Replacement Roof: A Look at Prices
Written by a roofer
Written by Daniel Woodley. Fact checked by Hannah Miller. Published to Prices. Updated: 6th March 2023.
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My name is Daniel and I spent 18 years working in the construction industry, including over a decade as a roofing contractor.
The purpose of this guide is to provide you with a guideline price for a new replacement tiled roof and to list all the options and extra costs you may need to consider.
Here I also take a look at scaffolding costs, the price of the materials, the labour and optional extras that could increase the price, such as guttering and chimney work etc.
The FAQs section also answers many common questions.
Note: Our price guide below is for new tiled roofs. Want to know how much a flat roof costs? Explore our detailed flat roof price guide where we reveal the going rate for fibreglass, rubber and traditional bitumen flat roof coverings. If you only need a repair, then our roof repair price guide is for you. Just want to improve the appearance of your roof? Consider roof coatings.
Cost to Replace a Roof on a 3-Bed Property
The best way to get an idea of how much a renovation or repair project is going to cost is to get lots of quotes and compare them.
Industry experts and consumer protection groups suggest gathering three quotes.
I went a little further and took photos and measurements of my roof and my neighbours roofs and emailed 37 firms from around the UK and asked them to estimate the cost.
I think you’ll find the average price displayed below insightful, but I’ve also provided a “works schedule” so you can see what’s included in the figures:
Typical Works Schedule
- Erect scaffold to the height of the roof edges. A specialist scaffold company will provide this.
- Remove the existing tiles and lower them to the ground.
- Remove the existing mortar (cement) from the roof ridge and side gables, lower to the ground.
- Strip off and remove the existing tiles, timber battens and felt underlay, lower to the ground.
- Inspect all roof rafters and replace any that are rotten (priced separately).
- Supply and lay new loft insulation to satisfy Building Regulations regarding thermal efficiency.
- Supply and fit new breathable roofing felt membrane.
- Supply and fit new roof timber battens.
- Supply new eaves ventilation to prevent loft condensation.
- Supply and fit new concrete tiles, secured in place with nails.
- Supply and fit new gable edge tiles, bedded onto cement mortar and also secured with a nail and clip.
- Supply and fit new concrete ridge tiles, bedded onto cement mortar and also secured with a clip.
- Remove the scaffold and dispose of all waste material.
Project Notes
The roofs I requested prices for were all of a similar size and all detached with four sides.
The roofs had an “up-and-over” design, with two gables, one at each end.
Access to the properties is trouble-free, and standard scaffolding can be erected.
I requested prices for standard interlocking concrete roof tiles, which are all of a similar price.
I asked for the roof to be installed to BS5534 standards which is a voluntary standard that all NFRC and Competent Roofer members must adhere to.
Cost to Replace a Tiled Roof
Below is an average of the prices given to me:
| Project: | Price inc VAT: |
|---|---|
| New tiles and felt to 3-bed property with up-and-over roof | £6500 - £8500 |
| New tiles, felt to 3-bed property with more complex roof design | £9000 - £11,000 |
| New tiles, felt, roofline, gutters, chimney re-point, new lead flashing, new window lights to a 3-bed property with up-and-over roof | £12,000 - £15,000 |
Extra Costs to Consider When Replacing a Tiled Roof
The first price above is a base price for a standard new roof; take off the old tiles, timber batons and felt, then replace them with new.
I know from experience that as a significant part of the cost is the scaffold, it makes sense to complete other repairs or replacement projects such as:
Chimney Repointing – The mortar between the bricks of chimneys often come loose or washes out due to windswept rain. Some chimneys need repointing every 20-30 years to keep them safe and watertight. This project will add extra cost, especially if some extra scaffold is needed to reach the chimney safely.
Fascia, Soffits and Guttering – The roofline of your home, that’s the guttering, rainwater pipes, soffits, fascias and bargeboards may need painting or replacing with Upvc plastic. The cost of a new roofline is around £130 per linear metre, but as the scaffold will already be in place, the price will be much lower. It’s cheaper to paint the fascias and soffits if they’re in good condition.
Rotten Rafters or Ceiling Joists – The prices on this page are for a straight-forward new roof, which includes replacing the old tiles, batons, felt, and mortar with new, but it excludes the cost of replacing structural timbers. Ceiling joists are the most expensive to replace as the ceiling will need to be removed. Roof rafters are easier to estimate as the timber cost around £8 per metre delivered and labour fees of between £6-12 per metre to fit. On most re-roofing projects I’ve worked on, the timbers were sound with any rot found at the edges of the roof or the gable ends where a partial repair was feasible.
Loft Insulation – The Building Regulations state that if you replace more than 25% of a roof, you must ensure the loft insulation meets certain conditions for thermal efficiency. For a typical house constructed in the 1970s, that means upgrading the loft insulation with an additional 200mm of insulation. I’ve included this cost in our price example, but if your loft requires more insulation, it will add to the price of the project.
Leadwork – Lead isn’t cheap and requires skilled workmanship to install correctly. If any existing lead around chimneys or adjacent walls is in poor condition, it may need replacing at extra cost.
Roof Windows and Skylights – These cost extra to replace.
Tile Choice – I’ve chosen interlocking concrete roof tiles for this price guide. Smaller plain tiles cost more as they take longer to lay on the roof. Clay or handmade tiles cost even more.
The Roof Shape – I’ve provided a guide price for a simple “up and over” roof. More complex roofs, for example, those with dormers, split levels, “L” or “U” shaped roofs etc or those with roof valleys will cost more.
Flat roofs – These are often found on garages, extensions, porches etc will add to the cost of the project – see flat roof prices here.
Photos I’ve Taken
These photos were taken by me and show some different aspects of a roof:
Roof valleys add complexity and cost to the project
A new roofline can add thousands to the cost
Chimney repairs add cost
Lead flashing is expensive
Summary
As you can see, there is no definitive answer to how much it costs to replace a roof as there are many aspects of a roof.
I’ve worked on projects that were simple and straightforward up and over roofs where we replaced the tiles and felt but on similar homes, we had to repair the chimney, replace the roofline, replace roof windows, change the leadwork, carry extensive repairs to timber rafters etc and the cost was much higher.
Also, labour costs vary hugely around the UK and more complex roofs add considerable cost as well.
I hope you found this guide insightful, but as roof structures are all so different, I think you should source at least three quotes from local trusted firms, rather than relying on the figures on this page.
Get Your Custom New Roof Price Today
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- Check vetted reviews and ratings.
- Compare prices from local skilled tradespeople and roofing specialists.
New Roof FAQs
Where Can I See a Breakdown of the Costs?
These are just estimates but I used to work in the roofing industry so they are based on my experience and the current cost of the materials:
- Scaffold – £900 – £1200
- Tiles – £1000 – £1300
- Felt, fixings, sand/cement, vents, timber baton – £500 – £600
- Waste disposal – £250 – £350
- Labour for two workers for four days – £1100 – £1300
- Loft insulation topup – £300 – £400
- Company profit, incidentals and general costs incurred by the roofing company not included above £2500 – £3500
Obviously, smaller roofing firms will have lower gross profit expectations than larger firms with more overheads (advertising, sales staff, business premises, employee national insurance payments, compulsory pension payments etc.).
When Was This New Roof Cost Guide Published?
I published this price guide in 2023.
How Long Does it Take to Fully Replace a Tiled Roof?
Here is an approximate timeline for the retiling of a three-bed detached property.
Day 1 – Scaffold erected, skip delivered, safety assessment completed, most materials delivered to site.
Day 2 – Strip old roof, replace rotten rafters if any, felt roof with underlay.
Day 3 to 4- Tile roof, bed gable and ridge tiles to mortar.
Day 5 – Finish off, tidy up, skip removed, scaffold down.
Extra time should be allowed for chimney work, lead work, new guttering or roofline boards etc.
As a rough guide, expect the work to take 3-6 days depending on efficiency, weather conditions and how many workers are on the project.
Can This Type of Work Be Completed From a Ladder?
Absolutely not.
According to the Health and Safety Executive’s guidelines, roof edge protection should be put up for any substantial roofing work or any project that lasts more than a few minutes.
The scaffold is also needed to store the materials needed for the project.
Can The Old Tiles Be Sold As Second Hand Roofing Tiles?
Depending on the type and condition of the old tiles, some roofers merchants might be interested in buying them.
Old tiles are weathered and can be used to replace broken tiles on other houses.
You can always ask your roofer if there’s any resale value in the old tiles. When I worked in the roofing industry, we always kept the old tiles that were in reasonable condition as spares for repair jobs.
Clay tiles tend to have a higher resale value than concrete counterparts, but clays usually deteriorate quicker.
Where Can I Find a Good Roofer?
The National Federation of Roofing Contractors and the Confederation of Roofing Contractors are well-known organisations that maintain databases of approved roofing contractors in the UK. The Competent Roofer scheme promotes roofers that agree to adhere to a high set of standards.
We’ve also partnered with Bark – one of the best places online for finding vetted, reviewed and rated tradespeople.
Should Every Tile Be Nailed on a New Roof?
BS5534 is a British Standard code of practice that NRFC and Competent Roofer members agree to adhere to. It’s not currently a legal requirement but does state that to meet the standard, all interlocking tiles should be fixed with at least one nail and in many scenarios, additional fixings, such as clips, should be used.
The exact number and type of fixings will depend on the chosen tile and how steep the roof is. For example; BS5534 also states that double lap tiles need only be fixed every 5th course if the roof is below 60°. For double lap tiles on a roof over 60°, every tile should be fixed.
BS5534 is not compulsory for roofers who haven’t agreed to lay the new roof to this standard.
If the roofer has chosen not to adhere to BS5534, the number and type of fixings should be determined by the type of tile, pitch of the roof and how sheltered or exposed the location is.
For example, I replaced a roof in North Wales many years ago, and I nailed and clipped every tile as the property was located in a windswept location:
How Long Does a New Roof Last?
Concrete tiles laid over 50 years ago are still holding up well, In fact, I’ve worked on roofs that were built in the 1960s and they are still going strong.
Assuming any broken tiles are replaced promptly to prevent rafter rot, a roof with concrete tiles should last 70 – 100 years.
What is the Best Tile to Put on a Roof?
Concrete tiles are very popular, they last for years and come in a wide choice of colours.
I recommend any concrete tile that’s manufactured with a “through colour”. This means that the coloured pigment isn’t just painted onto the surface of the tile but goes all the way through the tile. As the surface of the tile weathers over the decades, the colour should stay the same. I’ve seen tiles with only their surface painted lose their colour much sooner.
Will Home Insurance Cover the Cost of a New Roof?
This depends on why the roof needs to be replaced, if it’s due to damage, perhaps from a fallen tree, then most insurance companies will cover the cost.
I’ve never heard of insurance companies paying out due to age, general wear-and-tear or lack of maintenance.
Why You Can Trust This Guide
The author of this guide, Daniel, has overseen dozens of roof rebuilds and is a qualified roofer but has been out of the trade for a number of years as he now works as a project manager.
The advice offered is based on over 18 years of experience, but the prices are based on estimates and quotations that were provided to us by several roofing firms around the UK and were for a specific project.
Author: Daniel Woodley
In his spare time, Daniel enjoys gardening, hiking and scrambling. He frequently posts videos to his popular YouTube Channel and is well known in the hiking community.
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