Repair a roof when the damage is confined to one area and the rest of the covering and structure is sound. Replace it when faults are spread across the roof or keep returning. No single measurement settles the question, so the decision should rest on a proper inspection, the condition of the whole roof and the rules that apply to the work.
Start with a safe inspection
A sound decision depends on seeing the whole roof, and that access carries its own risk. The Health and Safety Executive explains that the law requires employers and self-employed contractors to assess the risk from work at height and to organise the job so it can be carried out safely. The law requires that employers and self-employed contractors assess the risk from work at height and go on to organise and plan the work so it is carried out safely. The HSE's hierarchy of controls asks for work at height to be avoided unless it is essential, and only moves to the next control when the one above is not reasonably practicable. Ask any firm how it intends to inspect the roof and what access it will need.
Before the inspection, record what you already know:
- Where the damage shows, both inside the building and on the outside of the roof
- Whether the faults sit on one slope or appear across several
- The age and type of the covering, and any repairs carried out in the past
- The condition of flashings, gutters and any roof timbers you can see
Who is responsible for the work
The answer depends on who owns and controls the building. If you rent, Citizens Advice says your landlord is responsible for most major repairs, including the structure of the property, such as the roof. Your tenancy agreement cannot move that responsibility onto you. The duty is usually triggered once the landlord knows about the fault, so report problems in writing and keep a copy.
When building regulations apply
Ask the firm at the quote stage whether the job needs building control approval, and who will handle the application.
What drives the cost, and a decision checklist
Cost follows the scope of the job, not a standard rate, so no figure should be treated as a quote. The main drivers are:
- The area affected and the number of slopes involved
- Access, such as scaffolding or mobile elevating work platforms, which the HSE lists among the means of preventing falls when working at height
- Any structural timber repair found once the covering is removed
- Whether building control approval applies, and any insulation or weight changes that follow
- How many times the same fault has been repaired, which affects how long another patch is likely to last
Confirm every figure with the company in writing before you agree to the work. Use this checklist when comparing options:
- Is the damage in one place, or across several slopes?
- Has the same fault been repaired more than once?
- Will the work trigger building control approval?
- Do you own the roof, or does a landlord or freeholder have to carry out the repair?
- Does each written quote state the scope of work, the access method and the inspection plan?
Start with trade services on GetBrent, or look at trade services in Birmingham if you are based there, and compare written quotes before you commit.
