The customer only hears the total
Nine thousand pounds sounds like a lot until they see that £1,250 of it is scaffold they would pay anyone. A breakdown turns a scary number into a list of things that obviously cost money.
For roofers
Price the roof from the notes you took on the scaffold
Nobody wants to write a quote after eight hours stripping tiles in the wind. Photograph or dictate what you found up there and TradeScribe writes the estimate, with the scaffold, the leadwork and the timber allowance all on separate lines where the customer can see them.
Why estimating is the worst part of the week
You cannot see the timbers until it is stripped
Half of every re-roof is guesswork about battens and rafter ends, and the guess either loses you money or makes you look like you moved the goalposts. Neither happens if the allowance is written down first.
Roofing attracts the worst comparisons
Your neighbour-of-a-neighbour got a roof done for £4,000 in cash and it lasted two winters. A professional-looking document with a materials spec is the fastest way to stop being compared to that.
A real example
Full re-roof, three-bed semi, concrete tiles
On the left is what you would actually write down. On the right is what your customer receives.
Your notes
reroof 3 bed semi. strip the marley moderns off, battens are soft, felt torn right along the eaves. 78sqm over both slopes. new breathable membrane, 25x50 treated battens, redland grovebury slate grey. dry ridge and dry verge, no more mortar bedding, tell her thats why the last one blew off. flaunching cracked on the stack, needs rebedding, new code 4 apron and soakers. fascia rotten on the back about 14m. scaffold 2 weeks in the price. 4 days 3 lads if the weather holds. 8 yard skip. gutters are fine, leave them
The estimate
| Item | Qty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Strip existing tiles, battens and felt, load out and load away | 78 m² | £1,092.00 |
| Breathable underlay and treated 25 x 50 battens | 78 m² | £1,248.00 |
| Redland Grovebury concrete tiles, supplied and laid | 78 m² | £2,964.00 |
| Dry ridge system, supplied and fitted | 11 linear m | £462.00 |
| Dry verge system, supplied and fitted | 12 linear m | £408.00 |
| Code 4 lead apron and soakers to chimney stack | 1 job | £480.00 |
| Rebed and reflaunch chimney stack | 1 job | £340.00 |
| Replace rotten fascia and soffit to rear elevation | 14 linear m | £448.00 |
| Scaffold to front and rear, erect, two weeks hire and dismantle | 1 job | £1,250.00 |
| 8-yard skip and waste transfer | 1 each | £390.00 |
| Total before VAT | £9,082.00 | |
An illustration using typical UK rates, not a price list. TradeScribe prices from the rates in your own notes and your saved day rate.
What we know about roofing estimates
These are the lines that come up again and again on a roofer's estimate. Mention any of them in your notes, however briefly, and they come out properly worded.
- Strip and re-roof, concrete tiles, per square metre
- Natural slate re-roof, per square metre
- Dry ridge and dry verge systems, per linear metre
- GRP or single-ply flat roof, per square metre
- Chimney rebed, reflaunch and repoint
- Code 4 leadwork, valleys, aprons and soakers
- Fascia, soffit and guttering replacement
- Slipped tile repair and tingle fixing
- Scaffold erect, weekly hire and dismantle
- Replacement rafters or batten allowance, per metre
Roofing estimating questions
What should I put in a roofing estimate for scaffolding?
Give it its own line with the erect, the hire period and the dismantle stated, for example 'scaffold to front and rear elevations, two weeks hire included'. Then say what happens beyond that period and at what weekly rate. Roofs run over because of weather far more than because of workmanship, and an agreed weekly extension rate stops that becoming your problem alone.
How do I quote a re-roof when I cannot see the timbers until it is stripped?
Include a stated allowance rather than a promise. Something like 'replacement of up to 10 rafter ends included; additional timber at £28 per metre' is honest and it caps the customer's exposure. Roofers who absorb rotten timber silently are the ones who end up working a free day on every third job.
Should I offer a guarantee on a new roof, and how do I word it?
Yes, because it is one of the few things that beats a cheaper price. Be specific: guarantee your workmanship for a stated number of years, note that the tile and membrane manufacturers carry their own warranties, and exclude storm damage, movement in the structure and anything you did not install. A vague '20 year guarantee' with no wording behind it impresses nobody who has been burned before.
Is roofing work ever eligible for 5% VAT?
Occasionally. The reduced rate can apply to a property that has been empty for at least two years before the work starts, and to conversions that change the number of dwellings. Ordinary repair or replacement on an occupied home is standard-rated at 20%. Check the qualifying conditions before you promise a customer the lower rate, because the liability sits with you.
How long should a roofing estimate stay valid?
Thirty days is the usual, and it should be written on the estimate. Tile and lead prices move, and scaffold hire is quoted to you on a date. If a customer comes back in March with a quote from October, you want a line on the paperwork that lets you re-price without looking like you are chancing it.
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