The short answer
To compare re-roof quotes fairly, check that each covers the same work: the named covering, underlay, battens, fixings, ridge and verge method, leadwork, scaffold, waste and the guarantee. Where one quote is silent, ask whether the item is included. MyBuilder's 2026 guide gives typical full re-roofs as £5,000 to £12,000, so a figure far outside that range needs explaining.
Start with what is being fitted
A quote that says only "new tiles" leaves you comparing a name against a guess. Look for the covering to be named: the make, the type, the colour, and the size. A stone roof priced as stone, and a slate roof as slate, is the like-for-like test, so a slate quote should name the slate and say whether it is natural or fibre cement. Natural and imitation products can look similar from the pavement and differ greatly in price and life.
If the covering is different from what is on the roof now, the quote should say so and say what that does to weight. A covering that is 15% heavier or more needs Building Regulations approval and a structural check, so a firm quoting for a heavier product should mention it. For help choosing between them, see our guide on tile, slate or stone. Without a named product, you cannot judge whether a price is low because the firm is efficient or because the material is thin. It also helps to ask for the data sheet, since it records the minimum pitch and fixing rules the product needs to perform as stated.
The layers under the covering
Next, check underlay and battens. Is the underlay new, and which type? Are the battens new, treated and the right size for the covering? These items are easy to drop from a cheap quote, because the homeowner never sees them again. We explain what each does in our answer on new battens and underlay.
Also ask what happens if the timbers underneath turn out to be rotten once the roof is open. A good quote sets out an allowance or a rate for timber repair, so a surprise does not turn into an argument. A quote that says nothing leaves the risk with you. Our guide to whether your roof timbers will need replacing describes how this is usually priced.
Ridge, hips, verges and leadwork
The edges and junctions are where a roof is most likely to leak, and where quotes differ most. Under BS 5534 (2014 revision), ridge, hip and verge tiles are held by mechanical fixing as well as bedding, as mortar alone is not relied on. So the quote should say how the ridge is fixed: a bedded ridge with extra fixings, or dry-fix. MyBuilder's 2026 dry ridge guide puts dry ridge at about £40 to £60 per metre.
Leadwork is the other area to read carefully. Flashings round chimneys, valleys and abutments should say which lead code is used. Leadworx describes Code 4 as the standard choice for general flashing, while heavier codes such as 5 are used where the lead has more to do. A quote with "lead flashings included" and nothing more could mean thin sheet. Ask for the code, because it affects how long the lead lasts. Ask too whether valleys and chimney flashings are new or only patched, since the two are priced very differently and fail in very different ways.
Scaffold, waste, VAT and the guarantee
Then the costs that sit around the roof. Scaffold for a full re-roof is about £1,125 on MyBuilder's 2026 figures, and £700 to £1,300 in the Checkatrade cost guide, so a quote with no mention of scaffold has either left it out or plans something unsafe. Waste disposal runs around £100 to £1,000 within a full re-roof. Our answer on who removes the old roof shows what to ask. Check that VAT is stated clearly, and that any insulation is described properly.
Finally, the guarantee. Ask for it in writing, ask what it covers, and ask whether it is backed by insurance, since a promise from a firm and a policy from an insurer are not the same thing. Our guarantee is a 10-year workmanship guarantee in writing; it is not insurance-backed. Be clear which you are being offered by each firm.
Putting quotes side by side
| Item to compare | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Covering | Make, type, colour and size named |
| Underlay and battens | New, with the type stated |
| Ridge and verges | Fixing method stated |
| Leadwork | Lead code named |
| Scaffold and waste | Named in the quote |
| Guarantee | In writing, with what it covers |
A simple method works. Draw up a grid with the items down the side and one column per firm. Tick what each quote names, write the total price beside each quote where it is given, and mark the blanks. A blank is a question, not a saving. When the grid is done, the differences between the quotes usually reduce to two or three things, and those are the ones to talk about.
Compare the typical figures too. MyBuilder's 2026 guide has a full re-roof at £5,000 to £12,000, with gable roofs at £5,000 to £8,000 and hipped at £8,000 to £12,000. A price well below that deserves a question about what is missing, and one well above deserves a question about why. See what a new roof costs for the range in more detail.
Ours is written once the survey and photographs of your roof are done, so it drops straight into a grid like this. Our note on whether a new roof saves energy adds one more line to consider, and roof replacement covers the rest.