Cost to Replace Broken Roof Tiles
Updated Prices for 2023 – Prices From Dozens of Firms – Get a Quote Online
Written by Daniel Woodley who has 18 yrs experience. Fact checked by Hannah Miller. Published to Prices. Updated on the 5th March 2023.
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How Much Does it Cost to Replace Broken Roof Tiles?
Roof tiles often break or come loose, usually as a result of the freeze/thaw cycle, from damage by falling tree branches or due to strong winds lifting them. Sometimes a tile can crack yet stay in the same place for years, the damage being difficult or impossible to see from the ground. I have over 18 years of experience, first in the roofing trade and then in general construction and home improvement. My experience has taught me that how much it costs to replace broken roof tiles will depend on these factors:- How many broken tiles there are.
- Where on the roof they’re located.
- Whether the tiles need to be bedded onto mortar or just laid in place.
- Crucially, if the roofer can access them easily or if a full scaffold setup is required.
Project 1: Cost to Replace Up to 5 Broken Tiles (Easy Access)
If the broken tiles are located at the lowest part of the roof, near the guttering, then they should be easy to replace. A ladder is usually sufficient to reach the lower part of a roof; alternatively, the roofing firm may erect an access tower which would be safer and only takes 15 minutes to put up. This is a straightforward roof repair project, the photo below shows several broken tiles at the bottom of the roof:
Broken roof tiles at the eaves located at the lowest part of the roof
| Location: | Price inc VAT: |
|---|---|
| London and South | £250 - £350 |
| Midlands and North | £200 - £300 |
Project 2: Up to 5 Broken Tiles (Somewhat Difficult Access)
For this example, I assume up to five broken tiles that are slightly more difficult to reach, perhaps further up the roof, next to a chimney or several tiles at different locations on the roof.
This project will require an access tower to safely reach the roof edge and protect the roofers from falls. A roof ladder is laid on the tiles so the worker can go up the roof and replace the broken tiles.
Broken roof tile in the middle of a roof
| Location: | Price inc VAT: |
|---|---|
| London and South | £400 - £500 |
| Midlands and North | £350 - £450 |
Project 3: Up to 5 Broken Tiles (Very Difficult Access)
Some scaffold may be required for broken roof tiles on 3-storey buildings, above large conservatories or above other obstacles such as extensions, etc.
The figures below are for up to 5 tiles in locations on a roof that are more difficult to access.
Broken tiles on a roof above a large conservatory like this are difficult to reach safely, scaffold will be required
| Location: | Price inc VAT: |
|---|---|
| London and South | £1000 - £1250 |
| Midlands and North | £800 - £1000 |
Project 4: Replace Up to 5 Cemented Ridge Tiles
Some roof tiles, typically those found at the very top of the roof, are held in place with a mix of sand and cement – mortar.
To remove any broken tiles here, the roofer first needs to remove the old mortar, which from my experience, could be easy or very challenging, depending on how hard it is.
The new tiles are then bedded onto fresh mortar and should also be secured with a fixing such as a nailed clip.
I’ve always found cemented tiles more challenging to access than nailed tiles at the bottom of a roof.
Image shows ridge tiles being bedded onto fresh mortar
| Location: | Price inc VAT: |
|---|---|
| London and South | £600 - £800 |
| Midlands and North | £500 - £600 |
Project 5: Replace Up to 5 Cemented Verge or Valley Tiles
Verge tiles are found on gable ends and are usually bedded into the mortar.
To remove and replace broken tiles here, the roofer will probably need to erect an access tower and cut out the damaged tiles.
The first photo below shows a typical roof verge. The second image is of a roof valley.
In my opinion, the cost of replacing tiles in these locations is similar.
Broken roof tiles here can be difficult to remove
Due to the way tiles overlap, bedded tiles are difficult to remove
| Location: | Price inc VAT: |
|---|---|
| London and South | £600 - £800 |
| Midlands and North | £550 - £650 |
Where Did These Prices Come From?
While I have nearly two decades of experience, I’ve been out of the roofing industry for a number of years, so I also contacted dozens of roofing firms and tradespeople from various locations around the UK and asked them how much they charge to replace roof tiles.
The figures above are an average of the prices given to me.
Please bear in mind that every project is different, and as I’ve pointed out, how easy or difficult it is to reach the roof is a key factor in determining the price.
Where you live in the UK is also important, London and the Home Counties are expensive areas. I’ve only done a few projects in the north of the UK and the labour cost was markedly lower.
Get a Custom Roof Tile Repair Price Online
The price guides on this page are an excellent insight into roof repair prices, but as every project is different, I recommend getting a custom price online.
- Get a price in hours, not days.
- Read reviews and feedback from past customers.
- Compare prices for roof tile repairs.
FAQS
When Were These Roof Repair Prices Published?
I sourced these roof repair prices in early 2023 and published this page on January 2023. I’ve included VAT when it was charged.
Which Companies Supplied You With These Prices?
A total of 21 firms and tradespeople from around the UK gave me prices.
Why Can't The Roofer Just Put Up a Ladder?
Health and safety regulations state that the use of ladders should be minimised and where possible, a safer alternative should be used.
Also, anyone who works on a roof should construct a suitable “edge protection” system to protect the workers from falls. I usually erected a scaffold or access tower to achieve this.
Of course, this equipment adds time and cost to the project.
How Long Does it Take to Replace a Broken Roof Tile?
Once the access equipment is set up, I’ve found that it doesn’t take long to remove a broken tile, often it’s just a matter of minutes.
I always found that tiles bedded in mortar are trickier to remove and a small project replacing ~5 tiles, can take several hours, plus the time to erect and dismantle the access equipment.
I've Been Told The Roofer Needs to Use a Cherry Picker, is This Necessary?
I’ve worked on a few projects where the tiles were almost impossible to reach without a scaffold, and we hired powered access equipment as it worked out cheaper.
Also, some tiles are very fragile and rather than climbing over the roof and potentially breaking more tiles; I decided a cherry picker was a more appropriate option.
If you’ve been told you need to pay for cherry-picker hire, I suggest you get a second opinion and, at the least, a couple more quotes from different firms.
How Much Do The Roof Tiles Cost?
Most roof tiles cost less than £2.50 with significant discounts offered for bulk purchases. The price of the materials doesn’t determine the cost to replace a few broken tiles; based on my experience it’s the scaffold/access equipment and labour that makes up the bulk of the cost, in my opinion.
Are Slates More Difficult to Replace?
I’ve replaced dozens of slates and always felt that they were no more difficult to replace than concrete or clay tiles; however, access was sometimes troublesome as slate roofs are often steep and slippery.
Are There Any Trade Associations Where I Can Find Reputable Installers?
The National Federation of Roofing Contractors is a popular roofing association as is the Confederation of Roofing Contractors.
You can also use our network of tradespeople and of course, there’s also Checkatrade, Which?, Trustmark and other associations.
Why You Can Trust Us
The author of this guide, Daniel, has over 18 years of experience in the construction industry, including over 10 years as a roofing contractor.
While the prices on this page are based on figures given to us by roofers in the UK, the advice and tips are based on 18 years of experience in the trade.
The photos of roof tiles were taken by Daniel and help to explain the difference between easy repair projects and those that are more challenging and cost more.
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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