What affects the cost of a roof repair?

The fault being repaired

Replacing one slipped tile and rebedding a long ridge are very different jobs. Common repairs include refixing or replacing tiles and slates, rebedding or replacing ridge and hip tiles, fitting a dry ridge, renewing flashing around a chimney or wall, clearing and repairing valleys, and patching splits on a flat roof.

The more of the roof a repair touches, and the more materials it needs, the more it is likely to cost. A clear description of what you have seen, with photographs if possible, helps a roofer understand the likely scope before visiting.

Access: ladder, tower or scaffold

Access is often a major part of a repair price. A low roof at the front of a house may be reachable from a ladder with a roof ladder. Higher roofs, steep pitches, chimney stacks and roofs above conservatories or extensions usually need a tower or scaffolding to work safely.

Because access can be costly, it is worth asking whether any other roof work could be done while it is in place, such as checking the chimney or clearing gutters.

Hidden damage

The visible problem is sometimes only part of the story. A leak that has been running for months may have rotted battens, soaked the underlay or damaged the top of a rafter. On a flat roof, water often spreads under the covering before it shows inside, so the area that needs work can be larger than the stain suggests.

A good quotation explains what has been allowed for and how any further damage found during the repair would be dealt with.

Matching tiles and slates

Repairs look best when the new tiles match the old. Some older tiles are no longer made, so reclaimed tiles or the closest modern equivalent may be needed. Natural slate also varies in size and thickness. Sourcing a good match can take time and affects the price.

Flat roof repair costs

On a flat roof, the main factors are the type of covering, the size of the defect, whether the deck below is still sound and whether the leak is at an edge, upstand or outlet. A small split on a firm deck is a modest repair; a leak caused by a sagging, rotten deck is not something a patch can fix.

When repair stops making sense

A repair is the right choice for a localised fault. It is worth weighing up replacement if:

• leaks keep returning in different parts of the roof
• many tiles are slipping because the fixings or battens have failed
• the underlay has perished across large areas
• a flat roof is cracked or blistered across most of its surface
• the cost of repeated repairs is approaching that of a new roof

Getting an accurate repair price

Tell the roofer when the leak appears, for example only in heavy or wind-driven rain, and where you see the water inside. Photographs from the ground or from a window are helpful. Avoid climbing onto the roof yourself.

Rayner’s Roofing carries out roof repairs across Staines, Surrey and West London. We look for the source of the problem, explain whether a repair is the sensible option and provide a written quotation before starting.

Frequently asked questions