
How Much Does a New Roof Cost in the UK? (2026 Planning Guide)
A dated cost breakdown, clear replacement scope and practical steps to build a roofing budget from measurements, allowances, quotes and contingency.
2027 pricesPlan your roof budget: free calculator, real UK prices and roofing guides
Read our cost guides →Work out how much a new or replacement roof will cost in seconds. Choose your property size, roof area, covering, shape, scope of work, extras, access and region to get an instant budget, mid-range and premium estimate based on real 2027 UK prices. Then read the detailed guide below to see exactly where the money goes.
Between 15 and 300 m². A typical semi has 60–75 m² of roof.
Estimates include VAT and are built line by line from typical 2027/28 UK trade and merchant prices. Assumes approx. 65 m² of covering and about 5 gang days. Regional factor 0.97× on labour and scaffold. Always get at least three itemised quotes.
Fully fitted prices including strip, materials, labour and scaffolding
The average new roof costs around £7,500 – £8,500 in the UK, fully fitted. Realistic ranges run from £4,000 – £6,000 for a small terraced re-cover up to £25,000 – £40,000+ for a large detached property in natural slate. Labour is the biggest slice at 35 – 45% of the total, materials 25 – 35%, scaffolding around 10%, with stripping, disposal and extras making up the rest.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terraced (under 55 m²) | £4,000 – £6,000 | £6,000 – £9,000 | £10,000 – £16,000 |
| Semi-detached (55 – 80 m²) | £5,000 – £7,500 | £7,500 – £12,000 | £13,000 – £20,000 |
| Detached (80 – 120 m²) | £7,000 – £11,000 | £11,000 – £17,000 | £18,000 – £30,000 |
| Large / complex (120 m²+) | £10,000 – £16,000 | £16,000 – £26,000 | £26,000 – £45,000+ |
Labour, timescales and what a roofing gang charges
A like-for-like re-cover on an average semi costs £5,000 – £9,000 all-in. Roofing gangs charge £400 – £600 a day for a two-person team outside London, and most re-roofs take 3 – 7 days. Stripping the old roof, skip hire and scaffolding are usually itemised separately, so always compare itemised quotes rather than headline totals.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour per m² (strip, prep & re-cover) | £30 – £45 | £45 – £65 | £65 – £95 |
| Full re-cover, semi-detached (65 m²) | £5,500 – £7,000 | £7,000 – £10,500 | £10,500 – £14,000 |
| Strip & dispose of old covering | £500 – £800 | £800 – £1,200 | £1,200 – £1,800 |
| Roofing gang day rate (2 roofers) | £350 – £450 | £450 – £600 | £600 – £800 (London) |
| Structural timber repairs | £400 – £800 | £800 – £2,000 | £2,000 – £5,000 |
| Typical timescale | 3 – 4 days | 5 – 7 days | 1 – 3 weeks (complex) |
Price per square metre by covering
Coverings range from £15 per m² for felt to £120+ per m² for Welsh slate, supply only. A typical semi needs around 65 – 75 m² of covering, so budget £1,200 – £2,200 for concrete tiles, £2,000 – £3,500 for clay and £5,000 – £9,000 for natural slate. Quotes often exclude ridges, verges, valleys and leadwork, so check the small print.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete interlocking tiles | £14 – £20 | £20 – £30 | £30 – £45 |
| Clay plain tiles | £30 – £45 | £45 – £60 | £60 – £90 |
| Natural slate | £45 – £65 | £65 – £95 | £95 – £140 |
| Fibre cement / man-made slate | £18 – £28 | £28 – £42 | £42 – £60 |
| Breathable felt & battens (per m²) | £6 – £10 | £10 – £14 | £14 – £20 |
| Ridge tiles, verges & valleys | £300 – £600 | £600 – £1,200 | £1,200 – £2,500 |
Felt, EPDM rubber and GRP fibreglass compared
A replacement flat roof costs £40 – £110 per m² supplied and fitted depending on the system. Torch-on felt is cheapest at £1,500 – £3,000 for a typical garage or extension, EPDM rubber runs £2,000 – £4,500 and GRP fibreglass £2,500 – £5,500. Expect a 20 – 30 year lifespan from EPDM and GRP versus 10 – 15 years for felt.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-layer torch-on felt | £40 – £55 | £55 – £75 | £75 – £95 |
| EPDM rubber membrane | £50 – £70 | £70 – £95 | £95 – £125 |
| GRP fibreglass | £60 – £85 | £85 – £115 | £115 – £145 |
| New OSB decking (per m²) | £15 – £25 | £25 – £40 | £40 – £60 |
| Warm roof insulation upgrade | £25 – £40 | £40 – £60 | £60 – £90 |
| Typical single garage (18 m²) | £900 – £1,300 | £1,300 – £2,000 | £2,000 – £2,800 |
Scaffolding, fascias, chimneys and roof windows
Scaffolding is the line most often missing from cheap quotes: £700 – £1,600 for a typical house, more if access is difficult. New fascias, soffits and guttering add £1,000 – £2,500, chimney repointing £500 – £1,000 and each roof window £800 – £1,500 fitted. Getting these itemised up front avoids surprises mid-job.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scaffolding (elevations / wrap-around) | £650 – £1,100 | £1,000 – £1,600 | £1,600 – £2,800 |
| Fascias, soffits & guttering (whole house) | £1,400 – £2,000 | £2,000 – £3,000 | £3,000 – £4,500 |
| Chimney repoint / re-flaunch | £300 – £500 | £500 – £900 | £900 – £1,500 |
| Chimney removal (above roofline) | £700 – £1,000 | £1,000 – £1,600 | £1,600 – £2,500 |
| Roof window (Velux-type, supplied & fitted) | £600 – £900 | £900 – £1,400 | £1,400 – £2,200 |
| Loft insulation top-up (270 mm) | £300 – £500 | £500 – £800 | £800 – £1,200 |
How location changes the price of the same mid-range re-roof
Labour is the main reason prices vary across the UK. London roofers and scaffolders charge 20 – 30% more than the national average, the South East 10 – 15% more, while the North of England, Wales and Northern Ireland are typically 8 – 10% cheaper. Materials from national merchants vary far less. The examples below show the same mid-range semi-detached re-roof in each region.
| Region | vs UK average | Mid-range 65 m² re-roof |
|---|---|---|
| London | +20% to +30% | £9,500 – £13,000 |
| South East | +10% to +15% | £8,500 – £10,500 |
| East of England | +5% | £8,000 – £9,500 |
| South West | +0% to +5% | £7,800 – £9,200 |
| Midlands | −3% | £7,500 – £9,000 |
| Scotland | −4% | £7,300 – £8,800 |
| Yorkshire & Wales | −7% | £7,000 – £8,500 |
| North of England | −8% | £6,800 – £8,300 |
| Northern Ireland | −10% | £6,500 – £8,000 |
Real-world specifications run through our calculator
Concrete tiles, simple gable, strip & re-cover, fascias, standard scaffold
Concrete tiles, hipped, strip & re-cover, fascias & guttering, standard scaffold
Natural slate, hipped with valleys, strip & re-cover, chimney repoint
EPDM membrane, new decking, edge trims, minimal scaffold
Quick answers to the questions we get asked most
A typical new roof costs between £6,000 and £12,000 fully fitted for a semi-detached house, including stripping, materials, labour and scaffolding. Small terraced re-covers can be done for £4,000 – £6,000, while large detached roofs in natural slate regularly exceed £25,000.
A full strip and re-cover usually works out at £80 – £140 per m² all-in for concrete or clay tiles on a pitched roof, and £40 – £110 per m² for flat roof systems. Slate and complex shapes push costs higher. Always compare itemised quotes, as scaffolding and disposal are sometimes excluded.
Choose concrete interlocking tiles rather than clay or slate, keep the roof shape unchanged, reuse sound ridge tiles where possible, schedule work outside peak season, and get at least three itemised quotes from local roofers. Never skip scaffolding or breathable felt to cut costs — it costs more later.
A straightforward terraced or semi re-roof takes 3 – 5 working days for a two-person gang once scaffolding is up. A large or complex roof with valleys, dormers or structural timber repairs typically takes 1 – 3 weeks. Weather is the biggest cause of delays.
Not planning permission for a like-for-like re-cover, but building regulations do apply: renovating 50% or more of a roof means it must be re-insulated to current standards, and the work must be notified to building control — NFRC Competent Person Scheme roofers can self-certify. Switching to a heavier covering or adding roof windows also needs approval. Conservation areas and listed buildings may need planning consent too.
Most roofing firms add 20% VAT to quotes, though sole traders below the VAT threshold may not charge it at all. Materials from merchants are quoted plus VAT to trade. Always check whether a quote is inclusive before comparing — it makes a £1,500 difference on a typical job.
Often, yes. Slipped tiles, perished felt in isolated areas, lead flashing failures and repointing typically cost £150 – £800 to repair. A full replacement makes sense when the covering is at end of life, the felt has failed across the roof, or repairs would exceed roughly a third of replacement cost.
It gives a realistic range built line by line from published trade rates and typical merchant prices, adjusted for your region. Real quotes depend on roof condition, access, timber condition under the covering and local demand. Treat the mid-range figure as a sensible starting budget and allow a 10 – 15% contingency.
Once you have your estimate, compare at least three itemised written quotes from reviewed local roofers. Ask each to price the same specification so you can compare like with like, and never pay more than 25% up front.
Recalculate your estimate ↑Every guide, organised by the parts of a roofing project that cost the most.

A dated cost breakdown, clear replacement scope and practical steps to build a roofing budget from measurements, allowances, quotes and contingency.

What roofers actually charge per day in 2026, what a gang day buys, and why a day rate alone is not a complete quote for a re-roof.

Compare covering prices per square metre without mixing supply-only and installed figures. Includes lifespan, weight and quote checklists.

Separate membrane prices from decking and insulation, compare realistic lifespans and avoid the quotes that reuse a rotten deck.

Cut cost through scope, timing and material choices — not by stripping felt, battens or scaffolding from the specification.

Typical prices for common repairs, when repair beats replacement, and the £150 call-out reality behind cheap quotes.
A re-cover on sound rafters is far cheaper than structural replacement, but only a strip reveals the truth. Agree a day rate for timber extras up front.
Saving MoneyAsk for named products and complete installed prices. A cheap slate-look covering may cost more fitted than genuine fibre-cement slate.
Roofing MaterialsAsk every roofer to split stripping, materials, labour, scaffold, skips and extras so you can compare the same scope.
Labour & InstallationFascias and guttering done while the scaffold is up avoid paying for access twice — often £500 – £900 saved.
Fascias & Guttering