Most roofing disputes we hear about start the same way: the homeowner hired someone without asking enough questions. Not because they were careless — because they did not know what to ask. Roofing is a specialist trade, and the right questions separate a professional outfit from a cowboy roofer in about ten minutes.
Here are the fifteen questions that matter, grouped by what they tell you.
About the company
1. How long have you been trading, and can I verify it? Longevity is not everything, but a firm that has been trading for decades has a track record you can check. Ask for the company name and look it up at Companies House. A roofer who has been family-run since 1982, like us, will not hesitate to tell you so.
2. Are you insured? Can I see the certificate? Public liability insurance is non-negotiable. If a tile falls and damages a car — or worse, injures someone — you need to know the roofer’s insurance covers it, not yours. Ask to see the certificate and check the cover level and expiry date.
3. Do you belong to a trade body? Membership of the NFRC, TrustMark, or a similar scheme is a good sign, but verify it directly with the scheme rather than taking the logo on a van at face value. Logos are easy to print; memberships are easy to check.
4. Can I see recent local work? Ask for addresses of completed jobs nearby that you can drive past, or dated photos of finished work. A roofer proud of their work will have plenty to show. Be cautious if all the photos look like stock images or jobs “too far away to visit.”
5. What do your reviews actually look like? Do not just glance at the star rating. Read the negative reviews and, more importantly, how the company responded. A 5.0 rating from hundreds of genuine Google reviews, with thoughtful replies to every one, tells you far more than a perfect score with six reviews and no responses.
About the job itself
6. Will you inspect the roof before quoting? Any firm that prices a re-roof or a major repair without getting up on the roof — or at least into the loft — is guessing. A proper survey means ladders up, tiles lifted where needed, and photos of what they found. Beware the quote given from the pavement.
7. Exactly what work are you quoting for? “Fix the roof: £2,000” is not a specification. You want to know: which areas, which materials, how many tiles or square metres, what happens to the old materials, and what is excluded. The written quote should read like a plan, not a headline.
8. What materials will you use, and why these? There is a big difference between cheap imported tiles and quality ones, and between a proper breathable membrane and thin felt. Ask for brand names and product grades. A good roofer will explain the choice; a bad one will say “they’re all the same, mate.”
9. Who will actually do the work? Will it be the person quoting, their own employed team, or subcontractors you have never met? Subcontracting is not automatically bad, but you should know who is coming to your home and who is responsible for their work.
10. How long will it take, and what about scaffolding? Get a realistic timescale in writing, and ask how access will be arranged. Scaffolding is a significant cost on roofing jobs — check whether it is included in the quote or an extra, and who is responsible for arranging it.
Money, paperwork, and aftercare
11. What deposit do you need, and when is the balance due? Deposits are normal for larger jobs to cover materials, but the terms should be clear and reasonable. Read our guide on whether you should pay a roofer upfront so you know what is fair before the conversation starts.
12. What happens if you find extra problems once work starts? Rotten battens, damaged felt, and hidden structural issues are common once tiles come off. Agree in advance how extras are handled: written agreement before the extra work is done, priced at agreed rates — never a surprise on the final invoice.
13. What guarantee do I get, and is it in writing? This is one of the most important questions on the list. Ask what the guarantee covers, how long it lasts, and whether it is backed by insurance if the company ceases trading. Our full breakdown of roofing guarantees explained covers the difference between workmanship and insurance-backed cover.
14. How do you handle mess and waste? Roofing is messy work. Ask whether skip hire and waste removal are included, how they protect your garden, driveway, and neighbours’ property, and who cleans up at the end of each day. The answer tells you a lot about professionalism.
15. What if something goes wrong after you leave? A leak three months after a re-roof should be a phone call, not a battle. Ask how they handle call-backs and snagging, and how quickly they respond. A roofer confident in their work will have a clear, calm answer.
What good answers sound like
You are not looking for perfection — you are looking for specifics. “We’ve been trading for 40 years, here’s our insurance certificate, here are three streets nearby where we’ve worked, and here’s your written quote” is a good set of answers. Vagueness, irritation at being asked, or pressure to decide on the spot are answers too — just not the ones you want.
Ask these fifteen questions of every roofer you shortlist, compare the answers side by side, and the right choice usually becomes obvious. If you would like to put us to the test, Victoria Roofing Expert Ltd welcomes every one of these questions. Request a free quote and see how we answer.