How many roofing quotes should you get?

For a small repair, such as a few slipped tiles or a cracked ridge, one good survey and a second opinion is usually plenty. For a larger job, like a re-roof, a flat roof replacement or work with lead and a chimney, three quotes give you a spread to judge by without wearing you out.

A single quote leaves you with nothing to measure against. You cannot tell whether the price is fair, or whether the diagnosis is right. Two quotes show whether roofers agree on what is wrong. Three show where the price sits among them.

More than three seldom adds anything. Each visit costs a morning of your time, and every roofer you invite will ask for a decision at some point. If you have three clear written quotes and still feel unsure, the problem is probably the brief you gave, not a lack of quotes. Sorting that out is quicker than booking a fourth visit, and it gives the next roofer a clearer job to price.

Quotes only compare if they describe the same job. Tell each roofer the same thing: what you have seen, where the leak shows inside, and what you want done. Say whether you want a repair or a replacement, or whether you want the roofer's view on which.

Let each of them see the whole roof, including the loft side where you can get in. Ask each to say what they found and to back it up with photographs. If one roofer finds rotten battens and another does not, ask the second to look again.

Do not tell one roofer what another has quoted. It turns a survey into an auction. Ask every roofer to put the same details in writing: the address, the work, what is included, and a single total. Our guide to finding a good roofer helps you choose who to ask in the first place.

Put the written totals side by side, then read what each one covers. Three checks catch most differences.

• VAT. Some quotes include it and some add it afterwards. At the standard rate of 20 per cent the gap is large on a big job.
• Scaffolding. Checkatrade's October 2026 table lists scaffold at around £800 a month for a terrace and £1,200 for a detached house, which makes a quote without it look cheaper than it really is.
• Waste. Check that the old covering is taken away.

Then compare the scope. One roofer may propose a repair where another proposes a replacement, and those are not like for like. The materials matter as well, and the quote should name them: a lead flashing and a sealant flashing are different jobs, and they last for different lengths of time.

Our answer on why roofing quotes vary explains the gaps in more detail.

A wide gap is a signal to ask questions, not to pick the lowest or highest. Ring each roofer and ask what the figure assumes. A very low total may leave out scaffolding or VAT, use a lighter material, or treat only the visible fault. A very high one may allow for a problem the others have missed.

Ask the roofers who differ to explain their view to you, and look at their photographs again. The one who can show you evidence for their diagnosis is the one to trust more. If you are still unsure, a separate roof inspection from someone who is not bidding for the work can settle a disagreement, and our roof inspections and surveys page explains what that involves.

Whichever way you decide, choose on the whole picture: the diagnosis, the clarity of the quote, the dates and the cover offered, and the price alongside them. Low price on its own is a poor guide, and so is a polished brochure.

With JJ Roofing Bognor Regis you get the survey first and then a written quote, with pictures of your own roof attached. Our prices are good and fair, and the quote shows one overall figure. Where a repair will hold, you will be told that, and offered only what the fault needs.

If you are collecting quotes, we are glad to be one of them. You are free to set ours beside anyone else's, and we would rather you chose with the full picture than felt rushed. The home page lists the roofing work we take on around Bognor Regis.

When you have a quote you like, read it twice before signing. For a contract signed at home, the 14 days described in our answer on cancelling a roofing contract still apply. To begin, ask for a written quote, or see typical roof work costs in the UK first.