How many roofing quotes should you get?

1Why three is the usual answer

One quote tells you a price but not whether it is fair. Two show a gap and leave you guessing which is out of line. Three usually reveal a middle ground and make an outlier obvious, whether it is surprisingly low or well above the rest. Beyond four or five, you spend weeks on ladders and phone calls and the extra figures add little. The aim is enough evidence to decide, not a pile of paper.

It also helps to say at the first call that you are collecting quotes. A fair roofer will not mind, and will usually tell you how long the quote will take to produce. That is the start of the process at Watertight Worthing Roofing too: a conversation, a survey, and the figure in writing afterwards.

Size the effort to the job. A slipped tile or a single flashing repair may need only a couple of quotes, or a roofer who can explain the cause on the spot. A full strip and re-cover, a flat roof renewal or a chimney rebuild justifies three properly. Typical UK repair costs run widely, from £150 to £1,500 in MyBuilder's roof repair guide (updated 21 August 2026), which shows why a single figure is hard to judge alone.

2Make every roofer price the same job

The usual reason quotes differ is that they are not describing the same roof. Before the first visit, write down what you want: the slopes involved, whether you want a repair or a full re-cover, and whether the ridge, verges, gutters or chimney flashings are part of it. Give each roofer the same list and the same access, so each is pricing from the same starting point.

Then ask each to say in writing what the quote covers. Look for the type of tile, slate or membrane, the underlay and battens, whether ridges and verges are mechanically fixed, how the lead is dressed, and how the roof is made safe in the meantime. Where the cause of a leak is uncertain, a roofer who traces it first and shows you photographs is giving you better information than one who prices from the pavement.

3Compare like with like, not figure with figure

A roofing quote should arrive as one total price for the whole job. That keeps comparison simple in one way and tricky in another: the number is clear, but the reason for a gap is not, so you must ask. If one total is lower, find out whether it includes scaffolding, VAT, waste removal and making good, and whether the same materials are specified.

Check four things on each quote:

• the scope of work, in plain words
• the materials, by type and make where it matters
• whether VAT and scaffolding are included
• the guarantee, who gives it and how long it lasts

A quote that is silent on any of these is not yet comparable. Ask for the answer in writing, and the totals can then be judged fairly. If a roofer cannot or will not say what is in the number, that tells you something too. Keep notes of each call so the answers do not blur together by the time the third quote arrives. For a list of what to put to a roofer, see questions to ask a roofer.

4Read the guarantee, not just the headline

Two quotes for the same price can come with very different protection. One roofer may give a written guarantee on workmanship, another may offer nothing in writing, and a third may point to a material manufacturer's warranty that covers the product but not the fitting. Ask what is promised, in what form, and what you would do if a fault appeared.

Our page on what a roofing guarantee should cover explains the differences. It is also worth knowing that a lifespan quoted for a tile or slate is an expectation, not a promise, and nothing replaces a clear paper trail. Keep every quote, even the ones you decline, until the work is finished and you are happy with it.

5Warning signs when you are collecting quotes

A quote that arrives by text in five minutes, with no visit, is a guess. So is one given to you on the doorstep with a request for a deposit today. A good roofer looks at the roof, or at least at photographs of it, explains the cause, and then writes the quote. They answer questions without hurry, and do not tell you the price will vanish tomorrow.

If someone calls unannounced after a storm, read our guide to doorstep roofers before you agree to anything. Choosing someone based locally makes follow-up easier, as covered in why hire a local roofer. Our own process is simple: we survey, photograph the faults, and send one written figure afterwards. A decision made calmly, with the paperwork in front of you, is nearly always better than one made at the door.