Finding a roofer isn’t difficult. Finding the right roofer can be.
Whether you need a few damaged tiles replaced, a persistent leak investigated or an entire roof renewed, the quality of the work matters. A poor repair may only hide the problem temporarily, while mistakes on larger roofing projects can become expensive to put right.
If you’re looking for a roofer in Berkshire, it’s worth doing a little homework before deciding who to use. Here are some of the most important things to check.
Look for relevant roofing experience
Not every roofing job requires the same skills.
Someone who regularly carries out small pitched-roof repairs may not necessarily be the best choice for a large flat-roof replacement, chimney rebuild or complete new roof. Likewise, a company that mainly installs new roofs may not be the right fit for tracing a difficult leak.
Before accepting a quote, ask whether the roofer regularly carries out the type of work you need.
Useful experience might include:
- Roof leak detection and repairs
- Tile and slate roofing
- Flat roof repairs and replacement
- Leadwork and flashing
- Chimney repairs and repointing
- Ridge and valley repairs
- Fascias, soffits and guttering
- Complete roof replacements
A roofer should also be prepared to explain what they think is causing the problem and why they’re recommending a particular repair.
Check that they’re properly insured
Roofing involves working at height and carries risks that many other home improvement jobs don’t.
Ask the roofing company what insurance they hold and make sure it’s appropriate for the work they’ll be carrying out. Public liability insurance is particularly important.
You shouldn’t feel uncomfortable asking about insurance. A professional roofing contractor should expect the question and be able to answer it clearly.
Look beyond the overall review score
Online reviews can be extremely useful, but the star rating only tells you part of the story.
Read some of the individual reviews and look for comments about work similar to yours. Are customers talking about roof repairs, replacement roofs or emergency call-outs? Do they mention communication, tidiness and whether the agreed work was completed as expected?
Recent reviews are useful too. They give you a better picture of how the business is performing now rather than relying entirely on feedback collected several years ago.
Recommendations from friends, neighbours or other local tradespeople can also be valuable, particularly when you can see the completed roofing work yourself.
Ask for a clear written quote
For anything beyond a very minor repair, you should know what you’re agreeing to before work begins.
A roofing quote should make it reasonably clear what work is proposed and what you’re paying for. Depending on the project, that might include:
- The area of the roof being repaired or replaced
- The work to be carried out
- Materials being used
- Access or scaffolding requirements
- Removal of old materials and waste
- The expected price
- Payment arrangements
- Any guarantee that applies
For larger projects, getting more than one quotation can be sensible. It gives you a chance to compare both the proposed work and the price.
But don’t assume the cheapest quote is automatically the best one.
If one roofer is considerably cheaper than everyone else, look carefully at what has and hasn’t been included. Two quotations that appear to cover the same roof can sometimes propose very different amounts of work.
Be wary of a diagnosis made too quickly
Some roofing problems are obvious. A tile may be visibly broken or a section of guttering may have come away.
Others aren’t.
Water can travel before it appears inside a property, so the damp patch on a bedroom ceiling isn’t necessarily directly underneath the point where water is getting through the roof.
A good roofer should take enough time to understand the likely cause rather than immediately recommending the biggest possible job.
It’s also reasonable to ask whether repair is a realistic option before committing to replacement. Sometimes replacement is the sensible long-term choice, but it shouldn’t be recommended simply because it’s the more expensive job.
Ask what guarantee applies
Don’t assume every roofing guarantee means the same thing.
Ask what work is guaranteed, how long the guarantee lasts and exactly what it covers. It’s also worth knowing whether the guarantee relates to the workmanship, materials or both.
If a guarantee is important to your decision, get the details in writing rather than relying on a verbal promise.
Check who will actually carry out the work
It’s useful to know whether the person quoting for the project will also be involved in completing it, or whether the work will be passed to another team or subcontractor.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with a roofing company using different teams, particularly on larger projects. The important thing is knowing who is responsible for the work and who you should speak to if you have a question.
Clear communication before a project starts is often a good indication of what you can expect once work is underway.
Think twice about pressure to make an immediate decision
Roofing emergencies sometimes need quick action. If water is actively entering your home or storm damage has left part of the roof exposed, making the property safe is understandably the priority.
A planned roofing project is different.
Be cautious if you’re being put under unnecessary pressure to agree to substantial work immediately, particularly if you’ve had little explanation of what needs doing.
For non-emergency work, you should normally have enough information to understand the recommendation and make an informed decision.
Choose a roofer that genuinely works in Berkshire
There are practical benefits to choosing a roofing company that regularly works locally.
A roofer covering Berkshire should be able to attend surveys and repairs without treating your property as an occasional job well outside their usual area. It also gives you a better chance of finding relevant reviews and examples of previous work nearby.
Location alone shouldn’t determine your decision, but it can be one useful factor alongside experience, insurance, reviews and the quality of the quotation.
Questions to ask a roofer before saying yes
You don’t need to interrogate every contractor, but a few straightforward questions can make comparing roofing companies much easier:
- Have you carried out this type of roofing work before?
- What do you believe is causing the problem?
- Are there different repair options?
- What exactly is included in the quote?
- Are you insured for this type of work?
- Who will carry out the job?
- When could the work realistically be completed?
- What guarantee applies?
- How will any additional work be agreed if another problem is discovered?
The answers should leave you with a clearer understanding of the project, not more confusion.
Roofing services across Berkshire from The Price Wise Group
The Price Wise Group is based in Arborfield and provides roofing services throughout Berkshire and surrounding counties.
Our family roofing business has three generations of experience, covering work from smaller roof repairs and emergency call-outs through to flat roofing and complete roof replacements.
If you’re unsure what your roof needs, we’ll assess the problem and explain the work we’d recommend before you decide how to proceed.
You can find out more about our roof repair services and new roof installations, or contact The Price Wise Group to arrange a free, no-obligation quote.