Roofing is bought on trust more than almost any other domestic work. You cannot see most of what you are paying for while it is happening, you cannot inspect it easily afterwards, and the failures take years to appear.
That is exactly why the questions you ask beforehand matter more here than in most trades. None of these are hostile, and no reasonable contractor will treat them as such. Ask all of them, of everyone quoting, and the answers will tell you as much as the prices do.
About the Survey
- Will you look in the loft? If not, ask why. The state of the underlay, the battens and the rafter ends is only visible from inside, and it determines the real scope.
- Will you get on the roof? Ground level and a drone both have their limits.
- What did you find, and can you show me? Photographs cost the contractor nothing.
- Does this roof actually need replacing? Worth asking directly. The answer, and how readily it comes, is informative.
About the Scope
This is where quotations diverge most, and where the cheapest usually turns out to be the shortest rather than the best value.
- Is the scaffolding included, and for how long?
- Are new battens included, or is the price based on re-using the existing?
- What underlay is specified, by name, and is it breathable?
- Is new lead included at chimneys, abutments and valleys, and at what code?
- Are ridge and verge being mechanically fixed or bedded in mortar?
- Is eaves and ridge ventilation included?
- How is the insulation reaching the required standard, and where is it going?
- Are fascias, soffits and guttering included, or quoted separately?
- What is specifically excluded?
The single most useful question: “what is your rate for replacing defective timber, and will you show me before you replace it?” Timber found during the strip is the commonest source of dispute on a re-roof, and agreeing the rate in advance removes it entirely.
About Compliance
- Who notifies building control? The answer should be either “we notify building control” or “we are registered with a competent person scheme and self-certify”. Both are proper routes.
- Is the fee inside the price?
- What certificate will I receive, and when? You will need it when you sell.
- Have you checked the conservation area position for this address? A like-for-like renewal raises no planning question anywhere, but a change of covering can — and Cheshire West and Chester Council answers that free.
About the Contractor
- Are you insured, and may I see the certificate?
- Is the work subcontracted? Not a problem in itself, but you should know who will be on your roof and who carries the guarantee.
- Can I see a roof you have done locally? Ideally one a few years old rather than one finished last week.
- Are you a member of a trade body or competent person scheme? Ask which, and check rather than taking it on trust — schemes publish registers.
About Money
- Is the quotation fixed, or an estimate that may move?
- What is the payment schedule, and what triggers each stage?
- How much is required up front, and what is it for?
- Is VAT included in the figure shown?
- How long does the quotation stand?
- What happens to the price if the work is delayed by weather?
A deposit towards materials is entirely normal on a job of this size. A large proportion of the total demanded before work starts is not, and payment thereafter should follow progress rather than the calendar.
Get the answers in writing. Not because you expect trouble, but because writing them down is what makes them answers rather than impressions.
About the Guarantee
- What exactly does it cover — workmanship, materials, or both?
- For how long?
- Is it insurance-backed, or does it rest on the contractor still trading?
- Is there a separate manufacturer warranty on the covering, and what conditions attach to it?
- Is it transferable if I sell the house?
- What would void it?
An insurance-backed guarantee is worth materially more than a contractor's own promise, because it survives the contractor. Manufacturer warranties frequently depend on the product having been installed to specification, which is another reason the fixing detail in the quotation matters.
The Answers Worth Worrying About
- A price given over the phone without seeing the roof
- Reluctance to look in the loft
- A quotation that is a single line and a total
- Pressure to decide quickly, or a discount that expires
- A large cash deposit requested up front
- Vagueness about who notifies building control
- No written guarantee, or one that will not be produced before you commit
- A programme dramatically shorter than everyone else's
None of these proves anything on its own. Several together generally do.
The Regulations, in Brief
Two separate systems. Planning: a like-for-like re-roof does not materially affect the external appearance of a building, so under section 55 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 it is not development at all and needs no permission. A visible change of covering can be a different matter, particularly inside a conservation area, where the test is applied more tightly.
Building regulations: where more than 50% of the roof's surface area is renewed, or the work forms part of a major renovation, regulation 23 of the Building Regulations 2010 requires the roof to be brought up to current thermal standards so far as that is technically, functionally and economically feasible — 0.16 W/(m²K) for a roof in an existing dwelling. A patch repair does not trigger it, and neither does a roof over unheated space such as a detached garage.
Cheshire West and Chester Council can confirm the conservation area and listing position for a specific address at no cost. The full local position is on our
Ellesmere Port page. If your property is in
Wales, see
Flint or
Deeside — the figures there are different.
Ask Us Any of These
We would rather answer a long list of questions before we start than a short one afterwards.
More New Roof Advice for Ellesmere Port
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