Roof Repair Cost

How much does roof repair cost in the UK? What about prices for other types of roof maintenance?

Whether you're looking to find out what a roof leak repair costs, or just gutter and roof cleaning prices in the UK, this guide has you covered.

It covers everything you need to know — from the costs of various roof maintenance jobs to building regulations and planning permission that may apply for roofing projects.

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How Much Does Roof Repair Cost in the UK?

The average roof repair cost is around £530 in 2025.

However, the cost of repairing and maintaining a roof depends on a range of factors.

The main consideration is the type of maintenance required. Roof cleaning costs about £400 to £600, roof treatment sets you back around £1,000 to £2,500 and roof cleaning and coating lands at roughly £1,500 to £2,500.

Roof repairs cost about £60 to £1,000, gutter cleaning costs between £100 to £450 depending on the type of roof, and a roof leak repair would likely land around £30 to £200.

Other cost-affecting factors for this work are the type of roof, size of the roof, roof area, ease of access and where you are located in the UK. The reason that location matters is that labourers charge different rates in different parts of the country.

Roof Maintenance Costs

Cost of Roof Repair Materials

Looking just at the supply costs, if you were to undertake this work DIY, you can expect to pay around £100 for the necessary cleaning equipment/materials.

Cost of Common Roof Maintenance Supplies

• Trowel — £5 to £15
• Pressure hose — £15 to £100
• Roof coating — £5 to £20 per litre

It costs about £200 for materials sufficient to clean and coat a roof, and anywhere from £20 to £400 for roof repair supplies, depending on the nature of the repair work.

Gutter cleaning may cost you nothing in terms of material costs, although we are assuming that you at least have something to scoop up the debris from the gutter and a ladder to get up there. Leak repair supplies may cost between £10 to £100.

These prices can vary greatly depending on what supplies you choose (e.g. trowel vs pressure hose for roof cleaning), and the quality/brand of the supplies.

Roof Maintenance Costs (Supply Only)

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Labour Cost of Roof Repair

Roofers tend to charge between £25 to 35 per hour in the UK.

The labour costs will be included as part of the overall cost, alongside the supply costs, and any waste removal expenses.

If scaffolding is needed, this will take 2 to 4 hours from the point you lay the scaffold's base until it is checked for structural soundness.

The work itself will likely take between 1 to 4 hours, though it could take several days if extensive repairs are needed. The clean-up should take less than an hour, though it will depend on the extent of the work and the mess created as a result of that work.

The labour cost and duration will depend on the ease of access and the state of the work area. Adverse weather could also play a role, as this could slow down/halt the work temporarily.

Roof Maintenance Costs (Labour Only)

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What are the Signs You Need Roof Repairs?

As roof repair costs are generally much cheaper than the price of roof replacement, it's worth regularly checking for signs of wear and tear.

Some signs you need roof maintenance will be more obvious than others. Here are some issues to watch out for:

Issues Visible from the Outside

A visual inspection of your roof may be possible from the ground, although you may need to use a ladder to see issues clearly in some cases.

If you're not confident at height, you can employ someone to check the roof for you visually.

Common signs include:

• Tiles that have visibly slipped or broken, and tiles that are missing altogether.
• Uneven ridge or roofline.
• Damaged flashing, especially around the chimney, valleys and any skylights.
• Heavy growth of moss, algae or lichen.
• Gutters that are blocked or overflowing.
• Fragments of tiles or other roofing materials in the gutters or on the ground.
• Water stains on the fascias.

A good way of keeping track of your roof looks and knowing whether you need any roofing maintenance is to take annual photographs. This gives you a visual record of how your roof looked a year ago, so you can see if there have been any major changes.

Issues Visible from the Inside

Spotting signs you might need roof maintenance from outside is often preventative. By the time you notice interior signs, it could be a signal that there is a significant problem, and you should get a roof service or have the issue checked urgently.

You should watch out for:

• Any damp patches on walls or ceilings.
• Any unexplained stains on walls or ceilings.
• Water dribbling or dripping into the property during poor weather.
• Places in the loft where you can see daylight through the roofing materials.
• Loft insulation that has become damp.
• Musty smells in the loft.
• Sagging ceilings.

If you notice issues like this, check with a roofing specialist to find out what the problem is before it gets any worse.

Unusual Energy Use

There are other changes you might notice during your daily life. In conjunction with some of the issues listed above, this could be a sign you need roof maintenance.

For example, a sudden rise in energy costs could mean more heat is being lost through the roof than usual. Similarly, noise from the roof when the weather is poor could indicate that tiles have shifted or that there are other issues up there.

If in doubt, opt for a roof inspection from a local roofer.

What Impacts Roof Repair Costs?

What impacts the cost of maintaining a roof in the UK?

Let's take a closer look at what impacts roof repair costs and other types of roof maintenance jobs.

Type of Maintenance

The type of work undertaken is a significant, if not the largest, cost-affecting factor. Some roofing work may cost less than £100, while other types of jobs can cost several hundred pounds or more.

Type of Roof

Roof type is important to consider as, for instance, some roof types will be more challenging to clean than others due to the material used.

If you need to replace roof shingles, then the roof type will impact the supply price of the replacement tiles. Different roof types may require different treatments when compared with others.

Sturdier roofs can be pressure washed, while some may be unsuitable for a pressure hose clean, meaning that longer and more painstaking manual efforts will be required.

Beyond that, specialised roofs will need their own care, such as green roof maintenance.

If Your Roof Contains Asbestos

A factor that can change your standard roof repair job into a complex operation is if you discover asbestos in your roof.

To confirm the presence, you'll need an asbestos survey carried out, costing £325. If that comes back positive, you'll need to halt work entirely until the asbestos is removed.

For an average roof in the UK, asbestos removal costs around £2,750 and will take approximately 3 weeks.

Due to how dangerous asbestos is, it's essential that a qualified professional is employed to identify and safely remove asbestos from a roof.

Size of Roof

Of course, the roof's size will be another important cost factor if the maintenance work is due to cover most of the roof or at least a large section.

The larger the roof, the more costly this work will likely prove to be.

Area of Roof

How much of the roof needs to be fixed/maintained?

A simple repair of a small 1m² section will cost less than working on a larger 10m² area.

Ease of Access

Accessibility also counts when it comes to the full bill of roof maintenance, since the easier it is for a labourer to access your roof, the quicker the work will be - and the lower the labour cost will end up.

The height of the roof can also determine whether or not scaffolding will be needed. This may add at least an extra several hundred pounds to the overall cost if it is required.

Location of Property

On average, roofers charge about £200 to £275 per day nationwide.

However, the contractor rates vary depending on where you live. For example, in the north of England, you will expect to pay a lot less for roof maintenance than you would in London and the surrounding areas.

Types of Roof Maintenance

In this section, we'll take a closer look at the various forms of roof maintenance.

Roof Cleaning Cost

The average roof cleaning price is between £575 in the UK.

Roof cleaning can involve one or several forms of cleaning. The process of removing moss and/or debris from roof shingles can be achieved using a trowel. One of the most common forms of roof cleaning involves the use of a pressure hose to rapidly and effectively remove debris from across the roof surface.

A specific power control should be used based on the type of roof you have. Though this form of roof cleaning refers specifically to the general roof area, the same may be undertaken for the guttering.

Pros

• ✔ Quick, effective method of roof maintenance
• ✔ Helps to identify potential roof issues before they become big problems

Cons

• ✖ Can be messy and slippery
• ✖ Pressure washing can damage old tiles

Roof Treatment Cost

After a roof is cleaned and moss has been removed, an antifungal moss treatment can be applied. It will likely cost between £1,000 to £2,500.

A full roof treatment will take between 1 and 2 days. It's best to have your roof treated once every several years.

Pros

• ✔ Effective at preventing the regrowth of moss
• ✔ Can help to extend the lifespan of your roof

Cons

• ✖ Can be a costly procedure
• ✖ May only last for several years, and further treatment may be required if you live near the coast

Roof Coating Cost

Roof coating generally costs between £1,500 to £2,500.

Roof coating is applied in a fluid form, and acts as an adhesive layer of protection to improve the durability and resilience of a roof. In most cases, these materials are made to expand and retract with the roof materials in sync, depending on the weather.

Pros

• ✔ Improves the long-lasting qualities of a roof
• ✔ Can improve your property's energy efficiency by reflecting the sun's rays

Cons

• ✖ Roof coating isn't suitable for damaged roofs
• ✖ Will likely need to be reapplied every 10 years

Roof Repair Cost

Roof repairs can cost anywhere from £60 to £1,000, depending on the type of repair work.

Pros

• ✔ Simple repairs can be quick and easy to complete
• ✔ Roof repairs can be very effective at preventing new issues arising

Cons

• ✖ Some repairs can be expensive
• ✖ Labour timescales can extend if the job proves to be harder than initially anticipated

Replacing Roof Tiles

The average cost to replace roof tiles in the UK is around £215.

When roof tiles begin to wear and break, there'll come a point when you need to have them replaced, either as DIY work or through the work of a professional.

Pros

• ✔ Individual tile replacement is an effective spot treatment to avoid a full roof replacement
• ✔ Instantly improves the appearance of your property's roof

Cons

• ✖ If the replacement tiles aren't fitted correctly, the job can lead to long-term damage
• ✖ Older properties, or those with bespoke roof tiles, may struggle to find exact matches

Gutter Cleaning Cost

The average gutter cleaning cost is between £100 to £450.

Gutter cleaning is a common form of roof maintenance that involves clearing debris out of the guttering to ensure that water is able to flow through it without issue.

Pros

• ✔ Can prevent gutter damage
• ✔ Quick and fairly inexpensive

Cons

• ✖ Pressure washing may not be suitable for all gutters
• ✖ Can be messy

Roof Leak Repair Cost

To fix a roof leak should cost around £30 to £200.

There are many potential causes of a leaking roof, such as damaged flashing, an accumulation of moss, and damaged fascias and/or soffits. This may be fixed by repairing the broken element(s) on the roof or by replacing these parts entirely.

Pros

• ✔ Will fix any leaks, preventing further water damage
• ✔ Tends not to be too expensive

Cons

• ✖ Identifying the cause may take time and add to the labour costs
• ✖ The cause may be too severe for a repair job, requiring a full roof replacement instead

Building Regulations & Planning Permission for Roof Maintenance

Roof maintenance alone is usually not covered by building regulations.

However, the case will be different if your work involves the replacement or alteration of roofing elements. The regulations can vary depending on whether you intend to undertake pitched or flat roof work. With the former, planning permission approval is unlikely to prove necessary if you are simply repairing or maintaining a small part of your roof.

If you're planning on altering over 25% of your roof, you will need building regulations approval.

Again, assuming that there are no alterations or other significant work taking place. Standard planning applications cost £258.

Usually, it takes up to eight weeks to receive a response to an application. It should be noted that the rules stated on the Planning Portal's website only cover England and Wales — building regulations and planning permission rules can vary for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Can I Handle Roof Maintenance Myself?

Though you can generally perform room maintenance DIY, you should only undertake any given job if you're sure of what is involved. Some work, however, must be performed by a qualified professional, such as asbestos removal.

Assuming that this is not the case, should you choose to maintain your roof yourself, it will probably not require planning permission or building regulations approval. If building regulations approval is required, then a professional will need to sign off on the work.

As with any DIY work, there are hazards and dangers involved. For one, if you lack the skills or knowledge needed for a given type of roof maintenance, there is always the risk of performing it incorrectly, which will, at best, prove to be a waste of time or, at worse, could create new issues or worsen existing ones (e.g. roof leak).

There are more serious risks involved when it comes to safety, particularly if you are working at a height.

If you use a ladder, you should have a second person hold the ladder beneath to secure it firmly in place. If you are to work more than four feet above a level below, scaffolding is needed for safety purposes or any work that covers the entire roof.

Scaffold should be inspected when it is first assembled and if exposed to conditions that alter its security (e.g. after adverse weather). It should also be checked every seven days, although it is unlikely that any roof maintenance work would last a full week.

What's Involved in Roof Maintenance?

The specific process for your roof maintenance will depend on exactly what needs to be done.

Often, your contractor will have assessed the roof ahead of starting work but if they haven't, a visual inspection will need to be carried out before they proceed with the job.

Some preparation will usually need to be done ahead of the work. This could include:

• Undertaking a risk assessment to check whether there are any safety issues.
• Deciding on the best method to do something, if there are multiple ways available.
• Organising the hiring of scaffolding (if required).
• Covering flowerbeds, patios, decking and similar garden areas if there is likely to be debris falling to the ground.

Good tradesmen will explain what needs to be done and why. If you're just getting a roof inspection ahead of work taking place, remember that you are entitled to reject quotes for additional work. Alternatively, you can approach another company for a roof repair quote.

Clean-Up

You can expect your garden and property to be left in good condition following any roof maintenance work.

Most roofing quotes will include the cost of waste removal, but if this is not explicitly mentioned, it's worth double-checking that this won't be something you need to do for yourself.

Checklist: Hiring Contractors to Conduct Roof Maintenance

Here is what you should look for when hiring a roof maintenance contractor:

• You'll want to hire a professional with an extensive background in roof repair/maintenance work. That's why a roofer is probably the best contractor for the job.
• Even if they have plenty of experience, it's important that the work they did before was well received. The best way to ensure that this is the case is by asking for some references.
• Lastly, you could also ask what accreditation and qualifications they have. You should be aware that most labourers do not need qualifications unless they are undertaking very specific work (e.g. asbestos removal).

FAQs

Sources

https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/roofwork.htm
https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/roof/building-regulations-work-to-an-existing-roof
https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/roof/roof-planning-permission
https://www.brownsladders.co.uk/should-you-attempt-your-own-roof-repairs/
https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/roof-repair-how-to-find-and-fix-roof-leaks/
https://www.nfrc.co.uk/docs/default-source/publications/mrk094-nfrc-homeowners-guide-to-roof-work.pdf