Roofing is a trade where the customer cannot see most of the work. These are the practical checks that separate a firm worth booking from one worth avoiding.
Start with the quote, not the price
A quotation that names the materials, the build up, the access arrangements, the waste disposal and the guarantee tells you the roofer has actually thought about your roof. A single line and a total tells you nothing at all.
Compare like with like. One price may include new battens, a breathable membrane and full scaffold, while another assumes the old battens stay. Our guide on what a roofing quote should include lists the items to look for line by line.
Insurance, trading history and paperwork
Ask for public liability insurance and check the certificate is current. Ask how long the business has traded and under what name, and check that a limited company exists at Companies House with the name on the paperwork.
A written address that is a real address, a landline or a consistent mobile, and an invoice with proper business details all matter more than a van livery, which anyone can order in a week.
Guarantees that mean something
Ask exactly what the guarantee covers, how long it runs and what invalidates it, and get it in writing rather than as a verbal promise on the doorstep. A guarantee is worth what the firm behind it is worth, so a long guarantee from a business with no trading history is not reassurance.
Our guarantee terms are set out with your written quotation, so you can read them before you commit to anything.
Deposits, payments and pressure
It is normal for a large job to have a materials payment and staged payments against progress. It is not normal to be asked for most of the money up front, in cash, before anything arrives on site.
Pressure is the clearest warning sign there is. Discounts that expire today, scaffolding that must be booked this afternoon, and repairs that a passing worker spotted on your roof are the standard opening lines of doorstep roofing fraud. A genuine roofer is happy for you to think about it.
Local knowledge and references
Around Witney, Oxford and the Cotswolds a roofer needs to know stone slate, conservation area expectations and which merchants stock a matching tile. Ask what they have done nearby and whether you can see it from the road.
Photographs of completed work in your area, and a willingness to point you at recent jobs, are the most useful references in this trade because you can go and look at the ridge line yourself.
Should I always get three quotes?
Two or three is sensible on a large job. What matters more is that they are quoting the same specification, otherwise you are comparing prices for different roofs.
Is the cheapest quote always a false economy?
Not necessarily, but you should understand why it is cheaper. If the difference is scaffolding, battens or waste disposal, the gap will reappear later as an extra.
What if someone knocks and says my roof needs work?
Do not agree to anything on the doorstep. Take the details, then get your own roofer to look. Genuine local firms very rarely find work by cold calling from a ladder.
Should I pay a deposit for roofing work?
A reasonable materials deposit on a large job is normal practice. Handing over the majority of the cost before work begins is not.
How do I check work I cannot see?
Ask for photographs at each stage, particularly of the battens, membrane and flashings before the covering goes on. We take them as standard because it is the only proof of the parts that get hidden.
Comparing quotes and unsure?
Send us what you have been offered. We will tell you what is missing from it, even if you end up going with someone else.
Evans Roofing & Maintenance Ltd, Witney, Oxfordshire. Call 07960 482233 for a free written quote.