Roof repair in London starts at around £150 for a single slipped or broken tile and rises to £6,000–£15,000 or more for a full re-roof in 2026. A flat-roof repair typically costs £300–£1,000, replacing a flat roof in felt or EPDM runs £80–£120 per square metre, and chimney flashing repairs sit at £300–£600. This guide breaks down what you should pay by job, why access drives the price, and how emergency make-safe call-outs work.
How much does a roof repair cost in London?
Roof repair costs are driven by the type of fault, the height and pitch of the roof, and how easy it is to reach the affected area safely. A single defect on a low two-storey roof is a quick job; the same defect on a tall four-storey terrace needing a scaffold tower or roof access is a different proposition entirely.
The table below shows the typical ranges we see across London for the most common repairs. Anything quoted far below these figures usually means working off a ladder where a tower or scaffold is really needed, which is neither safe nor lasting. Prices include labour and materials but exclude VAT and any access equipment beyond a standard ladder.
Roof repair job
Typical London cost (2026)
Slipped or broken tile (single)
from £150
Replace several tiles / small patch
£200 – £500
Flat-roof repair (patch / reseal)
£300 – £1,000
Chimney flashing repair
£300 – £600
Ridge tile re-bed (per run)
£500 – £1,500
Full re-roof (terraced house)
£6,000 – £15,000+
What does fixing a slipped or broken tile cost?
A single slipped, cracked or missing tile or slate is the most common London roof repair, and it starts from around £150. That figure covers a roofer attending, accessing the roof safely, sourcing a matching tile or slate and re-fixing or replacing it.
The reason a small job carries a minimum charge is that most of the cost is access and call-out rather than the tile itself, which may be a couple of pounds. Where several tiles have moved, or a patch of slates has slipped after high winds, expect £200–£500 for the area to be made good in one visit.
Matching matters on London's older housing stock. Victorian and Edwardian roofs often use clay tiles or natural slate that are no longer made to the same size or colour, so we keep a stock of reclaimed materials to blend repairs in. A mismatched patch is cheaper but stands out and can date the whole elevation.
Flat-roof repair and replacement costs
Flat roofs over extensions, dormers, bays and outriggers are a frequent source of leaks in London, and the cost depends on whether the covering can be repaired or needs replacing.
A flat-roof repair, such as patching a split in old felt, resealing a lap joint or sorting a tired upstand, costs £300–£1,000 depending on the size of the area and the cause. This buys time but is rarely a long-term fix on a covering that has reached the end of its life.
Replacing a flat roof is priced per square metre. Built-up felt and EPDM rubber both run £80–£120 per square metre supplied and fitted, with EPDM at the upper end but offering a longer life and a seamless single-membrane finish. Fibreglass (GRP) sits slightly higher again. For a typical single-storey rear extension of 12–20 square metres, a full replacement lands at roughly £1,000–£2,400 plus any new insulation, decking repairs or improved drainage.
We always inspect the deck once the old covering is off. Soft or rotten boards under a failed felt roof are common and add £200–£600 to put right, which is why a fixed quote should make clear whether deck repairs are included or a provisional sum.
Flat-roof covering
Cost per square metre (2026)
Felt (built-up, torch-on)
£80 – £110
EPDM rubber membrane
£90 – £120
Fibreglass (GRP)
£100 – £130
Chimney, flashing and ridge repairs
Junctions where the roof meets a chimney, wall or valley are where most pitched roofs leak, and they account for a large share of the repairs we carry out in London.
Chimney flashing repair, replacing or re-dressing the lead where the stack meets the roof, costs £300–£600 for a straightforward stack on an accessible roof. Where the lead has perished across all four sides, or the cement fillet is the problem, a full re-flash sits at the upper end.
Re-bedding ridge tiles, which work loose as the original mortar fails, costs £500–£1,500 per run depending on length and access; dry-fix ridge systems cost a little more but never need re-pointing. Valley repairs, between two roof slopes, are priced similarly and should never be left, because a failed valley channels a large volume of water into the roof structure.
Access is the single biggest variable on all of these. A chimney repair reachable from a flat-roof extension is far cheaper than one needing a scaffold to the ridge of a four-storey terrace.
How much does a full re-roof cost in London?
When a roof is past economic repair, with widespread tile failure, sagging or repeated leaks, a full re-roof is the answer, and it costs £6,000–£15,000 or more for a typical London terraced house in 2026.
The range is wide because it depends on the roof area, the covering and the access. Concrete interlocking tiles are the most economical; natural slate and clay tiles, common and often required in conservation areas, sit at the top of the range. A re-roof usually includes stripping the old covering, new breathable membrane and battens, new or reclaimed tiles or slates, fresh flashings and, frequently, replacing the gutters and felt at the same time.
Scaffold is a significant line item on any re-roof, typically £1,000–£3,000 depending on the height, the number of elevations and how long it is needed. In conservation areas, matching the original materials is usually a planning condition, which pushes both material cost and lead time up. A new roof should come with an insurance-backed workmanship guarantee, so always ask what cover is included.
Emergency and storm-damage roof repairs
After high winds or heavy rain, the priority is a make-safe rather than a permanent repair, and emergency roof call-outs are priced differently from planned work.
A make-safe visit, fitting a temporary tarpaulin, securing loose tiles, clearing a blockage or stopping water entering the property, typically costs £250–£600 depending on the time of day, access and how much temporary protection is needed. The aim is to stop further damage to ceilings, insulation and belongings inside, which usually costs far more to put right than the roof itself.
Once the weather clears and the roof can be assessed safely, we quote the permanent repair separately. Many storm repairs are covered by buildings insurance, so we photograph the damage and provide a written report to support a claim. If water has already come through, dealing with the leak damage inside, drying, replastering and redecorating, is a separate job we also handle, so the property is put back to where it was.
What affects the price of a roof repair?
Two roofs with identical faults can carry very different repair costs, and understanding why helps you read a quote properly.
Access comes first. Height, pitch and whether a scaffold or tower is needed can double the cost of an otherwise minor repair. Roof type comes second: natural slate and clay tiles cost more to source and handle than concrete tiles, and conservation-area matching adds further cost. The extent of hidden damage is third; a leak that has rotted battens or decking underneath turns a surface repair into a structural one.
Finally, timing matters. Emergency and out-of-hours call-outs carry a premium, and a small fault left unattended through a wet winter almost always becomes a larger, dearer job. The cheapest roof repair is nearly always the one done promptly, before water finds its way into the structure and the rooms below. A VAT-registered roofer will add VAT at 20% to the figures above; always confirm whether a quote includes it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to repair a roof in London?
A single slipped or broken tile starts from around £150, a small patch repair runs £200–£500, a flat-roof repair £300–£1,000 and chimney flashing £300–£600. A full re-roof of a terraced house costs £6,000–£15,000 or more. Access, roof type and the extent of hidden damage are the biggest factors, and VAT is added on top where the roofer is VAT-registered.
How much does it cost to replace a flat roof in London?
Replacing a flat roof costs £80–£120 per square metre supplied and fitted for felt or EPDM rubber, with fibreglass slightly higher. For a typical rear-extension roof of 12–20 square metres, that is roughly £1,000–£2,400, plus any new insulation or repairs to a rotten deck once the old covering is removed.
Why is there a minimum charge for a small roof repair?
Most of the cost of a small roof repair is safe access and the call-out, not the materials, since a single tile may cost only a pound or two. That is why even replacing one slipped tile typically starts from around £150. Combining several small jobs into one visit is the most cost-effective way to deal with minor faults.
How much is an emergency roof repair in London?
An emergency make-safe visit, fitting a tarpaulin, securing loose tiles or stopping water entering, typically costs £250–£600 depending on the time and access. This is a temporary measure to prevent further damage; the permanent repair is quoted separately once the roof can be assessed safely, and storm damage is often covered by buildings insurance.
Do roof repair prices include VAT?
Not always, so always check. A VAT-registered roofer adds VAT at 20% on top of the labour and materials, while a smaller non-registered trader may not. The figures in this guide exclude VAT and any scaffold or access equipment beyond a standard ladder, so ask for a written quote that itemises these.
