How to Find a Good Roofer: Vetting Checklist for UK Homeowners

Knowing how to find a good roofer matters more than for almost any other trade, because roofing is the job you cannot inspect. Once the scaffold is down you are looking at the same view from the ground you had before, and the difference between a proper job and a cheap one shows up in year three, not week one. Roofing also attracts more doorstep cold-calling than any other domestic trade, which is why the checklist below leans heavily on verification rather than gut feel.

This is the process we would use ourselves, whether you are in Kent or anywhere else in the UK.

Table of Contents

Start with the accreditations that actually mean something

Trade logos on a van are not evidence. Two are worth checking properly, and both have public directories you can search yourself.

NFRC membership. The National Federation of Roofing Contractors is the UK’s largest roofing trade association, with a history going back more than 125 years. Contractors are vetted before joining, including an office and site audit, and re-vetted every three years. You can search the NFRC member directory directly rather than taking a contractor’s word for it.

NFRC Competent Person Scheme. Formerly branded CompetentRoofer, this is the only competent person scheme for roof refurbishment in England and Wales, set up under government authorisation in 2006. Registered contractors can self-certify that refurbishment work complies with the Building Regulations and notify building control themselves, rather than you waiting on a local authority application. Its contractor directory is separate from the main NFRC list, so check the right one.

TrustMark is a government-endorsed quality scheme covering work in and around the home, and is a reasonable additional signal, though it is not roofing-specific.

What none of these prove is that the individual who turns up on your roof is any good. They prove the business has been audited, carries the right insurance and has something to lose. That is worth a great deal, and it is not the same as a guarantee.

The building control question most homeowners miss

Before you take quotes, work out whether the job is notifiable, because it changes who you should be talking to.

Replacing 50 per cent or more of a roof covering is notifiable work under the Building Regulations. It also triggers the thermal element rules: where more than half the surface of an individual roof is renovated, the insulation for the whole roof has to be brought up to current standards, as the Planning Portal sets out in its guidance on roof insulation and thermal elements. On a flat roof, replacing the waterproofing membrane counts as renovation for this purpose.

That has two consequences. A re-roof quote that says nothing about insulation or building control on a job clearly over the 50 per cent line is either incomplete or being done under the radar. And if the contractor is not registered with a competent person scheme, you will need a building control application, which is your responsibility as the homeowner, not theirs. Ask which route they intend to use and get the answer in writing.

Repairs and patch work sit outside the competent person scheme entirely, so a legitimate contractor may be registered and still handle your small repair without notification. That is not a contradiction.

Checks to run before anyone quotes

Companies House. Search the exact company name and number from their paperwork. Look at incorporation date, filing history and whether the directors have a string of dissolved companies behind them. A brand new company with an old-sounding trading name is worth a second look.
Public liability insurance. Ask for the certificate, check the expiry date and check the cover level. Two million pounds is a common minimum for domestic roofing. If they use scaffolding subcontractors, that firm needs its own cover.
Address. A real trading address, not just a mobile number and a first name. Mail-forwarding addresses are a warning sign in this trade.
Recent local work. Ask for two or three addresses of jobs done in the last two years, ideally the same type of roof as yours, and ask if you can speak to those customers. Genuine roofers expect this.
Reviews across more than one platform. Look for detail and for how the contractor responds to criticism. A wall of five-star reviews all posted in the same fortnight tells you something.

Reading a roofing quote properly

Get three written quotes and insist they are itemised. A single figure on a compliment slip is not a quote, and it makes comparison impossible.

A proper quotation should name the covering material and manufacturer, state whether battens are being replaced and to what specification, cover the underlay or breather membrane, set out what happens to insulation and ventilation, price the scaffolding separately, say who removes and disposes of the waste, and give the guarantee terms for both materials and workmanship. It should also say what happens if hidden defects appear once the roof is stripped, because on any roof over 40 years old, some rafters or a section of wall plate usually need attention.

Ventilation is the detail most often skipped. Improving insulation without maintaining or improving airflow at the eaves and ridge is how a newly re-roofed house ends up with condensation in the loft and damp on the ceilings. If a quote covers insulation but says nothing about ventilation, ask.

Payment terms and red flags

Reputable contractors do not need a large payment before starting. A deposit of 10 to 25 per cent to cover materials is normal on a large job; anything approaching half up front is not. Stage payments tied to visible milestones, such as scaffold up, strip complete, covering complete, are the fairest structure, with a final balance on satisfactory completion.

Walk away from any of these:

An unsolicited caller who “noticed slipped tiles while working next door” and can start tomorrow.
Pressure to decide today, or a discount that expires at the end of the visit.
A cash-only price, or a price that changes depending on whether you want paperwork.
A refusal to provide a written, itemised quote.
Photographs of “your roof” that could be any roof, produced after a look in the loft you were not invited to.
Alarming language about imminent collapse, with no offer to let you get a second opinion.

If you are being told the roof is dangerous, that is precisely the moment to get another opinion, not to skip one. A genuinely unsafe roof will still be unsafe on Friday when the second roofer visits.

Guarantees, and what they are worth

There are three separate things called a guarantee. The manufacturer’s product warranty covers the material and usually requires certified installation. The contractor’s workmanship guarantee covers their labour and is worth exactly as much as the company’s survival. The insurance-backed guarantee is a third-party policy that pays out if the contractor ceases trading, and it is the only one that survives an insolvency.

Work carried out through the NFRC Competent Person Scheme on domestic property comes with a ten-year warranty on the notified refurbishment work. If a long guarantee is being used as the main selling point, ask which of the three it is and ask to see the policy document.

Once the work is done, keep the completion certificate, the building control notification and the invoice together. You will need them when you sell. For more on what different roof types cost and how long they last, see the wider roofing guides on Contemporary Structures, including our breakdown of new roof costs in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if a roofer is genuinely accredited?

Search the scheme’s own directory rather than trusting a logo. NFRC members appear on the NFRC find-a-member search, and competent person scheme registrations appear on the separate NFRC CPS contractor search. If a company appears in neither but claims membership, ask for their membership number and check it with the scheme directly.

How many quotes should I get for a new roof?

Three itemised written quotes. Two makes it hard to spot an outlier and more than four rarely adds information. Compare specifications line by line rather than comparing totals, because the cheapest quote is often cheapest because it leaves out battens, membrane, ventilation or scaffolding.

Does a roofer need to notify building control?

Yes, where 50 per cent or more of the roof covering is being replaced. A contractor registered with the NFRC Competent Person Scheme can self-certify and notify on your behalf. If they are not registered, you need to make a building control application yourself before work starts. Small repairs are not notifiable.

How much deposit should I pay a roofer?

Between nothing and about a quarter of the total, depending on the materials being ordered. Established contractors have accounts with merchants and rarely need much up front. Requests for 50 per cent or more before any work happens are a common feature of doorstep roofing scams.

What should I do if a roofer knocks on my door?

Do not agree to anything on the spot. Take the company name and number, close the door, and check them properly. You have cancellation rights on contracts agreed at your home, but recovering money already paid is far harder than not paying it. Legitimate local roofers are usually booked weeks ahead and do not need to cold-call.

Should I use a local roofer or a national company?

Local is usually better, provided the checks come back clean. A local contractor with a decade of work in your area has a reputation at stake and can come back if something needs attention. What matters more than distance is verifiable history, correct insurance and whether the paperwork is in order.

How to Find a Good Roofer: Vetting Checklist for UK Homeowners

Start with the accreditations that actually mean something

The building control question most homeowners miss

Checks to run before anyone quotes

Reading a roofing quote properly

Payment terms and red flags

Guarantees, and what they are worth

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if a roofer is genuinely accredited?

How many quotes should I get for a new roof?

Does a roofer need to notify building control?

How much deposit should I pay a roofer?

What should I do if a roofer knocks on my door?

Should I use a local roofer or a national company?

Related guides