40 to £60 per linear metre.
None of these items is exciting, but each one is a place where two quotes for the same roof can quietly differ. If a roofer is happy to list them, that tells you something. If the quote is a single paragraph, ask for more detail.
Lead, valleys, chimneys and the details
Water gets into a roof at the joints, not on the open slope. That makes flashings, valleys, abutments and chimney surrounds the parts of a quote worth reading twice.
Flashing means lead or similar metal dressed across the joint at a wall or a chimney. Soakers are the little lead squares that interleave with the courses along that edge. A valley is the internal angle between two slopes, often lined with lead. Each should be listed, with the material named. On an older house, lead is the right material for these, and a quote that proposes mortar fillets or sealant in place of lead is cutting a corner. MyJobQuote (September 2026) reports a typical UK average near £570 for renewing the leadwork around a chimney, a figure that moves with scaffold. Your own price comes in writing after the survey.
The chimney itself is another boundary. Does the quote include repointing the stack, replacing flaunching, or rebuilding a leaning pot? If it says nothing, assume it is excluded. Doing the stack while the roof is open is usually cheaper than returning later, and our chimney guide explains why.
On a terrace, check the party walls, parapets and shared gutters. The roof on a Bath terrace often meets a neighbour's roof at a wall, and a quote should say how that junction is treated. Our guide to re-roofing a terraced house covers it.
Finally, check the roof edges. Fascias, soffits, bargeboards and guttering are easy to leave out or to include at an uncertain price. If you want them done now, say so, and see that every quote lists them or marks them as excluded.
Exclusions, provisional sums and what could change
Every quote leaves something out. The important thing is to know what. Read the small print for words such as "excluding", "subject to", "provisional" and "if required". They tell you where the final bill may move.
A provisional sum is an allowance for work that cannot be priced until the roof is opened. Rotten timbers are the common case. A decent quote tells you how much is allowed, how repairs will be priced if more is needed, and how you will be told. A weak one says "timber repairs extra" and leaves it there. Our page on replacing roof timbers explains what is typically found.
| Line on the quote | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Covering | Which product, size and origin, and is any old material reused? |
| Underlay and battens | Which membrane, and are the battens new? |
| Lead and flashings | Which parts are renewed, and which are left as they are? |
| Timber repairs | Is there an allowance, and how is extra work priced? |
| Scaffold and waste | Included, or added to the total later? |
Use the table as a prompt for your own grid. If a quote is silent on a row, ask. The answers can be short, and a roofer who has priced the job carefully will have them ready.
Some items may be listed at an extra cost, and that is fair so long as it is clear. MyBuilder (2026) names scaffold, at about £1,125, and tipping, at £100 to £1,000, as the usual extras on a typical UK job. If one quote includes them and another does not, the totals are not comparable until you have added them in.
Paperwork, payment, guarantee and how to decide
Once the work is comparable, look at the terms. Check how long the quote is valid, what deposit is asked for, when stage payments fall due, and what happens if the job changes. Be wary of a large payment up front, and be clear about what is paid on completion.
Then look at the guarantee. Ask for it in writing, and read what it covers, who stands behind it and for how long. A guarantee on workmanship covers the labour, which is separate from a manufacturer's warranty on the material. Be sure you know which one you are being offered. Our own guarantee covers workmanship for ten years and is set out in writing, and it is not backed by an insurer, so read the wording rather than relying on a summary.
Building Regulations are the next check. A full re-roof usually needs approval, and the quote should say who notifies building control and who pays. A roofer who says it is not needed on a whole roof should explain why. The thresholds are laid out in our Building Regulations guide, and the completion certificate you should receive at the end is covered on our certificate page.
Finally, think about how the roofer behaved. Did they go up and look? Did they explain what they saw, with photographs? Were their answers clear and did they stay consistent? A quote is the result of a conversation, and the quality of the conversation is a decent guide. If you are staying at home during the work, our notes on day-to-day life under a new roof help you ask about the practicalities as well. We survey for free, with photographs, and send a fixed price in writing.