Roofing is one of the most in-demand trades in the UK. Every building has a roof, every roof eventually needs work, and there aren't enough qualified roofers to meet demand.
The barrier to entry is lower than electrical or gas work — no legal registration requirement. But the barrier to success is high: roofing is physically demanding, weather-dependent, and the liability on every job is significant. A leaking roof that damages a customer's ceiling is an insurance claim, not a callback.
This guide covers everything you need to start a roofing business that lasts.
Step 1: Qualifications
Unlike electrical or gas work, there's no legal requirement to hold specific qualifications to work as a roofer in the UK. Anyone can call themselves a roofer.
That said, qualifications build trust, win contracts, and reduce your insurance premiums.
Recommended qualifications
| Qualification | What it covers | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NVQ Level 2 in Roofing | Slating, tiling, waterproofing | 1-2 years |
| NVQ Level 3 in Roofing | Complex roof structures, lead work | 1-2 years |
| Blue CSCS Card | Site competence (required on commercial sites) | Via NVQ + CITB test |
| IPAF / PASMA | Powered access / scaffold tower safety | 1-2 days each |
| Asbestos Awareness | Required when working on pre-2000 buildings | 1 day |
| First Aid at Work | HSE requirement if employing others | 3 days |
Trade body memberships
| Body | What it gives you | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) | Industry recognition, technical support, logo usage | £300-600/yr |
| CompetentRoofer | Self-certify Building Regulations compliance | £300-500/yr |
| TrustMark | Government-endorsed quality scheme | Via NFRC or direct |
| Checkatrade / MyBuilder | Customer-facing review platforms | £50-120/mo |
CompetentRoofer is the most important for domestic work. It lets you self-certify that your work complies with Building Regulations without involving Building Control — saving your customers £200-400 per job.
Step 2: Business structure
Start as a sole trader. Register with HMRC for Self Assessment. When profits consistently exceed £40-50K, talk to an accountant about incorporating as a limited company.
MTD from April 2026
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Step 3: Insurance
Roofing carries higher risk than most trades. Working at height, handling heavy materials, exposure to weather — your premiums reflect this.
| Insurance | What it covers | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Public liability (£5-10M) | Damage, injury to third parties | £400-800/yr |
| Employers' liability | Required by law if you employ anyone | £200-400/yr |
| Professional indemnity | Claims from faulty advice or design | £150-300/yr |
| Tools cover | Theft of tools and equipment | £100-300/yr |
| Van insurance (business) | Commercial vehicle cover | £1,000-2,000/yr |
| Scaffold/access equipment | If you own your own scaffold | £200-500/yr |
Total: £2,000-4,300/yr. Higher than most trades because of the height risk.
Get £5M public liability minimum. Commercial clients and property developers require it. Some specify £10M for larger projects.
Step 4: Equipment and van
Van
Long-wheelbase Transit, Sprinter, or Vivaro. You need internal height for carrying materials and a roof rack rated for slate/tile loads. Budget £15,000-25,000 for a good used van fitted out.
Roof rack: A proper heavy-duty rack (Rhino, Hubb) rated for roofing materials. Don't use a light-duty rack — a pack of tiles weighs 500kg+.
Essential tools
- Slate ripper, lead dresser, bossing tools
- Battery nail gun (Paslode or DeWalt)
- SDS drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw
- Lead welding equipment (for flat roofing)
- Fall arrest harness and lanyard
- Scaffold fittings (if you erect your own)
- Ladders (triple extension, cat ladder)
- Tarpaulins and temporary weather protection
Budget £3,000-6,000 if starting from scratch.
Scaffold
You have two options:
- Subcontract scaffold — most roofers do this. A scaffolder erects and strikes. Cost: £500-2,000 per domestic job depending on size.
- Own your scaffold — higher upfront cost (£5,000-15,000) but saves money long-term if you do volume work.
Step 5: Pricing
Day rate calculation
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Target income | £45,000 |
| Tax, NI, pension | +£14,000 |
| Van costs | +£7,000 |
| Tools and equipment | +£3,000 |
| Insurance (all types) | +£3,000 |
| Software, phone, accounting | +£3,000 |
| Scaffold costs (subcontracted) | +£8,000 |
| Total to bill | £83,000 |
| Billable days (44 weeks x 5, minus weather/admin) | 200 days |
| Required day rate | £415/day |
Roofing day rates are higher than many trades because of the physical risk, weather dependency, and seasonal nature of the work.
Common job pricing (2026 UK)
| Job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Tile/slate repair (few tiles) | £150-400 |
| Ridge tile repointing | £400-800 |
| Flat roof replacement (garage) | £1,000-2,500 |
| Full re-roof (3-bed semi, tiles) | £5,000-9,000 |
| Full re-roof (3-bed semi, slate) | £8,000-14,000 |
| Lead flashing replacement | £300-800 |
| Chimney repointing | £500-1,200 |
| Fascia and soffit replacement | £1,500-3,000 |
| Commercial flat roof (100m²) | £8,000-15,000 |
Weather dependency: Build 15-20% weather contingency into your annual forecast. You will lose days to rain, wind, and frost. Don't price as if you'll work every scheduled day.
Free Markup Calculator
Calculate your markup and margin on any roofing job
Step 6: Finding work
Immediate channels
- Your network — builders, property developers, estate agents, insurance companies
- Checkatrade / MyBuilder — pay-per-lead, generates work immediately
- Google Business Profile — set up with photos of completed roofs. Before/after shots are powerful.
- Emergency repairs — register with home emergency insurers. Storm damage callouts are high-margin.
Medium-term channels
- Builders and developers — one good builder relationship can keep a roofing firm busy year-round
- Insurance companies — storm damage, leak repairs. Consistent volume.
- Lettings agents — rental property roof maintenance. Recurring revenue.
- Local authority frameworks — council housing maintenance contracts. Volume and predictability.
Long-term
- Website with project gallery — before/after photos of completed roofs sell better than any ad copy
- Commercial tenders — schools, offices, industrial buildings. Higher value, longer projects.
Step 7: Business systems
Roofing has unique scheduling challenges:
- Weather dependency — jobs get moved constantly. You need flexible scheduling that lets you drag jobs to different days without calling everyone.
- Multi-day projects — a re-roof takes 3-5 days. Your scheduling needs to block out the full duration.
- Scaffold coordination — scaffold goes up before you arrive, comes down after you leave. That's a dependency your schedule needs to show.
- Photo evidence — before/after photos on every job. Protection against complaints and insurance claims.
Set up proper job management from day one. Not next year. Not when you're "bigger." Day one.
Year-one costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Van (used, fitted out with rack) | £18,000-28,000 |
| Tools and equipment | £3,000-6,000 |
| Insurance (all types) | £2,000-4,300 |
| Scaffold (first few jobs, subcontracted) | £2,000-5,000 |
| Trade body memberships | £400-800 |
| Accounting (software + accountant) | £1,000-2,000 |
| Job management software | £2,148/yr (Muster Starter) |
| Marketing (Checkatrade, signage, website) | £1,000-3,000 |
| Total | £30,000-51,000 |
Roofing has higher startup costs than indoor trades because of insurance, scaffold, and heavy-duty equipment requirements. But the job values are correspondingly higher.
The bottom line
Starting a roofing business doesn't require formal qualifications, but it requires serious capital, proper insurance, and the physical ability to work at height in all weather.
The roofers who build successful businesses:
- Join CompetentRoofer — self-certification is a competitive advantage
- Build a project gallery — before/after photos are your best marketing asset
- Price for weather — 200 billable days, not 250
- Get digital from day one — scheduling, invoicing, photo evidence, GPS
- Build relationships with builders — one good builder is worth 50 Checkatrade leads
Run your roofing business from one platform
Scheduling, quoting, invoicing with payment links, GPS fleet tracking, photo evidence, and RAMS — all flat-rate.
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