Per square metre figures only get you so far. Here is what a full re roof actually costs on a typical Oxfordshire house, and why two quotes for the same roof can differ by thousands.
The honest headline figure
For a standard three bedroom semi in Oxfordshire with a simple gable roof of roughly 70 square metres, a full strip and re roof in concrete interlocking tiles usually lands between 6,500 and 9,000 pounds. Move to clay plain tiles and you are looking at 9,000 to 12,500 pounds. Natural slate or Cotswold stone slate pushes past 11,500 pounds and can reach well beyond that on a heritage property.
Those numbers include scaffolding, stripping the old covering, new treated battens, a breathable membrane, new lead flashings, ridge work and waste removal. If a quote is far below that range, check what has been left out. The three things most often missing are scaffolding, new battens and skip hire.
What you are actually paying for
Labour and access usually account for more of a re roof than the tiles do. Scaffolding on a semi typically runs one to two weeks and is a fixed cost whether the covering is cheap or expensive. Stripping generates a surprising volume of waste, and a tiled roof can fill several skips on its own.
The covering itself is the part people focus on, but battens, membrane, lead and mortar are what keep the roof watertight for the next few decades. Skimping there is the false economy that brings us back five years later.
What pushes the price up once we start
Every re roof carries some unknowns until the covering is off. The most common surprise is rotten timber at the eaves or around a valley, where years of slow water ingress have softened the rafter ends. Replacing wall plate or rafter ends adds cost but cannot be skipped.
Complexity matters more than raw area. Hips, valleys, dormers, roof windows and chimneys all need detailing by hand, and a small complicated roof can take longer than a large plain one. Two roofs of identical square metreage can be a week apart in labour.
How to compare quotes properly
Ask every quote to name the tile manufacturer and model, the membrane brand, the lead code and whether battens are new. If those four things are missing, you cannot compare like for like and the cheapest number on the page is meaningless.
Also ask what happens if timber needs replacing. A good quote states a rate for that work up front so there is no awkward conversation halfway through the job.
When a re roof is not the right spend
If the covering is sound and the problem is limited to flashings, ridge mortar or a handful of slipped tiles, a repair at a few hundred pounds buys you years. We say that to people regularly and lose the bigger job as a result.
The tipping point is usually when repairs start recurring in different places, or when the battens underneath have gone. At that point money spent on patching is money thrown away.
How long does a full re roof take on a typical house?
A straightforward semi is usually five to eight working days on site once scaffolding is up. Complex roofs with valleys, dormers and chimney work can run to two or three weeks.
Do I need planning permission for a new roof?
Usually not if you are replacing like for like. You will need consent if the property is listed, in a conservation area, or if you are changing the roof shape or the material significantly.
Is a new roof covered by buildings insurance?
Insurance covers sudden damage such as storm or impact, not wear and age. A roof that has simply reached the end of its life is a maintenance cost rather than a claim.
Can I re roof one slope only?
Yes, and it is common where one elevation is far more weathered than the other. It costs more per square metre than doing the whole roof because scaffolding and setup are shared over a smaller area.
How much does scaffolding add to a new roof?
On a two storey house expect roughly 900 to 2,000 pounds depending on how many elevations need covering and how long it stays up. It should be itemised in your quote rather than buried in a single figure.
Evans Roofing & Maintenance Ltd, Witney, Oxfordshire. Call 07960 482233 for a free written quote.