Our published guide prices are from £150–£400 for a minor repair, £300–£900 for chimney repointing or flashing, £80–£120 per m² for a flat roof, £5,000–£9,000 for a full re-roof on a typical semi and £9,000–£12,000 or more on a larger or detached property, scaffolding included.
- You are buying underlay, battens, flashings and fixings. The tiles are often the cheapest major part.
- Scaffold is a substantial line item. A quote that excludes it is not comparable to one that includes it.
- Timber repair cannot be fully known until the covering is off — it should be a stated rate, not a surprise.
- Doing the roofline and chimney in the same scaffold period is the biggest saving available.
Our published guide prices
These are the figures we publish across this site. They are planning ranges, not a quotation — every roof is inspected before it is priced.
| Job | Typical Coventry guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minor roof repair | from £150–£400 | Slipped or broken tiles, usually one day |
| Chimney repointing / flashing | £300–£900 | Access dependent |
| Flat roof (EPDM / GRP) | £80–£120 per m² | Warm or cold deck |
| Full re-roof (typical semi) | £5,000–£9,000 | Strip, membrane, batten, re-tile |
| Larger / detached re-roof | £9,000–£12,000+ | Scaffolding included |
Where a property sits in those ranges depends on size, pitch, access, the covering specified and what the structure turns out to need once it is open.
What the money actually buys
The most common misunderstanding about re-roofing is that you are buying tiles. On many roofs the covering is among the cheaper major components, and a good proportion of it may be salvaged and relaid.
What you are really paying for is everything that determines how long the roof lasts:
- Scaffold — designed, delivered, erected, stood for the duration, removed.
- Stripping and disposal of the old covering, battens and underlay, which is several tonnes of waste.
- Structural inspection and repair — rafters, purlins and wall plates, visible properly for the first time in decades.
- New breathable underlay with eaves protection carrying it into the gutter.
- New treated battens, gauged to the covering.
- The fixing specification, calculated for the building's exposure as the standard requires.
- New flashings at every abutment, and valley linings where needed.
- A mechanically fixed, ventilated ridge.
- Labour, which is the largest single element on most jobs.
The five things that move a quote
| Factor | Effect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Access and scaffold | Large | Boundaries, conservatories, footpaths and height all change the design |
| Roof area and pitch | Large | Steeper roofs have more area than the footprint suggests |
| Covering specified | Moderate to large | Clay above concrete; plain tiles need three to four times as many as interlocking |
| Structural repair | Variable | Unknown until the covering is off; should be a stated rate |
| Complexity | Moderate | Valleys, hips, dormers and chimneys each add detailing |
Pitch catches people out. A steeply pitched roof has considerably more surface area than its footprint, so two houses with the same floor plan can have very different roof areas.
Why quotes differ so much
Roofing quotes vary more than almost any other trade, and the variation is nearly always scope rather than margin.
A cheaper quote is usually cheaper because it excludes scaffold, re-covers over the existing battens rather than replacing them, re-beds the ridge in mortar alone, says "make good flashings" instead of renewing them, or leaves timber repair unpriced.
None of those are savings. Re-covering over old battens means the new tiles are fixed to timber that may be at the end of its life. Mortar-only ridges no longer meet the standard for new work and will need re-bedding again. Unpriced timber repair becomes a variation once you are committed.
If one quote is dramatically lower, take its scope to the other contractors and ask what they would have to leave out to match it. The answers are specific and usually settle the question.
Where you can genuinely save
- Bundle everything into one scaffold period. Roofline, gutters, chimney and any rendering. This is the biggest saving available by a distance.
- Salvage and relay where the covering is sound, topping up with reclaimed or new. Common with natural slate and good clay tiles.
- Use salvaged tiles on the front, new at the back where an exact match is not obtainable.
- Go out of season. Winter surveys mean spring dates booked before the rush.
- Consider one elevation now. Slopes weather differently, and the weather-facing side often needs doing years before the other.
- Deal with gutters first if they are soaking a wall — cheap, and it stops consequential damage while you plan the bigger job.
What should be in the quote
Scaffold, with expected standing time. Stripping and disposal. The underlay by name. New battens, with the size. The covering, and whether salvaged or new. The fixing specification. Flashings — renewed, not "made good". Ridge, stated as mechanically fixed. Ventilation. A rate for timber repair found once the roof is open. The programme, and what happens if weather intervenes.
Also worth having in writing: who is responsible for the gutters during the work, what protection is provided to the garden and any conservatory, and what the workmanship guarantee covers alongside the manufacturer warranty on the covering and membrane.
Insurance and funding
Buildings insurance generally covers sudden damage from an insured event such as a storm, and generally excludes wear, weathering and gradual deterioration — which is what most roof replacement is. A re-roof needed because the nails have corroded over fifty years is maintenance, not a claim.
Where storm damage is genuinely involved, photograph everything before work starts, keep itemised quotes, and expect the insurer to check recorded weather for the date claimed.
We would be cautious about any contractor who offers to handle a claim on your behalf in exchange for the work, particularly after cold-calling. That arrangement has a poor history.
We inspect inside and out, specify the underlay, battens and fixings in writing, and include scaffold in the price rather than beneath it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new roof cost on a semi?
Our published guide figure is £5,000–£9,000 for a full re-roof on a typical semi, with larger or detached properties at £9,000–£12,000 or more, scaffolding included. Where a specific property sits depends on area, pitch, access, the covering and what the structure needs once the old roof is off.
Does the quote include scaffolding?
Ours does, and it is stated rather than hidden. Be careful comparing a quote that includes it with one that does not — on a two-storey house it is a substantial figure. It is also the strongest argument for doing the roofline and chimney work during the same scaffold period.
Why is one roofing quote half the price of another?
Almost always scope. The cheaper quote typically excludes scaffold, re-covers over existing battens, re-beds the ridge in mortar alone, "makes good" flashings rather than renewing them, or leaves timber repair unpriced. Take its scope to the other contractors and ask what they would have to omit to match it.
Can I reuse my existing tiles?
Often, particularly with natural slate and good clay tiles. They are stripped, sorted, and the sound ones relaid with new or reclaimed material making up the shortfall. It reduces material cost and keeps the appearance consistent. Concrete tiles that are delaminating or heavily weathered are usually not worth salvaging.
Will my insurance pay for a new roof?
Generally only where the damage results from a sudden insured event such as a storm. Wear, weathering and gradual deterioration — which is what most re-roofing addresses — are normally excluded. If storm damage is involved, photograph everything before any work and keep itemised quotes.
How long will a new roof last?
Decades, and the covering is rarely the limiting factor. Natural slate can run 80 to 100 years, clay tiles commonly 60 or more, concrete 40 to 60. What determines whether you get that is the quality of the underlay, battens, fixings and flashings — which is exactly what a re-roof is really buying you.
Inspected first, then priced
We go into the loft, lift tiles to check the battens and put the underlay, fixings and scaffold in the quote so the figure holds. Free inspection, fixed written quote.