How much does it cost to repoint ridge capping?

Ridge capping is another name for the tiles that cap the apex of the roof. Repointing it means renewing the mortar joints that show. Checkatrade's roof repair cost guide, updated October 2026, lists ridge tile repairs at £50 to £70 per metre. It states that every cost in the guide excludes VAT, which has to be added.

That is one national figure from one guide. It is a useful marker, not a promise. It covers ridge tile repairs in general, so it does not say whether the work is pointing, rebedding or a new system. A short ridge on a small house will land well below a long ridge on a detached one.

The same guide puts roofers at around £280 to £360 a day. Put the two numbers together and a modest ridge repair looks like a day or two of work, not a large project. Treat all of this as typical UK pricing and expect a local quote to differ.

Length comes first. A long run costs more than a short one, and a roof with hips adds further lines of tile. Our answer on hip or gable roof costs shows how the outline of a roof alters the work.

The condition of the bed is the second factor. Pointing a firm ridge is lighter work than lifting every tile, clearing the old mortar and laying them again, and the time on site drops with it. If tiles are cracked or missing, replacements have to be found and matched, and that takes time.

Third come the fixings. Under the 2014 revision of BS 5534 a clip or bolt now backs up the mortar, so a good repair adds those fixings. That is extra material and labour, and it is the right thing to pay for. The last factor is access: reaching the ridge safely is frequently the largest unknown in a small job.

Many ridge repairs need scaffold or a tower, because the ridge sits at the highest point and takes the wind first. In Checkatrade's scaffolding guide, a month of hire costs around £875 for a semi with two storeys, £800 for a terrace, £1,200 for a detached house and £1,000 for a detached bungalow, with the table last updated in October 2026. A short repair needs far less time than a month, but access still adds to a small job.

Scaffolding that blocks part of the pavement requires a highways licence, issued by the highway authority. In our area that means West Sussex County Council for Arun, Chichester, Adur, Worthing and Horsham, and Hampshire County Council for Havant and East Hampshire. You should allow ten working days or more between application and erection. Ask your roofer who makes the application, because the arrangement differs from one council to the next.

Our answer on whether you need scaffolding to repair ridge tiles explains when a tower or roof ladder is enough instead.

A low price per metre for repointing can look attractive, then cost more later if the tiles move. Ask each roofer what exactly they propose: pointing, rebedding with clips fitted, or a dry system. Ask whether access and VAT are included. Ask what happens if rotten timber or cracked tiles show up beyond the ridge itself.

A fair comparison sets like against like. A cheap repoint and a rebed with fixings are different jobs and the figures should reflect that. We would sooner tell you plainly that your ridge needs more than pointing than win the work with a number that fails in the next gale. Our guide to the cost of repairing ridge tiles goes through the other items that can alter a ridge bill.

Be cautious about doorstep offers after a storm. Ask for a written quote and a name you can check, and take your time over the decision. A reputable roofer will not mind you checking the details, and a rushed deal on the doorstep rarely favours the homeowner.

We start on the roof, pressing each tile and noting what moves. Whether pointing, rebedding with fixings or dry ridge suits the roof is settled before any figure is mentioned. If pointing alone will hold, that is the job quoted, and nothing larger is suggested.

The price then follows in writing as a single sum for the whole job. Our prices are good and fair. Consent is explained to you, any Building Regulations notification is ours to make, and the rubbish is carted off when the work ends.

Before a visit, you can send photographs taken from the ground along with your address, and we will say what the ridge probably needs. Our answer on whether you can just repoint ridge tiles helps you work out which job you probably need, and the ridge tile repairs hub explains each repair method in turn.