How to tell if a roofing quote is fair — a homeowner's checklist

Most homeowners aren’t roofing experts. That’s fair. But it puts you in a difficult position when you’re comparing quotes — sometimes two or three very different numbers for what looks like the same job.

Here’s a framework for working out which quote is fair, which is suspiciously cheap, and which is suspiciously expensive.

The starting principle

A roofing quote should tell you:

1. What work is being done (specific, not vague)
2. What materials are being used (brands and codes, not generic terms)
3. What the price includes (and what it doesn’t)
4. What the timeline is
5. What the guarantee covers

If a quote doesn’t have those things, it’s not really a quote — it’s a number.

What a fair quote looks like

A reasonable roofing quote should be specific about:

• The scope — strip, dispose, supply and install membrane, battens, tiles/slates, ridge, verge, valley, flashings, scaffolding. The list of items should match what you discussed.
• The materials — for slates: brand and source. For lead: code (4, 5, or 6). For membrane: brand and grade. For fixings: type. Vague terms like “good quality tiles” or “lead flashing” are red flags.
• The labour — usually implied but should be clear whether it’s included.
• The extras — waste removal (skip), scaffolding, any making-good to the inside if relevant.
• The guarantee — workmanship guarantee length, materials warranty.
• The timeline — start date, expected duration, weather contingency.

A quote that covers all of this is a real quote. A quote that’s just “Re-roof: £X,XXX” is incomplete.

What to ask every roofer

Same five questions, every time:

1. Are you VAT registered? Is the quote inclusive or exclusive of VAT?

Most roofers are not VAT registered (the threshold is £90,000 turnover). If they’re not, the quote is the final price. If they are, you pay the quoted amount + 20%. Get this clear upfront.

2. Is the price fixed, or an estimate?

“Estimate” means the price can change. “Fixed price” means it can’t (unless you change the scope). A fair quote is usually fixed.

3. What’s not included?

Every quote has scope. The question is what’s outside the scope. Common exclusions:

• Internal making-good (ceilings, walls affected by leaks)
• Chimney work beyond what’s specified
• Fascia and soffit replacement
• Gutter renewal
• Disposal of waste (sometimes quoted separately)
• Scaffolding for non-roof access (e.g. for other trades doing work alongside)

Get these in writing.

4. What happens if you find something unexpected once the roof’s stripped?

A roof covering hides what’s underneath. Sometimes the strip reveals rotten timber, failed felt, or structural issues. A fair quote says how this is handled — usually “we’ll show you, photograph it, and quote for the additional work separately.”

5. What’s the guarantee, in writing?

A 10-year workmanship guarantee is the standard for a re-roof. Materials carry their own manufacturer warranties. Verbal guarantees aren’t worth the paper they’re not written on.

The cheap quote

A quote significantly below the others is usually one of:

1. Missing scope — they’ve excluded something the others have included (the chimney, the leadwork, the scaffolding)
2. Cheaper materials — “lead flashing” actually means “acrylic flashing”, or “new slate” actually means “rejected slate” or “imported slate”
3. Less labour — fewer people, fewer days, no proper supervision
4. Cash only / no VAT — sometimes legitimate (genuinely under threshold), sometimes not (avoiding tax)
5. Limited or no guarantee — you get what you pay for, and after they leave, you’re on your own

A cheap quote isn’t necessarily a bad quote. But it needs much more scrutiny on what’s actually included.

The expensive quote

A quote significantly above the others is usually one of:

1. More scope — they’ve included everything you might need, including things you didn’t ask for
2. Better materials — top brand, code 5/6 lead where others are using code 4, premium membrane
3. Better labour — more experienced team, longer timeline, more attention to detail
4. A real guarantee — backed by an actual company that will still be around in 10 years
5. Higher overhead — bigger company, more staff, more insurance, properly trained

An expensive quote isn’t necessarily an unfair quote. It might be honest about what doing the job properly costs.

The questions worth asking about every quote

• Can I see a copy of your public liability insurance certificate? Should be £1m minimum, ideally £2m+. Never engage a roofer without insurance.
• Can I have references from recent similar work? A good roofer should be able to give you 2-3 names of customers they’ve done similar work for.
• Who’ll be on site day-to-day? Sometimes the person quoting is the office person, sometimes the person who’ll actually be on your roof. Worth clarifying.
• Are you NFRC member, NFRC CPS registered, or any other trade body? Not essential, but a good signal.

A practical comparison framework

If you’ve got three quotes:

1. Read all three carefully. Note what’s included and excluded in each.
2. Standardise them mentally. Add or subtract items so they’re comparing like-for-like.
3. The middle quote is often the right one. Not always, but often. The cheap and the expensive ones usually have a reason for their position.
4. Talk to all three roofers. The way they handle your questions tells you more than the quote itself.

If two are similar and one is wildly different, the different one is usually wrong (either too low or too high). If all three are different, ask each one why their quote is what it is.

What we’d do if you asked us to look

If you’ve got quotes and you want a second opinion, we’re happy to look at them with you. We’re not going to tell you who to use (it’s your money and your roof). But we’ll point out things that look off — missing scope, vague materials, unrealistic timelines.

A quote comparison usually takes 20 minutes on the phone. Get in touch if you’d like that.