The short answer
At least three. Citizens Advice recommends collecting at least 3 quotes from different traders, each put in writing, before you choose. The aim is not to hunt for the lowest number but to see whether the firms found the same problem, propose the same work and price it as one total, including VAT and scaffolding where they apply.
Why three, and what the third one tells you
Two quotes can disagree and leave you stuck. A third helps you see which one is the odd one out. If two firms describe the same fault and propose similar work and the third wants to replace the whole roof, that gap is worth asking about. If all three differ wildly, the roof may be harder to read than it looks, and a survey that explains the findings becomes more valuable.
In its guide to getting building work done, Citizens Advice keeps the advice simple: collect a written quote from at least 3 different traders before settling on one. The written part is there for a reason. A verbal figure given on the doorstep cannot be checked later, and it leaves no record of what the roofer said they would do.
There is a practical limit. Three is a good number for a repair or a re-roof. For a small, obvious job such as one slipped tile, a single visit from a roofer you have reason to trust may be enough, and it is proportionate to the problem.
The point of the exercise is information, not tough bargaining. A roofer who takes time to show you the problem is giving you what you need to choose.
What to compare besides the total
The number at the bottom is the last thing to look at. First, check that each firm is quoting for the same job. A repair priced against a re-roof tells you nothing.
Questions that bring out the real differences:
- what did each roofer find on the survey, and can they show you photos and measurements of it?
- what work is proposed, in what area of the roof, and in what covering?
- is VAT included in the figure, and is scaffolding?
- what happens to the waste, and who clears it?
- when would work start, and how long would it take?
Each quote should be one total price in writing for a described job. If a figure is vague about what it buys, ask the firm to say so in plain words. If two quotes seem to differ by a few hundred pounds, check whether one leaves out scaffolding or VAT before assuming it is cheaper.
This is also where survey findings count. A firm that has measured the roof and found rotten battens under a slipped slope has a reason for its scope. A firm that names a figure without going up, or looking from the loft, has less to go on. Our guide to spotting a dodgy roofer lists the signs that a quote is built on little.
So how much should I pay for a roofer?
Nobody can give a fair figure without seeing the roof, but national guides give a frame. Which? (Nov 2025) prices fixing up to six broken or missing tiles at £75 to £400 and a new ridge tile at £80 to £300. Its range for a full replacement roof on a typical three-bedroom house is £7,000 to £21,000. These are typical UK ranges, ex VAT.
HomeBuilding (Sep 2025) prices a three-bedroom semi with plain concrete tiles at between £10,000 and £15,000, including labour, scaffolding and insulation. The sources differ widely, which is why the quotes you collect matter more than any guide.
A day rate is a different thing from a quote. A roofer's day rate does not tell you how long your job will take or what it needs, so it is not a useful number for comparing quotes. What drives a price is access, the area to cover, the covering chosen and what the survey finds. Our page on how much roof work should cost goes through the ranges job by job.
A quote far below the rest is not a bargain until you know why. Ask what has been left out.
What a quote from us looks like
Every job at Fortis begins with a survey: measurements, pictures of the roof and a plain explanation of what they mean for the work. Only then do we give you a price, as one total in writing for the job described.
You are welcome to set our quote beside the others. Hold it against the questions above, and ask us anything that is unclear. If another firm has found something we missed, or we have found something they did not, the photos let you see which is right.
We aim to match the fix to the evidence. If a repair will do, the quote says so, and where only a re-roof will do, the survey evidence says why. That is a more useful basis for comparing quotes than the total alone.
Before you sign anything, remember the cooling-off rules for contracts signed at home. Our answer on cancelling a roofing contract explains how they work. You can see everything we cover from the homepage, and the next step is to book a survey.
