The main pitched roof of your rental might only need major work every 30 years or so, but, even if it wasn’t redone that long ago, you might have to make some repairs over the lifetime of your buy to let – things like:
- Replacing loose or missing tiles
- Repairing or replacing flashing
- Re-rendering
- Fixing issues with roof valleys
And if you’ve got an older flat roof anywhere, it’s likely to have suffered damage from the elements and will probably need replacing while you own the property. The good news is, the quality of flat roof materials has improved a lot over the last couple of decades, so it should be a one-time fix for you.
Who should I use for major roof works?
For any work on the main roof, you should use a professional roofer, rather than a general contractor.
They need health and safety knowledge and experience of working at a height, as well as specific skills related to the roofing work itself. Even for smaller flat roofs, it’s important to use a contractor with relevant experience.
What qualifications and skills should a professional roofer have?
They should be a member of a trade association, such as:
- NFRC, the UK’s largest roofing trade association
- The Institute of Roofing
- The Association of Master Roofers
The most important thing is that they’re qualified in their area of expertise – e.g. slating and tiling, lead welding, pitched roofing – so they should be able to prove that they’ve completed appropriate training.
Also, check to make sure they have the following:
- Insurance, covering any damage caused as a result of their work
- A valid licence to work on roofing projects
- A written safety program
- If it’s a re-roof or major works, a quality assurance program to make follow-up checks on the roof afterwards
What warranties/guarantees should a roofer provide?
Reputable contractors should be prepared to offer a 25-year guarantee for their workmanship and some companies will even give lifetime warranties. Just make sure that any guarantee they provide is insurance-backed, meaning that even if they stop trading, you’ll still be covered.
Roofing materials come with a standard warranty, which usually lasts between 10 and 30 years. But it’s better if you can get an enhanced warranty from a manufacturer, as that can be for up to 50 years. To apply, all the roofing components must come from the same manufacturer, so it forms a complete roof system. Then if any one of the components fails, they’ll cover the cost of replacing the entire roof - and this warranty can be transferred to a new homeowner when you sell.
You can also get warranties that cover both labour and materials, but you must use a manufacturer-approved contractor.
Where can I find a reliable roofer?
Word of mouth and local recommendations are usually fairly reliable, and a good roofer should be happy to provide you with references. You can also search for an NFRC member contractor via their website.
Costs can often vary significantly, so always get two or three quotes. And remember, in addition to the cost of materials and labour for the actual roof work, you’ll also need to factor in the price of scaffolding (around £625 a week) and skip hire (around £250-£300 for a 6-8 yard skip).
If you’re repairing or re-covering an existing pitched or flat roof, you will need to submit a building control application if:
- More than 50% of the roof is affected
- More than 25% of the total ‘building envelope’ is affected
- You’re carrying out structural alterations
- Any new roof covering will respond differently in the event of a fire
- The weight of the roof covering will be increased by 15% or more.
If you’re completely re-roofing, in most cases you’ll need Building Regulations approval for the work.
To be on the safe side, if it’s anything more than minor repairs, contact your local authority planning department before any work begins, to find out whether you need to seek approval and what their process is.
The Your Move Content Marketing Team
