What Roofers Actually Charge: UK Day Rates and Job Prices

‍‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‍# Roofing – what to charge in 2026 (UK)

Roofing money looks big on paper, but the risk, weather and cashflow can chew it up fast. You need strong day rates, clear job prices, and tight control of who owes you what.

1. Day rates – roofing in 2026

Labour‑only, pre‑VAT, for small roofing outfits and self‑employed roofers.

There's less neat data than for plumbers/electricians, but roof repair and new‑roof cost guides plus general trade‑rate guides point to:

Newly qualified / first year self‑employed

• London & South East: £180–£220/day
• Midlands: £160–£200/day
• North of England: £150–£190/day
• Scotland / Wales / rural: £140–£190/day

Experienced roofer (3–5 years on own)

• London & South East: £240–£320/day
• Midlands: £200–£260/day
• North of England: £190–£250/day
• Scotland / Wales / rural: £180–£240/day

Highly experienced / specialist (lead, complex roofs, flat systems)

• London & South East: £280–£380+/day
• Midlands: £230–£320/day
• North of England: £220–£300/day
• Scotland / Wales / rural: £210–£280/day

These sit in the same bracket as builder/roofer day rates you see in 2026 cost guides (most around the mid‑£200s to low‑£300s).

2. Common roofing jobs and 2026 prices

Ballpark labour + standard materials prices homeowners are seeing now.

Minor roof repair (a few tiles, small flashing repair)

• Typical price: £200–£500 for most small repairs (guides show a wider £200–£1,500 range depending on roof type and damage).
• Includes: Replace slipped/broken tiles, small flashing patch, basic making good. Scaff/tower only if very small/low.
• Price goes up if: High roofs, awkward access, need for full scaffold, rotten timbers discovered.

Flat roof repair (felt, small area)

• Typical price: £400–£1,200 for a partial flat roof refurb.
• Includes: Stripping affected area, new felt/EPDM on a section, basic upstands.
• Price goes up if: Full overlay needed, insulation upgrades, tricky detailing.

Full flat roof replacement (single garage‑size)

• Typical price: £800–£2,500 depending on size and system.
• Includes: Strip (if needed), new deck (if needed), new felt/EPDM/GRP, trims, outlets.
• Price goes up if: Warm roof build‑up, insulation, complex edges, poor access.

New pitched roof – small terrace

• Typical price: £3,000–£6,000 for a small 2‑bed terrace (wider guides show £3,000–£12,000 for full roof replacement).
• Includes: Strip old tiles, check/replace battens and felt, refix or supply new tiles, ridge, basic leadwork.
• Price goes up if: Structural issues, chimney rebuilds, complex valleys, heritage tiles.

New pitched roof – semi / small detached

• Typical price: £5,000–£10,000+ for a 3‑bed semi; larger detached roofs push £8,000–£12,000+.
• Includes: As above, plus more area, more details, often more scaffolding.
• Price goes up if: Extra dormers, hips and valleys, multiple elevations, access issues.

Leadwork to chimney (flashings and soakers)

• Typical price: £400–£900 labour + lead, depending on size and access.
• Includes: Removing old flashings, new code 4/5 lead, dressing, fixing, pointing.
• Price goes up if: Scaffolds, big chimneys, multiple flues, very high roofs.

Gutter and fascia replacement (front of house)

• Typical price: £400–£800 for front elevation only, depending on length and materials.
• Includes: Remove old, fit new PVC fascia/soffit/gutters, basic make‑good.
• Price goes up if: Timber repairs, full house, scaffold required, cast‑iron replacement.

These sit roughly where 2025–26 roof‑repair and new‑roof cost guides are pointing for UK domestic work.

3. What roofers actually earn (2026)

The pattern is similar to other trades:

• Employee roofer pay is typically in the high‑£20,000s to mid‑£30,000s, depending on region and experience (ONS "construction and building trades" medians).
• Self‑employed roofers on £240–£320/day and staying busy can turn over £45,000–£60,000+ per year before tax.
• After van, fuel, insurance, harnesses/edge protection, bad weather days, and under‑priced jobs, take‑home can easily drop into the £25,000–£40,000 band unless you're disciplined on:
  • Day rates
  • Deposits and stage payments
  • Weather/cancellation terms.

4. What's usually NOT included in roofing quotes

These are the ones that cause rows:

Structural timber repairs beyond allowance Rotten rafters, wall plates, purlins – often priced as extras once exposed.

Full scaffolding if scope changes Extra lifts, extended hire, additional elevations – separate to the base roof price.

Internal making good Plastering/painting ceilings damaged by leaks, redecorating, loft boarding – usually separate trades.

Asbestos removal Old asbestos cement sheets or tiles need licensed handling – normally extra and through specialist firms.

Upgrades to meet current regs Extra insulation, ventilation, roof window replacements – can be extras if not in the original spec.

5. How roofers charge – day rate vs fixed price vs price work

Domestic roofing

Most domestic work is fixed price:

• Roof repairs
• Flat roof replacements
• Full reroofs
• Fascia/soffit/gutter jobs

Behind the scenes, roofers use day rates and per‑m² or per‑m runs to build that number.

Day or hourly work shows up when:

• You're doing investigative work ("find the leak on this complicated roof").
• You're on small repairs for landlords/agents where scope is fuzzy.

Site and commercial roofing

New‑build and commercial roofs are often price work:

• £X per m² of tiling
• £X per m² of flat roofing
• £X per metre of gutters/flashing.

Day rates used for snagging, remedials, patching and small jobs where measuring everything isn't worth it.

Domestic roofing = mostly fixed price; site roofing = lots of price‑work, with day rates for the odd bits.

6. Materials and markup – roofing (2026)

Roofing materials are heavy and risky; your margin needs to reflect that.

• For standard tiles, felt, battens, fixings, gutters, many small roofers add 10–20% on top of merchant cost to cover ordering, storage, breakages and waste.
• On specialist products (GRP systems, high‑end tiles, lead, roof windows), markups closer to 15–25% are common, especially when you're responsible for warranties and handling.
• With a decent merchant account you're usually buying below the public price, especially on bulk orders; that's part of your margin in 2026.

Clean way to tell customers:

"There's a small margin on materials to cover ordering, storage and waste. You still benefit from my trade prices and bulk buying – it's usually dearer if you try to buy roof materials bit‑by‑bit yourself."

What to do next

• Read: 14.2 – How to price your first job without underselling yourself
• Read: 14.9 – How to price extras and variations without losing the customer (vital for timber rot)
• Read: 14.10 – Cashflow and pricing – why a profitable job can still break you (weather + scaffolding + late payers)
• Read: 14.1 – Day rate vs price work vs quoted
• Download: Payment schedule and deposit terms template
• Use: Late Payment Calculator – to see how long payment chains and bad‑weather downtime are hitting your real hourly rate

Sources (UK, 2026‑relevant)

• ONS – Employee earnings in the UK (ASHE) – construction and building trades, including roofers.
• Checkatrade – roof repair and new roof cost guides 2025–26.
• NearbyTraders – "How Much Does a New Roof Cost UK 2026?" – full replacement price ranges.
• Roofing cost breakdown guides – flat roof, pitched roof and repair price benchmarks.
• Contractor markup guides – typical materials margin ranges for small construction businesses.

How this site is funded →

Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email us at hello@kilnguides.co.uk.

In crisis? Samaritans 116 123 · Mental health support

How this site is funded →